Title: Upsetting The Average V/VI (NC-17)
Author's: Evil Hands of Akasha and Seabreeze
Email: AngelsChilde@aol.com and LornesGirl@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 for graphic sex and some violence in the UTA series R for Chapter One
Pairing: Mainly Aus/C, but also some Aus/B in the UTA series
Spoilers: ATS up to Double or Nothing, BTVS up to Gone.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to ME and 20th Century Fox. No profit has been made.
Feedback: Yes, please, we crave for it!!!!!
Summary: Alternative ending of Double or Nothing in a slightly altered universe. Angel lost his soul in a card game. Cordelia didn't have the heart to obey Angel's advice and stake him. Crossover.

Chapter Five


Buffy forced herself to remain calm. She steadied her breathing, well aware of Angelus' vampire senses. She could hear Tara behind her gasping, so she realized she had to be the calm one for both of them. Cordelia's and Angelus' nakedness, in combination with her friend's position on the bed, could only mean one thing, and Buffy forced herself not to dwell on it for now. She realized that any sign of shock or disgust, all sentiments that wanted to force their way to the foreground of her mind, would only play Angelus' game, and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

She had come here to save his soul, was exhausted from her blood loss, the fight with Jenoff, and, well, her lovemaking with the vampire. Right now, it would be so easy to let all that bring her down, but she fought it.

She was still aiming the crossbow at Angelus' heart steadily. Buffy realized he was about to recover from his surprise when she saw his upper lip curl up to a smirk. She knew she had to put a stop to it before he started.

"Don't!" she hissed sharply before Angelus could utter a word. "You're going to lift your hands up slowly and put them behind your head!"

She realized she was reciting some cop line, but it fit the autopilot mode she had shifted her mind and body into. It must have sounded resolute because Angelus did as he was told and as he did, she realized why. His tattered pants fell on the floor and he was exposing his nakedness to her, flexing his muscles as he linked his hands behind his neck. The grin on his face spread, but Buffy forced herself to keep her eyes locked on his.

"Tara, check on Cordy."

Buffy ordered gently, hoping it would bring her witch out of her shock into action. Tara only hesitated a moment before she stepped into the room, around Buffy, and approached the bed. She leaned over Cordelia, checking her pulse. When she found it, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Buffy, who understood. Tara untied the scarf that was gagging Cordelia, then took the keys from the nightstand and unlocked her left hand. She didn't want to step around the bed and turn her back to Angelus, still afraid he might use her as a shield again.

"Tara, why don't you come over here for a sec? And bring the scarf?" Buffy suggested a lot calmer than she felt. She needed to have Angelus chained up again, and fast.

"Aw, see? I knew you were a kinky little slayer!" Angelus sneered, trying to get back in control.

"Shut up!" Buffy snapped.

She was trying hard to come up with a reason not to pull the trigger, and he wasn't helping.

When Tara reached her, Buffy handed her the crossbow and took the scarf from her. She made sure Tara held the weapon at the right height before she quickly jumped behind the vampire and tied his hands in an uncomfortable angle behind his back. He grunted, but thankfully didn't say anything.

Buffy shoved him into the chair nearby and grabbed a chain from the still open "pleasure chest", temporarily rendering him helpless. She nodded to Tara who exhaled loudly and let the crossbow sink, not noticing when it slipped from her hand to the floor.

"This is not going to hold him efficiently, I'm going to need the bed. Can you try to get Cordy up?"

Tara didn't answer Buffy's question, but walked over to the left side of the bed with the key still in her hand. She unlocked the chain, then gently padded Cordelia's cheek while talking to her softly.

Buffy was grateful for Tara's help, she knew she couldn't have done all of this by herself, so she didn't complain when her friend took her time waking Cordelia up. She realized she wouldn't have had the patience to bring the brunette back to consciousness gently. Finally, Cordelia groaned and her eyes fluttered open.

"Wh…what…" she stuttered before her eyes widened in shock as her memory came back.

She started to push Tara way from her in panic, before she realized it wasn't Angelus holding her.

Relieved, she threw her arms around the witch and started sobbing.

"Shhhhh. It's OK." Tara soothed her, while trying to get her to stand up. "Let's get you cleaned up. Here."

She picked up a towel from the floor and handed it to Cordelia. It was dirty, but it would cover Cordelia somewhat before they could make it to the bathroom.

Cordy let herself be led and winced in pain as she put weight on her feet.

Buffy picked up the crossbow and positioned herself between Angelus and Cordelia. Her eyes shot daggers at the vampire and she knew he realized she could kill him on the spot so he kept quiet.

Tara managed to shield Cordelia additionally, even if the seer would have looked up, she never would have seen Angelus.

Supporting her, Tara managed to help her into the bathroom where she shut the door on Angel's bedroom.

When she heard the faucet run, Buffy undid the chain around Angelus' chest.

"I'm going to take a step back." She whispered calmly. "And when I do, you're going to get up and walk over to the bed where you will…"

"Fuck your brains out once more?" Angelus interrupted before Buffy silenced him with a blow to his jaw.

"You're going to walk over to the bed where you will lie facedown with your arms spread like ready for crucifixion" she continued without missing a beat. "That is, if you don't want to end up in a Dustbuster, because right now, my patience is running on empty."

Angelus had heard that tone on her before and he didn't think she was kidding. With his hands still tied, he wasn't in any position to fight effectively, so he gave in. Buffy backed up, the crossbow once again raised at chest-level and watched him emotionless. She was surprised when Angelus did exactly what she had told him, and ended up facedown on the mattress. Since she wasn't sure it wasn't part of a new plan of his, she wasted no time releasing his hands and fastening the first cuff around his wrist. The metallic noise from the lock mechanism sounded like a dozen bells to her, she knew she had the situation under control now.

Quickly, she worked her way around the bed, once again securing all four of his limbs to the bedposts. She was about to discard the scarf she still held in her hand, when she tied it around his head, gagging him. `More for his own good' she mused, because she wasn't sure how much longer she could withstand his mind games before her instinct to kill him would take over. She then rattled each chain lightly to test its strength before she left him to join the two other girls in the bathroom.

Cordelia was cowering on the toilet, wrapped in a big bath towel. Tara was adding body wash to the already steaming tub water, she glanced up as Buffy entered. The Slayer squatted in front of Cordelia to make eye contact.

"Cordelia," she addressed her, as Cordelia didn't look up from the obviously fascinating tile floor, "Did he...did Angelus hurt you?" Buffy asked softly, touching Cordelia's arm. She was not quite sure she had gotten through when Cordelia answered, her voice more a whisper than her usual, confident tone.

"Just as he knocked me out."

While this wasn't quite the truth, it was all Cordelia was willing to share. She wasn't quite ready to lead the parade of pain and the possible tirade of accusations or humiliations. What happened was between her and Angel, and she was determined to keep it that way.

Now Buffy frowned, "You mean he...I mean, you...the two of you..." her mind was racing and she didn't exactly know how to put all her questions into words. Maybe the situation hadn't been what it seemed? Was this something Cordelia had been into? She was confused.

"Buffy, I really don't want to talk about it. I just want to get clean and sleep for the next 48 hours." Cordelia gestured towards the tub where Tara had turned off the water and was stepping aside. Since they had more pressing issues to take care of at the moment, Buffy didn't push. She watched as Cordelia got into the steaming water and suddenly felt like she was invading her friend's privacy.

"OK, you get cleaned up then. I have a really pissed soul-sucker in the car that I'd like to bring up here so we can get the show started. Tara, are you all set?"

Buffy decided on a forward attack. They had already lost time by cleaning up the mess Cordelia had gotten herself into and she was itching for action. Tara confirmed that all was ready to perform the spell. But then she pointed out that she didn't want to leave Cordelia alone in the bathroom.

"No, you guys, I'll be fine. I take it **he's** all chained up again?" Cordy raised a questioning eyebrow at Buffy. Buffy nodded, she figured Cordelia wouldn't be much use for them until she completely relaxed again anyway. She needed to be kept away from Angelus for the time being and this bathroom was just as much another room as the downstairs.

"Well then, I sure as hell am not going to untie him again. So I'm safe here. And frankly, I'd like to be alone," Cordelia said emphatically.

That, Tara understood. She had opened her mouth, ready to protest, but now she closed it. She realized Buffy was right, the sooner they got started, the sooner they could leave this place and go home. Cordelia reassured them she had everything she needed for now and would be fine, so they finally left. The seer sighed deeply as the door closed behind them. She scrubbed herself thoroughly, trying to wash all bodily fluids, all evidence of the last hour off of her. Then she allowed herself a minute to just lay back and close her eyes. She heard Angelus grunt in reply to something Buffy said and then the bedroom door slam. That brought her back to reality. She would need some time alone with Angelus before they returned, there was something she just had to say - and do.

She was glad Buffy had brought her clothes with her, so she wouldn't have to dress herself in Angelus' robe again. It was bad enough that his scent was all around her. She quickly dried herself off and redressed. Her own clothes gave her the much needed feeling of being herself again, of being *in control*. Before she left the bathroom, she forced her breathing to calm down, readying herself to confront him.

The first thing she saw when she entered the bedroom was Angelus' tight ass. Since his face was turned away from her, she allowed herself to study his naked body. `This would be so much easier if I could just hate his guts', she thought. She hoped by taking her revenge right here and now, she was going to be able to live with herself and Angel after today. She hadn't expected him to be tied up face-down, this made her plan so much easier. Angelus' head spun around when he heard the bathroom door close, Cordelia could already see the sparkle in his eyes again. You had to give it to him, he was not easily broken. Outnumbered, overpowered, but not ready to back down. She admired his stamina, but knew she would rather die than ever say it out loud. She noticed Buffy had done a good job, tying up his mouth, too, this time. It would be easier this way.

"You know, in your current position, I could come up with so many ways to hurt you" she started as she had reached the bed.

"But the beauty is, you're going to have your soul back pretty soon, and your actions are going to haunt you worse than I ever could. Still," she continued as she let her finger slowly dance along his back down towards his buttocks, "you need to learn that no one fucks with Cordelia without being fucked."

She pinched his left butt cheek and enjoyed his grunting noise, convinced he would have a lot more to say if he only could. He was straining his neck to follow her as she walked around the bed to stand between his spread legs.

"So I was thinking, what would be the most humiliating experience for a badass vampire?" She teased as she deliberately rattled one of the chains holding his foot.

"Well, aside from being all tied up and dominated by three girls..." she added slowly as she let her hand glide from the chain over his calf to his thigh.

"Unfortunately, I don't have time to bring in the big guns, and after all, Jenoff is on his way to take care of his part, but...."

She missed Angelus' reaction to that, as he had turned his face back into the mattress. She would have enjoyed the misunderstanding she had created, as Angelus could only think of one thing at the mention of another male: his worst nightmare.

He was brought back into the moment when he heard Cordelia opening her belt. For a second, he was hoping she had only meant to threaten him before getting back into bed with him, but when he didn't hear her taking any clothes off, he was confused. He cursed into the scarf and was trying to free his mouth from it. He stopped his efforts when he heard Cordelia's leather belt slip though the hooks and sensed her heartbeat quickening. This could not be happening. He knew enough about torture, hell, he had probably invented some of the refined forms of it, to not need a picture anymore: she was going to spank him. Though he was slightly relieved he had obviously misunderstood her, almost chuckling at the fact that he had thought her capable of Angelus-like meanness, he was still irritated. Where was that fucking Slayer when you actually needed her that *one* time in your life?

"You know, I feel bad," Cordelia sighed sarcastically.

"You were expressing your gratitude earlier and I never got to thank you in return!"

Angelus heard the belt whip through the air a split second before it slapped his ass, hard.

"Thank you for telling me the truth about Angel!" Cordelia exclaimed, trying hard to mock his tone from earlier.

"Thank you for being such a horny idiot!" she added with the second blow.

"And thank you for wasting you valuable time with a good fuck for me" she spat out with the third blow.

Already, she could see red streaks appear on Angelus' porcelain skin. He was moaning into the mattress and that reaction put a satisfied grin on Cordelia's face.

"You know, you really are, let me tell you, a smart guy," she had memorized every single word of what Angelus had told her while torturing her and she made sure he heard her now. She let the belt sink and walked back around to his head, where she yanked his face up by his hair.

Leaning in until she almost touched him, she whispered: "You could have knocked me out right after I untied you. Think about it, you could be half way to Mexico by now. Guess my stylist is lucky after all."

She turned his head until she could look him in the eye.

"I should just stake you! But you know what? It's just the perfect punishment to be left here in such an *inviting* position!"

She glanced at his ass with her last words and let his head fall back on the mattress.

"You're lucky I don't get my rocks off by torturing creatures, unlike *some* people."

With that, she threaded her belt through the loops again and headed for the door. She had a lot more to say but she was afraid she was running out of time.

When she yanked the bedroom door open, she almost crashed into Tara, who was balancing a tray with all the necessary ingredients for the spell in front of her. Both girls screamed in surprise.

Angelus was glad to have been handed another moment to himself, hearing the girls mumble apologies and clutter from whatever had been dropped. He was taking a deep mental breath and tried to calm down. For once grateful to the Slayer who had had the sense to tie him up this way, his position was hiding his embarrassment. While he was painfully aware of his erection, at least it could remain his secret. Which was a blessing, considering that he was as much infuriated with himself as he was with Cordelia, disgusted at having enjoyed her `punishment'. His submissive position was humiliating to him, so when he had felt ripples of pleasure going through him from her hits, he had hated himself even more than her.

The current ruckus at least gave him a chance to put his body back in order, while his mind was a different matter, which could be dealt with later.

"I, I'm sorry!" Tara stuttered for at least the fifth time, still avoiding Cordelia's eyes. She had been standing outside the bedroom door for a couple of minutes, stopped by the noise she was hearing from inside.

"I didn't mean to...to interrupt you," she now explained while picking up all the items she had dropped. Cordelia smiled at her gratefully before continuing her way out of this hellhole.

"I'm going to check if Buffy needs a hand," she said over her shoulder, not wanting to stay and have to explain herself or Angelus' back side.

Tara stood for a moment, staring after Cordelia. She had thought she heard whippings when she was waiting outside the door and one look at the reddening streaks on Angelus' butt confirmed her suspicion. She felt a deep sense of justice, though not exactly knowing what had gone on before Buffy and her had stormed in, she figured Angelus had gotten his fair punishment.

She placed her tray on the nightstand, suddenly feeling the vampire's eyes on her. Now she could hear hubbub from downstairs and gathered it was caused by Buffy and Cordelia trying to bring Jenoff upstairs. She wouldn't be much help there, but she could do her part by preparing the `patient'.

Like Buffy before, she checked all chains again, and when she was convinced they were still in place, she removed the scarf from his mouth, carefully avoiding touching him. He took a deep theatrical breath and spit out lint that had caught in his mouth. Tara was back at the night-stand, putting all ingredients in order and shaking the potion up. Angelus watched her a moment. He, too, could hear the noise from downstairs, but would be damned if he asked the witch what that was about.

Tara kept busy with the potion, avoiding his gaze.

"So," he finally spoke and smirked at her, "Finally figured it would be your turn, huh? I'm feeling rather generous today, so why should you be left out?"

Nodding towards the lubricant displayed on the tray, he continued: "Shouldn't have bothered with that stuff though, there's not a cunt in the world I couldn't get wet, let me assure you! Well, my position is a little inconvenient right now, but..."

Tara gasped, "N-no, th-that's not for me, I mean that's not for..." she took a deep breath to collect her thoughts.

When she finally trusted her voice she continued, "The lubricant is for the interlocking act, just in case. You know, if Jenoff doesn't get wet enough on his own, if he resists."

Angelus' eyes widened. Cordelia's earlier words came back to him and he panicked. He had assumed they had researched Jenoff to come up with a spell and `the cure'. What he couldn't know was, that Tara and Buffy's research hadn't included a trip into the soul-sucker's sexual preferences, the perverted games he was well known for in the demon world. His mind raced back to his own studies of Jenoff, when he had uncovered that the demon was quite notorious for leaving his victims rather deformed in a *very* private area. There were rumors about his battering ram-like `equipment' and Angelus couldn't stop his mind from flashing a very clear picture of the demon on him before his inner eye.

He tensed every muscle in his body and tugged at the restraints with all his strength. Tara didn't know what had caused his reaction, but decided she needed help. She found her two friends at the bottom of the stairs, Cordelia hanging on to Jenoff's side while Buffy was handcuffing him to herself.

"Guys, do you need help, because I think we need to hurry!" Tara urged them, but it only gained her a furious look from Cordelia, who barely held the demon in check.

"Stop it!" Buffy yelled at Jenoff. "Hold still or you'll never wear your precious jewelry again!"

With that, she reached into her pocked and fished out a thin necklace with a pendant.

"You know I can crush this in a heartbeat, and if we're lucky, it'll give us a light show before it dies!"

She was holding Jenoff's talisman that she had snatched off his neck in the shuffle at the casino. Tara had found out that, while not holding his power, it made him who he was in the demon society and was his only defense against any supernatural attackers. Buffy was closing her hand around the egg-shaped, hollow, pendant and pretended to apply pressure. Jenoff saw the seriousness in her eyes and stopped resisting. He was cursing loudly, condemning everyone on his payroll for letting him being put in this position, but he followed Buffy's lead upstairs, tied to the Slayer's wrist. Buffy kept her fist with the necklace well outside of Jenoff's reach as she signaled Cordelia to let go.

When they reached the hallway, they could hear Angelus uttering loud curses, chains rattling and furniture creaking.

"Th-that's what I've been trying to tell you." Tara spoke up. "He went ballistic when I was up there with him. I think we need to hurry!"

As soon as they entered his room, Angelus whipped his head around as far as he could and fixed Buffy with an icy stare.

"Are you done yet?" Buffy confronted him, "Shut the hell up if you don't want to meet Mr. Pointy right now!"

"Let me go!" he yelled back at her "If you don't want them to find your body parts in five counties and have to identify you by your dental work, you're going to tie me loose *now*!"

"Tara, why did you ungag him?" Buffy asked the witch impatiently. Tara explained that the head of the victim had to be clear of all foreign objects during the procedure.

"Well, can't we just knock him out to shut him up?" Cordelia suggested.

Again, Tara objected, "Jenoff's victims are always conscious, it may not work if they aren't awake. Sorry."

Buffy was afraid Tara would start blaming herself, so she put her hand on the witch's arm.

"It'll be OK, Tar, we'll be just fine."

She took another look at the struggling vampire, then she unlocked her end of the handcuffs and dragged Jenoff over to the bed, fastening the cuff around the post that also held Angelus' right foot. She slammed her foot into Angelus' back and tried to reason with him.

"This will hurt less with your cooperation. If you fight it and fidget the way you do, it will surely hurt like hell and we will have to hold you down. But we *will* go through with this! So just let it happen and it will be over soon."

She saw Angelus' tensing his buttocks and frowned in confusion. Tara and Cordelia had witnessed his reaction, too, and exchanged questioning looks. But Buffy's words had at least shut him up and he was loosening his grip on the chains.

"Just don't hurt the gem of Amalon, I'll do whatever you want!" Jenoff was whimpering.

Angelus was panicking, but the Slayer's heel dug into the small of his back. Buffy sighed, she needed a plan B, and fast.

"Cordelia, get on the bed!" she instructed, "I want you to crouch behind his head and hold it in position. Tara, you get here and get ready. I'll bring the player in!"

Cordy hesitated, "I don't think I can...Buffy, I want to help, but..."

"Fine!" Buffy interrupted her. She took her friend's arm and led her over to the bathroom. Placing Jenoff's pendant on the tile floor, she positioned the heel of Cordelia's boot above it.

"When I say `Now', you crush the ugly gem, OK?"

It was more an order than a question, so Cordelia just nodded. That task, she could handle. Buffy picked up the chain she had used on Angelus earlier, walked over to Jenoff and bent his free arm high behind his back. She used her free hand to unlock the cuff from the bedpost, looped the chain though it and fastened again. If she wanted this to work, she had to make sure neither the soul-sucker nor the vampire would get away, and it looked like she had to do the work herself. Cordelia was her back up for Jenoff, but she had to take care of Angelus. Tara led the chained Jenoff over to the top of the bed, he followed willingly, his scared eyes on the jewel underneath Cordy's foot.

Buffy jumped on the bed, crouched against the wall and took Angelus head between her hands. He grunted, but didn't object. She forced his face towards Tara and Jenoff with her palms, while her fingers were prying Angelus' eyes open. When she nodded at Tara, the witch began her incantation.

"Do it!" Buffy barked at Jenoff, who lifted his hands and touched Angelus' eyeballs.

Tara was now chanting, waving the small bottle with the potion so its contents hit Jenoff's hands and Angelus' face. Buffy could feel Angelus tense, and then she was thrown back by a burst of energy. She saw a bright light stream travel from the demon's fingertips to Angelus. Then the vampire's eyes lit up in a way that was oddly familiar to the Slayer. She was convinced the spell had worked even before Jenoff broke the contact and Angelus screamed, slumping back. Buffy released her grip on him and he closed his eyes, panting. Tara breathed a sigh of relief as the soul-sucker stepped back, slightly trembling.

"Now!" Buffy yelled and moments later heard the satisfying crunch of the metal give under Cordelia's boot's pressure.




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