E-mail: ReadingMyBlood@aol.com
Pairings: W/S, A/C
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~Chapter Eleven~
Cordelia saw her red-headed friend and Spike in the most passionate kiss she had ever been witness to. Nothing from the movies, her romance novels or anything else could match the kiss she was watching.
"Delia!" Angel almost yelled at her. He saw her eyes had wondered back over to Willow and Spike, taking in their kiss. *I'm laying on top of her, sporting a hard-on that she has to be feeling, and she's watching those two? Damn it!*
Cordelia's eyes returned to Angel's. He was lying on top of her, with a stiff one about to puncture her stomach, her own imagination was running wild with herself and he was yelling at her. "What?" she asked indignantly.
"Could you possibly focus your attention on me for a moment?" The souled vampire was at a loss. Part of him wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off and drive his point home on focusing on him. Another part wanted to find a dark corner and beat the hell out of something cause she still was watching Willow and Spike when he was right on top of her.
Cordelia's breath caught in her throat when she saw the passion in his eyes. The outwardly strong seer suddenly was very unsure of herself and the situation. "I'm right here, Angel."
"Gods, yes you are," Angel answered himself and his long tormented fantasies more than actually answering Cordelia. His eyes perused the face of Cordelia. He took in her long eyelashes, the dept of her eyes, the fullness of her lips, the arch of her eyebrows. *Perfection* he thought to himself.
Cordelia watched Angel look at her. She wanted so badly for the souled vampire to lean down the remaining inches and kiss her. She could almost feel those soft lips pressing against hers, moving hers to part as his tongue explored her mouth. But he didn't. He just stayed there, pressing into her with his fabulous body, looking at her. Cordelia couldn't take it anymore.
"Get off me, Angel," the seer whispered softly. *I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this*, Cordelia heard an inner voice repeating inside her head. Cordelia knew that little voice – it was her line in the sand voice. The voice that warned her when it was too much. And Angel was pushing too much. She was aware he felt close to her, but he couldn't just lie on top of her, drinking in her face and she do nothing. Self-sacrifice only went so far for the soulless vampire. She gave up her dreams of being a star. She gave up her nice clothes and any possible future to be his seer. But she would not – could not – give up her self-control.
Angel had seen Cordelia's lips move but he couldn't hear a word she said, so lost in the beauty that was his seer. He, who didn't need to breath, was panting over her exquisiteness. There was nothing to mar her perfection. Everything placed flawlessly. And her skin! The tint of color was a marvel to him. He knew she never sun bathed, so as to not wrinkle, so where did the color come from. If she was a vampire, would she maintain that hint of color? After a hundred years away from all sun, would there still linger a slight brush of a sun-kiss on this gorgeous woman?
"Angel!" Cordelia raised her voice to her boss when he didn't respond to her request to get off her. She raised her hands and began pushing at his large shoulders with no effect. Tears started to stream down her face as her self-control, the very essence that made her The Cordelia Chase, began to slip away.
Angel wouldn't have even noticed the hands pushing at his shoulders if he had not seen the tears leaking silently from the eyes he loved. His brows knitted in confusion as he moved off her. Cordelia quickly scrambled away from Angel.
"Cordy? What's wrong?" Angel pleaded as Cordelia moved away from him, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her knees. She wouldn't look at him, which was upsetting the guilt-ridden vampire. "Cordy? I'm sorry." Angel tried to reach out to her, but the slight flinch made his hand stop in mid-air and drop to his side. He cast a side-long glance at Spike and Willow. At least my grand-childe is doing no better he consoled himself, as it seemed his dream of loving Cordelia was hopeless.
~Chapter Twelve~
"Much, much more", Spike had just promised his little red-head. One of his hands was on her lower back, pulling her as tight against him as he could as the other had buried itself in her silken tresses, angling her head to take the on-slaughter of his mouth against her neck. He was licking and sucking and nibbling the area just behind her earlobe, wanting to move about an inch lower and sink his fangs into her neck. To claim her finally, the thought crossed his head. After tonight, she would know who she belonged to.
Willow could only feel. This exquisite dream had taken on a whole life to her. He felt so good, working her nerves to a breaking point. The blond's tongue was pressing into the skin behind her ear and it was driving her insane. The hand holding her at the waist was slowly pressing her rhythmically into him, creating the small version of where she hoped this dream continued to. Her hips arched into his, and she felt more than heard a soft growl from deep within the vampire's chest. The sound filled her heart and let loose her juices, so that her arousal enveloped them.
*Her smell is going to make me cum before I actually take off me jeans,* Spike grinned to himself. Not that he wanted to embarrass himself, but he didn't care at the moment. He knew he'd stay hard. Thank whoever for giving vamps one blessing – lasting hard-ons that didn't go away. But he'd prefer for all of his climaxes to be inside the witch, not in his bloody trousers.
Spike had moved his lips over to the other side of her neck, giving it the same attention. His hand moved her head to accept his move, hearing his Willow sigh as he continued to make love to her neck.
Willow's eyes had long since closed and her nerves were completely shot. Best damn dream yet, she confirmed to herself. Her hands were still attached to his shoulders and she kneaded them, feeling the muscles move under the skin. Who knew muscles were so sexy, she grinned inwardly.
"This, witch," Spike's voice was hoarse with lust and need, "is the difference between roommates and living together." Spike continued his ministrations with his tongue, moving the hand at her lower back to her ass and driving her pelvis into his, easing some of his own ache just feeling her rubbing against him.
Willow instantly stiffened. *That's not part of the fantasy,* she told herself. Spike felt her stiffen and pulled back his head to peer into her emerald eyes. Confusion was written in those lovely green orbs and Spike couldn't understand why.
"What did you say?" Willow whispered, her chest still heaving from the passion that though cooled from his words, still raced through her.
Spike searched his memory, not having remembered saying a bloody thing. All he could remember was the feel of her skin, the taste of her, how she felt against him. He just looked at her, not answering.
Willow pushed against the shoulders she had just moments before been pulling toward her. "What did you say?!" Willow asked much more loudly, with anger quickly replacing passion.
"Don't remember witch," Spike answered honestly as he fought the red head from pulling away from him.
"You said that this was the difference between roommates and living together!" Willow was quickly getting louder and more violent in her efforts to release herself from Spike's embrace. "What the hell did you mean by that?"
Spike didn't want to hurt the witch, not really wanting a migraine to cut into the wonderful feelings coursing through him, so her attempts to get free were working. He finally let go of her body to reach for her hands. "Pet, I don't remember saying it," Spike pleaded as Willow twisted her hands so she could get away from physically touching the vampire she loved so much.
"You said it! Now what did you mean?" Willow was finally free and scrambled back, putting a few feet between the two. Distance was good – it let her know that it wasn't one of her fantasies happening. *Oh goddess, I made out with Spike. Oh goddess, oh goddess, oh godd-*
Spike cut into her mental anguish, seeing her withdraw into her mind. He tried to reach out to her but she shied away from his touch. Anger replaced Spike's passion. *Chit knew what she was doing, who she was doing it with! I say something she don't like and suddenly she's pushing me away. Well to hell with her!*
"Just demonstratin' luv. What? Thought I'd give you the whole show?" Spike bit out at her, mentally beating himself up for letting his own emotions for the girl lead his actions. *Ruined! I bloody well ruined the best thing I've ever had! Bloody fool! Bloody tequila for making her so relaxed! Bloody tequila for letting me guard down around her! Bloody fire making everything so warm and cozy! Bloody poof! It's all his fault! If we hadn't been talkin' about the chits earlier, wouldn't have been having these thoughts. Wouldn't have needed alcohol so much! And then wouldn't have attacked her. Bloody fuckin' poof!*
Spike slid angry eyes over to Angel's form, taking in the cheerleader bunched up into herself and Angel just staring at her. Spike looked back at Willow. The look of anger, rejection and loss filled the emerald eyes he loved, filling him with no hope and an ache that with delay consumed him. The ache was an emptiness, knowing he had ruined not only his only chances with the witch, but their situation as well.
Without warning, Spike jumped to his feet, grabbed his duster that still lay on the back of the chair and stormed out of the house without looking back. Willow silently watched him go, feeling an emptiness fill her, not knowing hers matched her loves identically. When she heard the door slam, the witch crumpled into held back tears, burying her face in her hands, falling onto the floor.
Cordelia was immediately drawn out of herself and the torment that was Angel. She moved over to her friend, gently rubbing her back as the red head had a good cry over Spike. Angel sat and watched, wanting to comfort Willow, telling her that Spike loved her, that he was an emotional demon, but he didn't know if Willow felt the same for his grand-childe, so he said nothing. Instead his eyes found Cordelia, who was ignoring him. He had almost kissed her an instant ago. *Hell, be honest with yourself,* Angel pondered, *you were moments from ravishing your seer until she couldn't walk for a week.* Angel berated himself on his lost of self-control. He got up and followed Spike's path out the door, not noticing Cordelia silently watch him depart. The seer's emotions were like a hurricane, ripping through her and as large, but she didn't allow those emotions to surface. Years of hiding the real Cordelia Chase couldn't be conquered by a few years working with Angel. And they certainly weren't going to be conquered because of feeling him on top of her, devouring her face with his eyes. She wasn't that hopeless of wuss yet.
~Chapter Thirteen~
Angel had caught up with Spike, but neither talked as they stomped through the Hellmouth. Demons that did see them were cautious for their own lives and kept their distance. Only those who were idiots or had a death wish would cross the paths of the pissed off Scourge of Europe. As it was still early, for vampires, neither feared the sun to interrupt their silent brooding. They continued to beat themselves and the pavement figuratively, as they worked their way around and around through town. Neither spoke, knowing the other was in as much anguish as themselves. Maybe it was the company that kept either from succumbing and running back, begging their respective loves for forgiveness. Maybe it was that after a hundred years or so, pride is the only thing left, keeping them from the women they loved. But maybe they had each silently agreed to themselves that their own cases were hopeless to win the women they needed in their undead lives.
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Willow had been crying for half an hour according to Cordelia's watch. Every once in a while, the brunette would gaze longingly at the door, hoping against hope that both vampires would return. Hoping that there had been a misunderstanding in each couples' case. But she knew better. Her years of being a bitch, being superficial were catching up to her. Angel may have to atone for killing thousands but she had her own ghosts to atone for. Hurting so many people, and they were still alive to feel the pain she had inflicted for all those years, that was what she had to atone for. It was the only reason Cordelia could figure for having such an empty place in her heart. Life wasn't supposed to be this hard. Love wasn't supposed to be this hard. Love wasn't supposed to hurt. And gods but it did. First Xander, then her parents, and now Angel had all been players in breaking Cordelia Chase's heart and she didn't have anything else in her to give. She hoped that one day she could make up for all the hurt she'd done. And she knew it was great, that invisible girl Marcie was a perfect example. She had made someone feel so empty, so worthless they had actually disappeared. Yeah, she had much to make up for herself. And the hope that she would one day be loved, feel adored, be more than just a friend to Angel died inside. All her hopes were hopelessly lost to her.
Willow had run out of tears. Cordelia still stroked her back, but the red head could tell the seer's mind was else where. But Willow didn't mind. The pain of having Spike so close, having felt his touch, his mouth, his kisses, yet knowing he was simply playing a game with her was the last straw to her high strung nerves and unspoken love. But the tears were finally shed – all of them. Willow slowly sat up, Cordelia's eyes on her.
"Feeling better," the former May Queen asked gently.
"Much," a tired smile crossed Willow's face. "Thirty minutes of crying does a body good." Her voice was hitched, reminding Cordelia of the recently shed tears. Willow took in the masked features of her friend, realizing Cordelia was ready to act, not react, to the turmoil that had recently filled the house.
"What happened between you and Angel," Willow prodded quietly.
"I so don't want to discuss that right now," Cordelia waved her perfectly manicured hands as though she was literally brushing away those thoughts. "Instead, I say we two need to discuss options." Cordelia looked Willow straight on, showing her friend she was ready to do something about their pitiful existence.
"Right, act," Willow agreed, standing and beginning to walk the length of the room. She reached the window and pulled back the curtains, staring out in the darkness. "Any suggestions?" her small voice fragile with emotions.
"First," Cordelia stood and began pacing in front of the fireplace. Willow draped the material and turned to face the seer. "First, I believe we need some time away from those two. Otherwise, they'll come back and tell us some sympathy story for their actions and we'll forgive them and we'll be right back here." Cordelia stopped pacing and looked for reassurance from her friend.
"Agreed," Willow stated, having gained back some of her dignity and strength, placing her resolve face on. "Cordy, run upstairs and grab my blue backpack. It's has some basic spell ingredients in it."
"I thought we'd leave," the statement was more question from Cordelia than statement. "What do you have planned?"
"Just a little spell that will give us the time we need to be alone," Willow spoke with determination. Once the words had come from Cordelia about needing time alone from their vampires, Willow had been in complete agreement. For all these months, she'd not been alone and she needed that. Spike never left her alone. He was always there. And when you're trying to figure out things about someone, having them there didn't help matters.
"So, you're going to witch them to another dimension?" Cordelia was interested in what Willow had planed.
"Nope," Willow answered amused, "just a little uninvited spell."
"But Spike's name is on the deed. I heard him tell Angel earlier. How can it work?" Cordelia was wondering if it would be better if they simply left.
Willow began moving furniture around, clearing a space for her spell. Most uninvited spells didn't need much, but she had had to create a stronger one, since this was technically Spike's house. "Yeah, most wouldn't work," Willow agreed with Cordelia, "but I researched one incase Spike pissed me off." Willow's eyes met Cordelia's and a grin crossed the red head's mouth. "And he's officially pissed me off."
Cordelia grinned back, knowing the vampires were hopeless against a powerful witch and a seer. Oh well, she mused, shouldn't have pissed us off.
~Chapter Fourteen~
Willow sat in a circle of salt and rose petal thorns. Black candles were burning. Sage, rosemary and dragon's blood were burning. Willow had called the corners and Cordelia was sitting on the couch watching as a dark light enveloped Willow within the circle. The seer had known that Willow was a powerful witch but she didn't realize how strong she had become. Once the circle had been cast and the corners called, Cordelia had felt electricity flow into the room. Now a soft blackish light was surround the edges of the circle and Willow was chanting, conjuring the needed ancient powers.
Suddenly, with raised hands, the blackish light poured out of Willow's hands as she screamed "Ego Occuludo Haec Foris Quae Inferi". The blackish light slowly crept like a fog. Cordelia watched transfixed as the fog wrapped itself around the door and windows, then moving toward the kitchen where she followed it. There it repeated it's actions, enfolding the doorway and the windows. When it moved to the stairs, Cordelia knew it would the same to all the doors and windows on that floor. She returned to the living room to watch after her friend.
Willow was in a trance, her previous green eyes replaced with solid black, as the red-head stared into nothingness. Cordelia wanted to rush over and help her but knew better than to interrupt a spell. The brunette watched as the black mist came back down the stairs and return to the circle, where it went into the candles and disappeared. Willow blinked and the black was gone replaced by the normal green. Cordelia kept her silence as Willow thanked the ancient powers and closed the corners. She then swept up the salt and rose thorns into a pile.
"Cordelia," Willow spoke, breaking the silence and the seer's tenseness, "help me out."
"What do you need for me to?" Cordelia jumped to help, needing to burn off the energy the electricity had permeated her with. Willow instructed her to grab a handful of the salt and thorn pile and sprinkle them in front of the doors and windows.
"When we're ready to let them back in, we simply brush aside the salt and thorns and the spell will be broken," Willow finished explaining. It took just a few minutes for the two to disperse the mixture throughout the windows and doors of the house. When they had finished, Willow blew out the candles and packed away all her tools. As she did this, Cordelia got lost in thought.
"Now what?" the seer asked.
"Now, we have a girl's weekend, forget about nasty vampires and try to relax. I think once we've been able to peace within ourselves, we might be able to start figuring out how to deal with our problems."
Willow's explanation sounded strong to Cordelia except for one area. "Willow, what about when they return tonight?" she asked the witch.
Willow straightened her shoulders quickly, and turned to look at the brunette. The red head's eyes widen and her mouth formed a perfect O as realization hit her. Now that she had done the spell and her emotions were more under control, she was able to think through her actions and think about Spike's reaction. "Oh, oh, oh.." Willow began to shake and her eyes began roaming the room nervously. Cordelia moved and helped the red head to the chair where the previously strong witch collapsed.
"Oh goddess Delia, he's going to kill me. He's going to be so mad. He'll never believe I just needed some alone time. He'll think I'm throwing him out. I can't do that. Maybe we should have left. He doesn't even have a place to stay the day. Oh goddess, what if he never talks to me again. Oh goddess, oh goddess, oh goddess.." Willow trailed off into her own world, rocking back and forth, knowing she had done the final thing to push Spike away.
"Stop!" the seer yelled at Willow. "Did he or did he not toy with your emotions tonight? Did he or did he not walk out of here? Did he or did he not throw what you two did back in your face as though it was nothing?" Delia needed Willow strong right now. She needed to see the famous resolve face, cause if the red head crumpled she was sure to follow.
Willow focused back on Delia, anger coming back up. *Thank the Powers,* Cordelia silently prayed, *that's it. Resolve face and we're going to be fine.* And Willow's resolve face was in place. And just in time too. Cause the lock had just been turned and the door opened but the two vampires standing outside the barrier were not coming in. They couldn't due to Willow's spell.
"What the bleedin' hell have you done, witch?!" Spike barked the words but not in time to see her famous face, knowing it for what it was and realized deep shit was about to happen. The decisions he and Angel had reached in their talk were hopeless against Willow's resolve face, especially if she had barred him from their home. All his plans were hopeless in trying to get the red head to understand, forgive him and possible love him.
~Chapter Fifteen~
The two vampires had been lucky that night. A Bruno demon had showed its face. Hard to kill and tough as armor. Perfect for the anger and rage coursing through two master vampires. What normally would have killed two measly vampires was quickly destroyed by them instead. The two vamps were sitting on the ground, surround by the corpse of the departed Bruna demon, all anger and rage having departed with the end of the fight.
Spike looked up at Angel, seeing his grand-sire looking in more pain emotionally than he had ever seen him. Spike wouldn't tell anyone, but having a soul was the best thing to happen to Angelus. The soul tempered the violence and insaneness. The soul made Angelus more approachable. Before, Spike had to prove himself constantly. Now, the two could actually talk, hold a conversation. And he'd stake himself before admitting it but he hated seeing the poof in such torment.
"Friend of yours?" Spike quipped, reaching for a smoke.
Angel glanced up at Spike under his eyelashes, not having the energy to raise his head. He watched his grand-childe and marveled at the changes in him. Before the blond was uncontrollable. Even a battle such as they had just had would not have toned down the violence racing through the blond, but there he sat – quiet, calm, looking for all the world like someone enjoying life. If you didn't take into account the gash running across his shoulder blade.
"Nope, not a friend. Why you asked," Angel smiled at Spike as he pulled himself up to his feet, feeling the pain of the gash in his leg, wondering if Cordy would fix him up after the way he had left her. At that thought, his brooding face was immediately back on.
"Must have known him, mate. Otherwise why you lookin' so glum?" Spike took a drag on his cigarette, needing to take his mind off a certain red head.
"It's been a long night, Spike," Angel was brushing himself off. "I don't want to trade witty banter with you. I just want to go take another shower and go to sleep."
"Yeah, well, you go ahead Peaches," Spike had begun walking off in a leisurely pace. "Not ready to go back just yet."
"What happened William?" The words stopped Spike's movement.
"Nothin', mate." There was a touch of wistfulness in his voice.
Angel walked to stand in front of the blond vampire. "I know we've never been close," he began.
But Spike wouldn't let him continue, "Could say that a little better, couldn't ya Peaches? How bout you've always hated me? How bout we've never shared a bleedin' thing except women?!" Spike ended his tirade by yelling in Angel's face.
"You're right," Angel ran a hand through his already poofed hair. "But it didn't mean I didn't care. And we did have a few times together. When the girls would head out on their own. You and I were a force, ah William?"
Spike thought back to those nights, when Angelus had let down the guard he kept for Darla and they were both fists and fangs, cold blooded killers with no remorse and no guilt. "Those days are long gone, mate," Spike stated not looking at the brunette vampire.
"Yeah, so we've become new vamps. Doesn't mean we can't still help each other out."
Spike cocked his scarred brow, looking at Angel from underneath it. "Yeah? What you got planned Peaches?"
"Willow and Cordelia." Angel simple stated their names but nothing more.
"Yeah? And? We've discussed this already or has age impaired your memory, granddaddy?" Spike smirked.
"Nope." The leer Angel wore was pure Angelus. "Just remembering."
"Remembering what exactly?" Spike was curious as to what could bring the playful side of Angelus to the forefront.
"Remembering that we're demons. Remembering that we simply take what we want. Remembering that we are the Scourge of Europe. Just remembering," Angel was actually looking malicious in his thoughts.
"Take what we want, hea?" Spike's own smirk was deeper, reminding Angel of a young William, out to conquer to the world.
"Yep." Was Angel's reply. "See, I want Cordelia. Tonight, when I had her below me, the torments my demon has been sending me about her were finally clear. The demon wants her as much as I love her. She is the demon's mate as well as mine."
"Still got that pesky curse, right though Peaches?" Spike was looking a bit alarmed at the changes in Angel.
Angel simply placed his hand on the younger vampire's shoulders and began walking them back towards the house where their women awaited them.
"See Spike, I've been thinking about that tonight. When I was with Buffy, my demon was raging. It wanted no part of her. So when I achieved that moment of true happiness, well the demon was able to come out. It came out because I was surrounded by love and had no energy left to contain it. With Delia, well, let's just say that the demon would also be achieving that pure burst as well. It couldn't push me out cause it would also be too weak, knowing I had claimed my mate."
"Got ya," Spike agreed, not quite understanding as he didn't have the torment of a soul and demon being housed within his body. "Hey! Wait." Spike stopped and turned to face the older vamp. "Claim her?"
"Yeah, claim her Spike." Angel softly established.
"Does the chit know what a claiming involves?" Spike was back to being nervous around Angel. He knew the brooding one, he knew the insane one. This one, with the gleam in his eye, was unknown to the blond.
"Nope, she has no clue. Not going to take the time to explain it to her either." Angel explained as he continued his path.
Spike caught up with him and matched him stride for stride. "She's goin' to have your balls for breakfast, mate." Spike laughed.
"Maybe, but it'll be too late." Angel smirked. "And Willow?"
Spike stopped once again. Anger crossed his face at the thought of his grand-sire wanting his red head also. "Mine," the blond growled warningly.
Angel threw his head back and laughed. "Don't worry so, William. I don't want her. Even if I did, Delia would kill me. What I want to know is what you're going to do about her?" Angel slid his eyes to observe the blond through the side of his eyes.
Spike puffed himself up as a look of pure passion washed over his features. "Goin' to claim me a witch tonight, Peaches."
"Sounds like a plan, boy. Sounds like a perfect plan." And it was with determined steps that the two strode through Sunnyday, making a strong path to their so-to-be mates.
Upon reaching the house, Spike pulled out his key and unlocked the door, pushing it open. The two vampires saw their women, Willow in the chair and Cordelia standing beside her. Spike saw the resolve face he was familiar with. *Whatever she's resolved bout,* he blustered to himself, *she's no match for my resolve to have her.*
When the vamps moved to enter they were blocked out by the invisible barrier. Surprise and confusion covered both faces.
"What the bleedin' hell have you done witch?!" Spike barked.
Willow heard him. Her own resolve, upon seeing the pain cross her beloved's face, quickly fading. Oh goddess, what have I done?
Cordelia locked eyes with Angel. Her head was thrown back and with her look, she dared her boss to try something.
"Let me in Delia." The seer heard the forced control in Angel's voice. She saw the unbridled lust enveloping him. It wasn't just on his face, he was actually radiating passion and desire. And he was looking at her. Oh no, oh no, oh no.. Cordelia's mind shut down at the look of Angel. He's going to devour me, was the only leaked into her brain.
Willow was staring at Spike, who in turn was consuming her with his look. Spike's hands were curled by his side, as though ready for battle and he was watching her from below hooded eyes. The look made Willow's knees weak and an ache begin there. Her eyes wondered down his body, seeing the tenseness, how his neck muscles were taut. He seemed to be leaning forward as though to strike. His chest was heaving and his legs were in a fighting stance. The picture was perfect.
"Witch!" Spike brought her attention back to the now and away from the fantasies she had begun to drift to. Her eyes snapped back to his.
"Wh-wh-what?" Willow stammered. She had never been on the receiving end of such a look. Those looks were reserved for the beautiful people, not plain old Willow Rosenburg.
"Take the barrier down, witch," the controlled passion encased each of his words as they were spoken slowly, deep in his rich accent.
"N-n-no," Willow again tripped over her words. She had stood and had backed up to the stairs, closely followed by Cordelia.
"Delia," Angel again addressed the woman who would be his before the sun rose, "let me in."
But Cordy hadn't been Queen C for as long as she had without being able to draw on it when needed. "I don't think so, Angel. You pull some whacky shit on me then storm out of here. You've been moody and uncommunicative for months now. Why don't you just go cool off somewhere else. I'll talk to you later." And with that, Cordelia flipped her brown tresses and stomped up the stairs.
"Delia!" Angel yelled with all his vampiric voice, watching as her form slowly began to disappear up the stairs. "Cordelia, STOP!" Pure rage tinted Angel's words now. *No way in hell below or heaven above is she walking away from me!*
Cordelia did stop, having never heard Angel direct the anger she had seen glimpses of at her. She turned, marched down the stairs and walked right to a foot before the barrier, glaring at her boss.
"If it's a battle of wills," her own voice angry with being treated like that and it gave her the needed courage to stand down her love, "I promise I will win." Her voice was mocking. Cordy quickly put up all the barriers she had used all her life. And there she stood in a stand off with the famed Angel, previously feared by thousands, now only feared by the leggy brunette matching his stare.
Both were ignoring the other two, a blond and red head in a stand off of their own. Spike was still in fight stance and Willow was still standing at the base of the stairs, ready to flee up to the safety of her room.
"Red! Open the bloody barrier before I tear it down with my own bleedin' hands!" Spike's words were not said quickly, but with slow precision, letting the little girl have a full understanding of what he was willing to do to get at her.
Courage came from some part of Willow she didn't know existed. "You can't break it, Spike. It's been cast. Nothing you can do will break it." And with those final words of daring, Willow grabbed the banister and high tailed it to her room, locking the door behind her just in case.
Spike watched her flight, a knowing smirk on his face. He looked over at the two brunettes in a clash of wills. "Hey Peaches," Spike spoke, getting Angel's attention, yet the older vampire never broke his gaze with his seer.
"Yeah?" he spoke, still passion eye-locked with his seer.
"Want to get in?" Spike's voice was full of amusement and lust.
"Oh yeah," Angel's words were more for Cordelia than Spike.
"Give me a minute, mate. Then she's all yours," and then Spike disappeared around the corner, his laughter filling the night.
Angel's expression took on one of triumphant. "William always did come through for me, Delia," letting her know she was beyond help. "Make it easier on yourself. Invite me in."
But the haughty Queen C backed down to no one. "Don't think so. See, I've been in touch with my inner guru tonight. And he told me you've been an absolute dick for the past few months. So I don't think you'll be getting an invite from me." This time she was able to turn and make it up the stairs to the relative safety of her room. She also locked her door. *Whatever good that'll do if he is able to get inside* she grimaced to herself. Cordelia Chase sunk down on the bed, sitting Indian style and waited. For if she knew Angel, whatever spell Willow cast wouldn't be strong enough to hold him back once he had made up his mind. And if he wanted to get in, Willow's spell was hopeless against his pure willpower.
~Chapter Sixteen~
Spike climbed up the trellis to Willow's balcony. *Little minx! Thinkin' she can keep me out when I want in. Well, she learns tonight that William the Bloody gets what he wants!*
Willow heard movement on her balcony and knew instinctively it was Spike.
"Go away!" she screamed through the closed door. Suddenly, the door burst from its hinges, flying into the room. Glass and wood sprayed against Willow, who raised her arms to protect herself. When she lowered her arms and peered into the broken doorway, Spike stood. Cocky and proud of his destruction, he lingered his look on Willow's look of surprise, letting her see the lust he felt for her in his own eyes.
"You still can't get in Spike. I just have a door to fix tomorrow cause of you." Willow was terrified of his look, but not for fear but for longing. She so wanted the look to be real, wanted him to want her as much as she did him. Wanted him to love her like she loved him.
"Don't think so, pet," Spike's voice was cocky and arrogant. "The only thing you'll be doin' tomorrow is screamin' my name as I make you hoarse from fucking you."
Willow had never had someone talk to her as he was. No one had used such words. And they were turning her on. The thought of losing her voice from calling out his name in passion sent arousal shooting through her. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the fantasy sweep over her.
"Do you really think this little spell is goin' to keep me out of our home?" It was the `our' that brought Willow back to her situation – that a hot vampire that seemed to want her was standing outside of an invisible barrier, and didn't seem to care.
"Our home?" Willow began to feel the anger come back. "Our home?! According to you we're just roommates!"
Blue eyes traveled down, then slowly back up her body. Spike made sure she saw his perusal. "Not roommates. Just been waitin', Red. As of tonight, we start livin' together." His voice was lazy, filled with lust as his eyes were.
"What if that's not what I want?" Willow whispered. For a moment, she thought she saw uncertainty pass through those deep blue eyes, but it was too fleeting for her to analyze it.
"Oh, you want it, pet. I promise that when I'm done with you, you'll want nothing else." It was that phrase that snapped Willow back.
" `When I'm done with you'? And when will that be, Spike? When some crazy vampire comes along? Or some blond that you believe yourself to be in love with? I don't think I want a part of your crazy obsessions. You change affections too easily. First Drusilla. I mean, yes, you did spend over a hundred years with her but you walked away from her. You were going to stake her. And Buffy? Please, you changed your love from psycho to slayer a bit too quickly for my tastes. I don't think so. I don't want any part in any sick relationship that the moment it turns, you go after someone else." By the end of her tirade, Willow was pacing, not looking in those deep blue eyes that held so much promise.
Spike saw the nervousness overtake his beloved red head. He knew nothing he could say would change her mind at this point. He'd just have to show her.
"Witch," he snapped at her, getting her attention. Willow turned and stopped. She watched as he slowly raised his hands, placing them flat against the barrier and began pushing.
"It won't work, Spike," she chided him. "My spells don't go so off anymore."
Spike simply smirked and raked his eyes over her petite frame once more. Then he closed his eyes and commenced to chant. Willow couldn't catch his words as he was whispering them quickly. She saw his features morph and he opened his eyes to reveal golden orbs. Willow back up, hampered by the wall. Spike continued chanting and pushing. His features returned to his human guise and a devilish smile crossed his face. He raced his voice, yelling the chant and gave one final push. A gust of wind blew into the house, raising Willow's hair and made her put her hands in front of her as though to ward off whatever he had let loose. When the wind died down, Willow lowered her arms to her side and looked up at Spike.
The blond vampire was still standing outside the door, but the smirk was still there. He locked her eyes with his and raised his hands, palms up. And then he stepped through the doorway. Willow stood against the door for just a split second before rushing to the hallway door. But she had forgotten about vampiric speed.
Spike had her flush against the door, his body pressed against her back, rubbing in ways that sent Willow's senses into hyper overdrive. He had grabbed her arms and had them pinned out to her sides. He dipped his head and licked at the hollow behind her ear. Willow's body remembered he had been there just hours before and the reaction to him was as instant now as it had been all those hours ago.
He quickly moved her, flinging her on to the bed, throwing himself on top her, repining her arms, this time above her head. His blue eyes bore into her green ones, drawing all her attention.
Seeing the look of pure desire emit from him to her, Willow was breathless and completely hopeless against the assault he had promised only moments before.
Mean while, downstairs, a certain brunette vampire was grinning. Whatever the blond vampire had done had lowered the spell keeping him out of the house. He burst into the house, taking the stairs two at a time as he made his way to Cordelia.
Once he reached her door, he stopped and listened. He could hear her heavy breathing, her pulse shooting through her veins. He could almost imagine her there, watching the door, wondering if he would be able to make it into the house.
Liking to make dramatic entrances, he pulled back and kicked the door in, not realizing that was a second door that needed fixing in the house. Once the door was out of his path, he simply stood in the doorway, cocky and lusting after the woman seating serenely on the bed. Her gaze was fixed on him.
"You have a curse, so just leave," were her only words, said as a whisper, only his vampiric hearing able to pick it up.
"Not an issue, Delia," he smirked as he sauntered to the bed. He stood there, gazing down on her. When she lifted her gaze to his, pain filled her eyes.
"Why not an issue, Angel?" the pain filled her words.
"I'll explain later." He was too impatient to take the time to explain everything to her now. Now, he had to sink into her warmth, her tightness. He let her watch him drop his leather jacket. Then before Cordelia could process it, she was on her back with a very hard – all over hard – Angel pressing into.
"Please don't, Angel" she pleaded with him, not knowing if her heart could take this one last battle. It had fought so many, there wasn't much left of it.
"Your pleas are hopelessly lost, my beautiful seer. For you are going to be mine."
Cordelia realized the truth in his words. It was hopeless. After tonight, there would finally be nothing left of her heart, nothing left for her to give. It was hopeless.
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