just fic


Title: Without You
Author: Helen
Posted: 12-16-2003
Email: helen_taft@msn.com
Rating: NC-17
Category:
Content: C/A
Summary:
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes: This is for Scorchy and thanks for such a lovely challenge Hun. Here’s the details for ya: Demons have totally taken over Sunnydale, there's no Slayer or Watcher and there's only Cordy and Willow of the main SG around. The humans that are left alive are hiding out in caves, tunnels and whatnot.
Angel still has his soul but he's very Beigy as in dominent, overbearing, growly and snarly. He's with Spike at the mansion in Sunnydale and though he has a soul, he's not really all that bothered about the state of things!
One night when it's Cordy's turn to go get food for her and Willow, she runs into Angel and Spike who force her to take them to hers and Willow's little hideout. The vampires take both girls as slaves and things happen!!!
In my version I planned to have Angelus not Angel but to be honest, this would be more fun if it was Beige Angel!
Scenes to include if you choose to take this...
1) On a particularly rioty night, Cordy gets scared (bless her) and climbs into bed with Angel (sweet!).
2) Angel getting her to do proper slave things like wash his clothes, run his bath etc etc!
Whatever you do with Spike and Willow is entirely up to you, pair em up if ya like!
Feedback: Yeah feed me!
Thanks/Dedication:


Part 14

ANGEL

Ironically he ended up at the exact same bar as Spike had, after wandering the streets for hours in a miserable daze, broodily analysing everything until he thought he’d go mad with it.

*When are you ever going to learn, boy? Stop reaching for sky you fool; it’s always going to be out of reach. You might as well hope to walk in the sun as be able to love.* He could almost hear his dead Father’s voice. The Father he’d murdered along with the rest of his family on that long ago night in Ireland.

Why can’t you ever say anything nice, huh? It was always the same. Nothing I ever did was good enough and now you still haunt me. God! I hated being your son but not as much as I hate being hers. Darla the truest bitch hell ever spat up.

*You profane the Lord, Son. So what do you expect but for bad things to happen to you. Darla came to you because you called to her evil with your own black soul. You’ll never amount to anything but the abomination you are and where meant to be.*

Oh shut up, you sanctimonious old fool. Know what? I’m glad you’re dead and I don’t have to listen to your sorry ass preaching. Now leave me ALONE.

*You can send me away like you always did and do, but that won’t change what you and .. *, the ghostly face of his Father seemed to float in front of his reddened eyes, leering at him. *It won’t change the fact that she doesn’t love you. Who can blame her being so full of life like she is and you nothing but a demon wearing a mans body like a cloak.*

“Shut up!” Angel roared anguished.

It took a few seconds for his vision to clear and the taunting words of his Father to stop hammering at his head. Then he sat back down and ignoring the stares of the other patrons dropped his head in his hands.

An hour later…

The same glass of cloudy beer he’d got when he first arrived was gracing the scarred table when a pair of stout scuffed boots came into view as he stared blankly at the floor. He didn’t bother to look up but picked up his glass and sipped the bitter brew.

“Hey man; I got a question for you” Jeered a male voice. Angel’s eyes didn’t even flicker in acknowledgement.

“Hey, I’m talkin’ to you”. The same voice said aggressively and a handful of knuckles rapped on his table to get his attention. Slowly Angel looked up and with meticulous precision placed his glass back on the table.

“And what can I do for you”? He asked carelessly offensive. Red rimmed brown eyes stared with cold insolence up at the young cocky vamp.

The vampire only grinned at the jeering tone and pulling out the second chair, dropped into it. As soon as he was settled his two buddies sauntered over and leaned on the next table to them make sure they didn’t miss any of the fun.

“I heard you lost yourself a pretty little package? Is that right?”

More jostling and chuckles from the other two; they noticed his simmering look and quietened down. Angel closed his eyes at the indignity of having anything in common with them and took a deep unneeded breath before tuning them out. If he wasn’t feeling like he had the hangover from hell he’d dust him just for annoying the crap out of him.

“What are you; the mailman?” countered Angel, leaning back in his chair and spreading out his long legs. His eyes locked on target and then didn’t stray from his ‘guest’.

“Hey Clive the mailman” snorted one of his buddies while he nudged his neighbour so they could both laugh at the huge joke.

“Are you two for real”? Angel growled then sighed as a feeling of interminable boredom dropped over him. Why are the young one’s always so fucking useless, noisy and dumb. There should be a law that new vamps get trained before they’re let loose on the rest of us.

Clive was obviously not pleased with the title but laughed along so as not to lose face. Though he turned back to Angel as soon as he could and prodded, “so did you”?

Angel sat forward with a smile. “Clive… can I call you Clive”? He asked as affably as he could manage. Clive nodded and preened at being asked for permission. “I’m not feeling particularly chatty tonight so why don’t you and your pals just run along and play, okay”. Dismissing them from his mind, Angel’s thoughts turned inwards again, recalling saying something similar to Cordy earlier on.

The vamps brought him back to the present when they stiffened and Clive stood up with a sharp scrape of chair legs. “Right” he muttered resignedly and stood too. Before they could blink he plucked a chair up from the table behind him and broke the top into numerous pieces, including several wooden stakes.

The barman opened his mouth to complain and got a dark menacing look levelled at him containing a promise of extra mayhem if he intervened. “Shut up” snarled the irritated vampire. The barman shut up and ducked down.

Angel twirled one of his new stakes in one hand, and seeing that they were momentarily absorbed in watching it move with mesmerised fascination, he scanned the whole of bar for more potential trouble; surprised to notice that of the patrons watching they were the only vamps here tonight.

“Hey Buddy” Clive tried to laugh it off and ended with a gulp. “Yeah; didn’t mean to get you all riled up” said another, the last one hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Angel eyed them carefully, a thoughtful look on his face. Then quirking a brow he sat down and after dropping the stakes back in his jacket pocket picked up his drink, swung his boots onto the broken chair and proceeded to ignore them.

Relieved they headed off back to the bar and relative safety. “Just thought you might be interested about the raid on that secret hideout the humans hole up in”.

That sullen statement hit him like a pile driver and his head jerked up in shock. A multitude of thoughts raced through his brain but he didn’t have the time to act on any of them.

“Gentlemen”

They turned back to find Angel smiling apologetically and holding out fresh chairs at his table. “Please join me. Drinks are on me”.

CORDY AND WILLOW

Willow had been trying to straighten the blanket on the pallet and gave a startled shriek when the curtain covering the chamber she was to share with Spike was abruptly thrust back, then relaxed when she saw it was Cordelia.

“Sorry Cordy, I didn’t mean-“ she faltered and tried again. “It’s just I’m still adjusting and-“

“It’s okay, Willow. I know how you feel” Interrupted Cordy dryly and walked deeper inside, casting her eyes over the bare space to hide how uncomfortable she suddenly felt.

“Oh right, of course you do, silly me” laughed Willow, feeling every bit as uncomfortable. Silence was worse though she decided and jumped in to fill it. “I’m so sorry about the diary” she announced slightly muffled as she pulled at the hem of her jumper with agitated fingers.

“I know you are” agreed Cordy and a smile broke out, defying the tension but unable to help it seeing Willow just being Willow. It felt so damn good to see something familiar and beloved in this strange place. “It doesn’t matter really” she offered. “Here…” She pulled it out of her back pocket and held it out. “I have it here to give it back to you”.

Willow eyed it like it was made up of live snakes or something. “Eww I don’t want it. Yuck I hate that thing and I swear I’m never writing another diary ever again”. She announced with a very real shudder.

Knowing how stubborn Willow could be Cordy decided it was simpler not to argue and tossed it in the corner. “We’ll burn it” she offered the suggestion with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Great idea” enthused Willow. “I like it we’ll have a ‘burn the diary’ ceremony tomorrow”. The light-hearted moment was ended abruptly when the redhead dropped her eyes. “You should have seen Angel’s reaction to it”. She mumbled in remembered humiliation and fear.

“I can imagine” replied Cordy with a snort as she sat down and lay back to stare up at the drab rock ceiling.

“Er no, you really can’t” denied Willow as she tentatively followed suit so that both girls lay side by side. Jean clad legs dangling down the side.

“That bad huh”?

“Oh yeah” agreed Willow feelingly.

“Tell me about” Cordy turned on her side and propped her chin on one hand. “Tell me what’s happened since I left; particularly Angel; and try not to leave anything out, okay”.

She’d decided it was time to try and figure out what was going inside that thick head of his and find out once and for all if he loved her or not. Asking straight out wasn’t working since they kept getting interrupted or he walked out so…..

Lord help me, I’ve fallen in love with the most difficult, moody, broody, bad-tempered and impossible man-pire in the world. I need all the help I can get.

DEIDRA

Deidra found them gossiping on the bed; a charmingly normal sight most of the time except when she was frantic with worry and half out of her mind with paranoia.

“Cordelia, do you know where Angel is”? She asked without preamble before she’d even stepped over the threshold.

Cordelia frowned at the interruption of such a juicy topic but since it happened to be on the same subject matter she shrugged off her annoyance. “No idea I talked to him a while ago but he just-“ she walked her fingers to explain the result of her ‘chat’.

“Dammit” exclaimed Deidra and looked to walk out again, then stopped and turned around. “What did you talk about”? She asked suspiciously.

“The deal” answered Cordy shortly with a trace of defensiveness in her tone.

“You did what”? Deidra almost yelled. Then groaned “Please tell me your not serious”. Cordy spread her hands. “All-right what did you talk about exactly”?

“Honeymooning in Florida” quipped Cordy with a dark look. Her eyes caught Willows and she shrugged. Well it was better than a flat out ‘none of you business’.

“Look forget my talk with him. This… whatever it is can’t have anything to do with that”, at least she hoped so, Cordy thought and crossed her fingers. “Tell me what’s the matter and maybe we can help”

Deidra sighed deeply and searched for patience. “Angel has gone missing. We’ve searched everywhere and can’t find a trace”.

What”? Cordy shrieked and jumped off the bed quicker than a scalded cat. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? We have to find him now. I mean he could have gone off and done something dumb and need help”.

“Help with what”? Asked Willow looking confused. “He’s a vampire. He can look after himself”.

“Vampires aren’t invincible, Willow” refuted Cordy sharper than she’d intended. “No I want him found now. As for what- Hello! This is Angel where talking about here. Take your pick…The Master, Darla and every other frickin vamp and squiggly demon in Sunnydale. Any of this ringing a bell”.

ANGEL RETURNS

Angel got back to the compound with less than half an hour left till dawn and walked into an uproar. For every step he took there were at least three humans sprinting away in front of him, tossing him weird looks as they did and almost tripping over their own feet in their haste to get somewhere.

Ignoring them for now he hefted the big white box in his arms to a more comfortable level and just carried on going, thinking he’d find out what the problem was when he got where he was going. He was wrong. The tide turned and before he knew it he was swamped with questions- among other things.

The box was lifted out of arms by a stern faced Wesley and in the next instant he had armfuls of Cordelia trying to climb up his still walking body. Paralysed with sheer surprise his arms dropped to his sides.

Not that it made any difference since she was holding onto him like the proverbial limpet. Dumbstruck all he could do was stare up at her face as she glared down with one serious pout pulling at her bottom lip.

“Where the hell have you been. I’ve been worried about you, dammit” Cordy snapped reproachfully, and her hazel eyes still dark and shadowed with worry bore testimony to that fact. She started to slip down his long body and rather than let go, she simply wrapped her legs around his hips and hauled herself back up.

Not knowing what else to do his arms came up to support her back while he searched for something to say. Not exactly easy when every time he opened his mouth their last encounter threw him for another loop. Not to mention the fact that she was pulsatingly alive in his arms and way too close for comfort.

Why don’t you hate me? His brow wrinkled and conscious of being overheard he retreated from asking it. “I went for a walk” he got out while a confused frown pulled his brows down and wrought creases between them. “I needed to get some air”, and to think he added silently.

“Well duh! We knew you went out and don’t gimme that air crap, you don’t even breathe”. Cordy countered unappeased for all the worry he’d put her through.

“If I might get a word in edgeways” interjected a new voice.

Cordy recognised that oh so precise voice and only just managed not to tell him to shove it. She turned her head to say something similar but less tart when her eyes fell on their audience. Dozens of staring eyes were goggling at her perched up high on the vampire’s waist with her arms wrapped around his neck as if she belonged there or something.

Embarrassment flooded her and she looked back to find bemused chocolate brown eyes searching her face, and wanted to cry for picking the wrong place again. Giving him a strained smile, she dropped her arms.

“I think I’d better get down now” she whispered chagrined and silently he lowered her to her feet.

Tossing her one last befuddled look he turned to Wesley who didn’t waste any time either. “You should have told one of us you were going out. In fact, you shouldn’t have gone out at all” criticised the ex-watcher stiffly.

“Forget that. We have bigger problems looming. We need some privacy to discuss it”. His brows lifted in silent warning of bad news.

Cordy heard every word and grabbed his arm. “You’d better be including me in this ‘private’ meeting”. He knew better than to argue and just nodded resignedly. What did it matter pretty soon everyone would have to know they were out of time.

“Let’s wait until we get out of the tunnels and into a more conducive atmosphere” intoned Wesley, trying not to rush too much and create an unnecessary panic. “But do hurry” he couldn’t help adding. He had a bad feeling about this.

Privacy in the compound was at a premium and was never whole; the best they could do was crowd into one of the smaller caves. A message was relayed and Deidra soon arrived with a couple of the other men Angel had met earlier, her Lieutenants he’d guessed at the time.

“What’s this about news”? Asked Deidra looking at the dark haired vampire with a mixture of reproof, relief and fear of what he had to tell them.

There was a table to the side of them and Angel used it like a prop to toss a pair of fangs onto the wooden top. Everyone watched them land and roll with fascinated eyes and then looked back at the detached face of the vampire that had removed them.

“I met up with some vamps tonight. They had some interesting information about a raid planned on a ‘secret’ human hidey hole” he intoned carefully enunciating the ‘secret’ part deliberately so there’d be no doubt it meant here.

“We’re out of time Ladies and Gents” he added laconically and then finished off with. “If this is going to go our way we need to strike first, which means tomorrow”.

“Well thank god for that” Piped up Spike from the corner. “I hate waiting gets me all over excited”. His face was one big anticipatory grin as he stood up and stretched. “So tomorrows D-day is it”? It wasn’t a question and he rubbed his hands together gleefully. “So do we have a plan yet or are we just gonna roll with the punches”?

“We have a plan” replied Angel decisively and picking up the box he dropped it on the table with a flourish and stood back so they could all get look.

Curious Cordy opened it with one finger as gingerly as she could, sneaked a peak and then frowned in disbelief. “You do know this is just a box full of paper? Right?”

Spike dived into the box after Cordelia’s announcement and pulled out a pristine packet of paper, looking askance at it he transferred the less than impressed look to his grandsire. “You a convert to the pen being more powerful than the sword and all that malarky or something”?

He let go of the packet and it dropped and landed next to the box with a ‘thwak’. “If so, count me out. I’ll stick with a trusty sword thanks” he finished sarcastically and crossed his arms with an air of decisive finality.

“The paper will serve as a means of communicating the information about the Master and his connection to the barrier to the rest of the demon population. You didn’t seriously expect that we’d hold a rally did you”? Jumped in Wesley snatching up the packet and glaring through glinting glass filled frames.

“Wesley is going to produce templates of various common demon languages for people to copy out. Once they’re finished and just before we attack they’ll be distributed around the various demon watering holes and larger nests to get the biggest impact”. Explained Angel, ignoring Spike’s outburst in favour of dealing with the details, such as they were.

“Won’t that give them advance warning”? Asked Don, previously one of Sunnydale’s finest. He was pretty much all that was left of a once experienced and effective police force - for a hellmouth-ridden town that is. His hair prematurely grey was meticulously combed back and thanks to a lack of washing opportunities, stayed that way.

“It’s a risk but highly unlikely that they’ll expect an attack immediately; we’re only talking a couple of hour’s difference at most. Not enough time for them to do much by way of forward planning. Most likely the Master won’t have even finished raising the roof by the time we move in”. Angel answered gravely.

It was a justifiable concern and one that had worried him the most, but the bigger the fight the bigger the risks you have take was the deciding factor in this case.

“It’s the only feasible option. If we leave it till the battle itself we risk bloodlust clouding their thinking and then we have more than triple the numbers to fight”. Wesley was in full agreement. Anything that could possibly reduce the size of the opposition was worth trying in his opinion.

“Let me get this straight. You’re gonna start the fight to destroy the most powerful vampire in Sunnydale with a marketing campaign? Okay, am I the only one who thinks that’s just incredibly lame?” Fretted Cordelia with a sharp edge of dismay in her voice.

“It worked for Barbie” murmured Deidra with a strained smile.

Those were the first words she’d spoken since Angel had announced the bad news. She was out of her element and knowing it was damned uncomfortable. When she’d set things in motion she hadn’t realised just how quickly events would unfold.

Their fate was now wholly in the vampire’s hands. Her apprehensive eyes drifted over him, desperately seeking some reassurance that she’d done the right thing.

“Well that’s just great except for the tiny fact that we’re not talking plastic dolls here- hello! Vamps and monsters and everything else that goes bump in the night”. Retorted Cordelia not pulling her punches, anxiety was making her jittery and when that happened all brakes on her tongue were off.

Spike had snorted in disbelief when Deidra spoke up and now he gave Cordelia a conspiratol grin. “I’m with you, Pet. Seems to me we’re the only sane two here” he derided caustically.

“Pfft; Speak for yourself. There is no way anyone can lump me in with you”. Countered Cordelia absently, with her head tilted and hair flowing down one shoulder as she perused the town plans. Wow it felt weird to look at them, everything looked so familiar and ordered. It was kinda horribly if fascinating to scan them and realise just how different everything was now.

The main street with it’s small but quaint shops nestling next to one or two chain stores was all but demolished, everything stolen and the buildings burned out and nothing but husks. As for the Schools, Hospital and Town Hall?

Well the best guess was that they were homes for various types of demons and vampires all living in disharmony with fighting constantly breaking out as the tension of enforced and regulated sharing was pushed on the alien races.

“What’s that place? I don’t recognise it”? Her eyes came back up to catch Angel’s and he ducked down to look at the spot she was pointing at.

“Steel Factory” he answered without hesitation. He knew what she was going to ask next. He could see it in her eyes.

“Why is it ringed”? She asked with a confused frown. She had an instinctive distrust of big industrial type places, which was not surprising since they were so alien to her.

She had visions of huge hulking machines making loud noises and spewing smoke, fire and sparks while overhead, steel galley ways and grilled floors covered in grease and oil bore down on you if you dared look up. She shivered and banished the images.

“That’s the last stand. Depending how the first wave goes, we all retreat there and fight it out until one side or the other wins out”. He said it without inflection and with a carefully neutral expression, giving nothing of his inner thoughts away.

“What about the Master”? Cordy whispered for his ears only as she was assailed with a sudden feeling of guilt. God was this all her fault? Would they be standing here now… like this, if she hadn’t run away from him? Somehow she didn’t think so.

“I’m planning on stopping him before he gets to it. If not then I’ll face him there”.

12 HOURS LATER……

After a manic day spent copying out weird ass symbols; sharpening weapons and filling glass bottles with chemicals and stuffing the tops with rags, Cordelia ached in places she didn’t even now had muscles.

“I just hope it was worth it” she said out-loud and heaved a despondent sigh. “Guess we’ll know that for sure after tomorrow”. Not that she was complaining about the work. “No sirree, not me. Only thing keeping me sane”.

Which was great while it lasted, only problem now being that there was nothing to do except wait and very likely go slowly insane with worry. Even more depressing was everyone saying their goodbyes now, just in case there was no time later. An attitude that was kinda worrying all things considered.

With nothing left to use as a distraction Cordelia’s mind refused to leave alone the idea that this could very well be her last few hours of life. Teeth worrying at her bottom lip she tried to keep it bottled down but being all alone reduced her defences to rubble like nothing else could.

“This sucks, everything sucks. Dammit I’m too young to die” she whimpered and curled up in a ball on the rough pallet.

Self-pity swamped her and her lips quivered as the tears she’d been holding back spilled from her eyes. “This is all my fault” she whispered, voice shaking with the force of her emotions. “Were all going to die and so is Angel” a low sob tore from her constricted throat. She wiped her cheeks with one hand and curled into a tighter ball, trying to squeeze her middle and dissipate the hard knots forming in her belly.

“I wish I’d never left. I was so damn *stupid*” she wailed, fully believing in that instant that she was the cause of the doom now threatening them all. Forgetting in the heat of misery that this conflagration of events would have come about sooner or later, with or without her.

Was it so wrong of her to want to feel safe again, like she had with Angel, Spike and Willow at the mansion? There life had had a routine she could depend on, including the ups and downs that make living worth living just for the fun of fighting and making up. Not that she was doing so well with that right now either.

The worst of it was, Angel was avoiding her and it hurt. She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could and jammed her knuckles into her mouth as the ball of misery ignored her attempts to suppress it and spread wider. Choked sobs escaped the self-imposed gag though, and the tears continued to fall past her wet spiky lashes to pool at her mouth.

“Angel, I don’t want to be alone” She whispered achingly, then hiccupped as another low sob worked its way free. That admission forced out of her as it was, broke the dam and her tears flowed freely, soaking into her dark hair as it lay trapped under her wet, flushed face.

Finally they slowed and quieter now she heard a muffled sound that seemed to echo in her ears and she latched onto it. Her breathing smoothed out and the tears started to dry on her cheeks as an inexplicable calmness stole over her.

Glistening hazel eyes stared at the curtain covering the door; the tan rough weave fabric thrown into relief by the flickering candle she’d left burning. Sitting up Cordy was aware of a warmth glowing inside and with a tiny part of her mind she wondered at that, then dimly she recognised it as … certainty.

Angel was out there. Whoah was that her voice or someone else’s? Cordy shook her head and dismissed it as irrelevant; she had better things to think about.

Just knowing he was there changed everything and it brought with it a desperate need to see and touch, be held and comforted by someone she cared about and who she knew cared about her.

She didn’t have time now to wait and see if he loved her. Fate had stepped up and knocked her down yet again but that didn’t mean she couldn’t grab what she had now with both hands and hold on for as long as she could.

Reenergised, Cordelia lithely swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up with an expression of determination firmly fixed on her beautiful face. Sure Angel wasn’t perfect, far from it with that permanent edge of darkness he liked to wallow in, but he was hers and she wanted him- now!

Tossing her hair out of her damp face Cordy scrubbed her cheeks to remove the traces of tears and on silent bare feet marched over to the curtain. Yanking it back she blinked in disappointment on seeing no tall dark figure lurking in the faint light spilling from the hole that served as her doorway.

“Angel” she called in a carrying whisper, then listened for any betraying sound. There was nothing.

“Angel I know your there, answer me” she demanded and held her breath. Still nothing and she couldn’t have stopped the hoarse, “please” that followed if her life depended on it.

He appeared out of the blackness and her heart leapt in her breast. Speechless with relief and paralysed by the strength of the need that pulled at her very centre. She simply stood dumbstruck and drank in the sight of him, here where she wanted- no needed him to be. He came when she needed him.

Useless regrets tried to pull her down again but she resisted them fiercely and held onto the here and now with everything she had. Standing back she gestured for him to come inside. Angel silent and watchful until then shook his head and refused to budge.

“You need rest, Cordy. Go back inside and sleep”.

He said it even knowing full well that she hadn’t been sleeping. Standing outside her door, he’d heard the anguish she hadn’t been able to muffle and he’d ached to comfort her. Only the knowledge that there was no way he could keep from going further than she’d be willing to go had stopped him from trying.

“I don’t want to sleep. I want you, in here now” she insisted huskily and reaching out a slim hand snagged his belt and pulled him through the doorway.

Unable not to, Angel breathed deep, taking her scent and the essence of her deep into his body. His head swam as the mingled fragrance of tears, pumping blood and sweet feminine musk filtered through him.

His hand caught her and pulled her fingers from his waist, holding the slim hand in his much larger one he gazed deep into her eyes while his thumb curled into her palm.

“Tomorrow’s going to pretty harrowing. I shouldn’t be here”, he insisted quietly.

“I could die tomorrow and you’re right where you should be- with me” refuted Cordy and shut off any more arguments by stretching up on her toes and brushing her lips over his.

“You’re not going to die” whispered Angel against her, closing his eyes as her soft puffs of breath washed over his tingling lips. He wet his dry lips with his tongue, tasting her there and then moaned when she instantly pressed her open mouth to the crease of his, capturing the tip of his tongue with hers.

“I don’t understand this” he admitted between kisses and creases formed between his brows. “I thought you didn’t want me”? He didn’t dare move either to press her more firmly against him as he wanted or pull back to try and clear his head.

“You’re the only one confused. Me- I know what I want. Can’t we just forget everything and just be us, here together?” She coaxed throatily sliding her hands up his shirt covered chest to cup his jaw in her hands, smoothing along the firm bone to delve into the short hairs at his nape.

Knowing honey coloured eyes filled with the seduction and determination of females through the ages mesmerised and made him weak. Angel felt a betraying tremble wrack him and knew he was going to give in,

“make love to me, Angel” she cajoled against his throat and he was lost.

Cordy felt him swallow and heard the defeated groan he gave just before his mouth finally swooped down to take hers in the kiss she ached for. The sweet intoxication she remembered stole her breath again and she melted against him, her braless tee-shirt covered chest against his while her arms twined around his neck with a mind of their own.

The taste of her sent him spinning into a vortex of need and a whimper worked its way past their lips. Gently he seized her shoulders and pushed her back to stare down at her dazed, heavy lidded face. Hauling in a breath he steeled himself and called her name.

“Cordy, look at me”.

Her lashes lifted so that he could see into her eyes and seeing the molten awakening passion in them was nearly his undoing, steeling himself he gulped and got out what needed to be said. He had to be sure.

“I won’t be…” the fingers of one hand curved round his cheek to trace the curve of his full bottom lip, flustering him.

He snagged them and kissed the tips, then tried again. “I might not be quite the monster I thought I was, but-“ he saw her focus on him fully and forced himself to carry on. “If you’re going to stop do it now”. He asked hoarsely.

Guilt, need and warning swirled in the darkness of his eyes as they gazed into hers, such a contrast to the sweet masculine curve of his lips and the anxious arch up of his brows, she thought dreamily.

“I don’t want to stop. I want you… all of you. Don’t hold anything back, okay”.

That was all he needed to hear and as one they came together again, standing against one another, Cordy stretched along his front while he crushed her to him and she grasping his strong neck in her hands to keep him there while they willingly sank into deep consuming kiss.

Cordy didn’t notice when he picked her up and lowered her gently to the rough wool of her blanket. The kiss remained unbroken, even when he shrugged out of his coat and dropped it to the floor beside the pallet.

Their mouths fused again and again in frantic hunger, moving in tandem to angle for more as they sought out every taste and texture, revelling in the passion rising inside them like a stoked fire.

Breaking away, Cordy gasped for breath while Angel rained kisses over her cheeks and jaw then down to nuzzle her throat. His spiky hair tickled her ear and she thrust her fingers into the dark mass of it, pulling him closer and harder against the pulse in her throat.

Her core ached and throbbed with a pulse of its own and to answer its demanding call she slipped her leg between them and pivoted until she could wrap her bare legs around his hips. Instinctively she rubbed herself against the straining fly of his pants, and gasped at the exquisite relief that pressure brought her.

Her legs tightened around his hips so that she could stroke harder with only her panties and the soft fabric of his pants to act as barriers. She felt him throb against her folds and the craving to feel him inside her abruptly sharpened and echoed deep inside her womb, making her buck against him with fevered abandon.

His bracing arm quivered with tension as need and desire streaked through him. She was so warm and alive and giving it humbled him while at the same time made him want to just swallow her whole. His lips opened and he latched onto that tempting pulse, feeling it throb between his teeth and beneath the sensitive tip of his tongue as he swirled it against the soft skin.

Angel felt her tugging at the open neck of his shirt, pulling impatiently at it to get to his naked chest and be able touch him. Needing to feel her hands on him too, he pushed up so she could get at the buttons and mentally hurried her on as she attacked each one with a fervour that notched up his own passion every bit as much as it did hers.

The damned buttons seemed to take an eternity but finally she was stroking him, relearning the feel and texture of him. He was so hard her hands slid along his smooth skin like silk on silk while her long slim fingers flexed and lovingly explored every muscular inch she could reach.

She felt Angel’s teeth nip at the skin of her throat, bringing blood to the surface and acting purely on impulse she arched her neck in offering as he suckled the sensitised skin.

Thrilling to the power of the body under her hands Cordy pressed the pads of her fingers deep into the valleys and planes of his chest and arms as if to test the heavy muscles as they bunched and relaxed under her caressing touch; losing herself in tactile sensation. Too soon it wasn’t enough and she almost sobbed in relief when his hands ripped her tee-shirt down the middle to bare her to the waist.

Immediately she was free of it she reared up to press her breasts to his chest, rubbing the aching tips against him and wrapping her arms around his back like a soft and clinging vice. Those burning tips pressed to his chest drew Angel like a lodestone and one hand came up to palm and knead the soft flesh with a worshipful touch.

The pebble hard nipple pressing into his palm made his mouth water with the need to fill it with a firm succulent breast but first he detoured back to her lips and proceeded to plunder her willing mouth.

The slightly rough sweep of his tongue set sparks of lust shooting through her loins and soon she was straining to get closer as if she could burn away their clothing with nothing more than the powerful need coursing between them.

They pulled away simultaneously, Cordy to attack his zipper and Angel to sit up and twist the thin panties in his strong hands, ripping them off her rather than separate their bodies any more than strictly necessary. As soon as they were off he came back down and lifting his hips groaned when her hand burrowed inside his open fly to wrap her fingers around his throbbing and erect shaft.

His eyes closed and he grunted as sparks of pleasure shot straight from his loins to set his head alight. Heat from her surrounded him in humid and deliciously fragrant waves, making him feel drunk and light-headed with greedy lust.

His head dropped and if not for his arm jammed against the pallet he would have fallen and crushed her into the pallet as she pumped him, riding the hard length with her tightly closed fingers. He hissed a breath between his gritted teeth and fought to control the powerful surges of pleasure that threatened to drive him mad.

Cordelia brought up her other hand to cradle and raise his head so she could see what her tender ministrations were doing to him. His eyes were glazed and so dilated they were almost all black, drawing her into their depths while his lips were soft and full, almost boyish as pleasure rolled over him.

“I want to taste you” she whispered huskily and went to slide down under him. He bucked in her hand as she said it and grimaced as a white-hot surge of desire hit him. “God no-“ he rasped out and pulled her back up.

Angel kissed her hard before she could protest and then carried on kissing her until she softened beneath him again. “Need you too much” he finally muttered and ducking down latched onto her nipple to draw it strongly into his mouth and lathe it with his tongue.

Immediate prickles of heat spread out from the turgid tip and Cordy bowed her back in mute appreciation and mingled demand. The ache in her womb got more insistent and refusing to lie still and let him have his way Cordy used her feet to drag his pants down his hips, so he could kick them off, freeing him completely.

Then with her hand wrapped around him once again she raised her hips and rubbed against him, stroking her molten core along the thick length and pleasuring them both.
“Oh God! I want you inside me now” she demanded insistently, almost growling as the feel of his cock, now slick with her juices, pressing so close drove away the last of her control.

“I don’t want to wait” she panted and before he could deny her pushed the broad head into her tight entrance, squeezing her legs to keep him there while she undulated with frenzied passion against him.

Growling in relish as her sex grasped his shaft in its gloriously wet velvet sheath, Angel manacled her wrists and pressed them to the bed on either side of her head, then reared up to thrust into her mouth at the same moment he flexed his hips, driving deeper into the heart of her; filling her with all of the possessiveness in his nature.

Everything that had happened between them melted into forgetfulness as they strained together, Cordelia every bit as ravenous as he for the release they both craved and could only find with each other.

“I love you” she cried into his neck and screamed as he shuddered and surged deeper, touching her womb. Darts of pleasure so intense it was painful speared straight to her heart and she started to buck violently against him as the start of a shattering release began to build and surge with every rasping scrape of his thickness inside her.

Their mouths met and sparred for the final moments as Angel pushed them closer to the edge with every hard electrifying thrust, neither knowing or caring that their panting cries rose higher and louder, filling the chamber with the sounds of an approaching crescendo.

Cordelia twisted in his grasp like a wild thing until, undone by the fluttering squeeze of her sex as she started to come, he let her go. Cordelia’s orgasm blossomed and splintered the moment she was free to wrap her arms around him, then held on tight as he finally gave in to his own towering release and they surged and crested together.

Cordelia came back down to earth hearing the echo of his “I love you too” reverberating in her ears. Glistening tears pooled in her eyes and her mouth wobbled, and wanting to hide her face she burrowed into the juncture where his neck met his shoulder and sobbed.

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