Go TeamC/A
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Title: What Now?
Author: Dock
Posted: 05-09-03
Rating: R/NC-17
Category: Serious Angst
Content: C/A, C/Aus
Summary:
Spoilers: Up to Provider & Up to Wrecked (with some minor changes)
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: NF, GT and whoever else wants it
Notes: While I was working on “Baby, I'm back!” I got an idea for a darkfic.... I scrapped it because I didn't think I could write it. Well I decided to... follow Dannyblue's wise advise and think of my limitations as a challenge. Those of you who enjoy my fluffy fics should know THIS IS NOT FLUFF. It is very dark.
Thanks/Dedication:I just wanted to thank Syn for being my very first Beta and Gabby for her recommendations. You two totally rock.
Feedback:Are you kidding? Hell yeah! This is my first (possibly only) darkfic and my first standalone.
Angel stood in the doorway of his suite watching Cordelia bounce his son in her arms while she chatted with Fred.
“Isn't he the bestest baby in the whole wide world?”
“Absolutely. So did you sleep here last night? I didn't hear you leave.”
Cordelia buried her blushing face in the baby's blanket. “Yeah I did. We were up late talking about how to spend the money while I was giving Connor his bottle. We just fell asleep.”
“That's so sweet.”
“I know but I shouldn't let that happen. I'm not his mother. I shouldn't pretend like I am.”
“My best friend when I was little was adopted. Her mama said just because a woman didn't give birth to a child doesn't mean she can't be that child's mother and being that child's mother doesn't make the woman who did give birth any less of a mother. A child has enough love in his or her heart for both.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes.”
“Darla sacrificed herself for Connor. Despite my problems with her, I would never want to rob him of that precious love.”
“You wouldn't be. I know you will tell Connor all about her. Well maybe not everything. He can love you both.”
“It's not really up to me though. He's Angel's son. I can't just decide to be Connor's mother.”
“Do you want to be?”
“With all my heart.”
“You and Angel can give Connor a real family.”
She stared at the baby in her arms. “That would be heavenly.”
“So would you only be a mother or do you see yourself playing the role of wife too?”
“Fred”
“Come on. You can tell me.”
“He's cursed.”
“But if we could find a way around that?”
“If…it doesn't do any good to wish for something that isn't going to happen.”
“Please? Just tell me and I promise I'll drop it completely.” Fred crossed her fingers behind her back.
“Yes. I would want to be a wife as well. Happy now?”
Fred smothered her squeal of delight with her hand. “I knew it. You have kyerumption and moira. You love Angel. You love Angel.” The girl danced around the room.
“Fine. I'm in love with Angel.” She smiled. “I've never said it aloud. I'm in love with Angel. I'm in love with Angel and I want us to be family.” She gazed at the baby in her arms. “I want to be your mommy. Would you like that? Do you think you could love me and Darla, sweetie?”
“I know he can.”
The two women spun around at the sound of Angel's voice.
“I love you too.”
Cordelia's expression went from shock to fear to utter happiness. “What?”
“I said I love you too.” He took a step into the room. “I want us to be a family.”
“You do?”
“Yes”
“I love you, Angel. There's nothing I want more than for us to be a family.”
Angel's heart swelled with joy. The joy suddenly was replaced with a horrible ache that turned into a sharp pain. “Oh god. No. Please no.” He fell to his knees. He glanced up at Cordelia. He saw her joy turn to concern then fear before his soul was gone.
Cordelia stared in mute horror. She knew without a doubt it was Angelus who stood between them and the only door. They were too high up. She could never get Connor out the window. Her thoughts were shattered by the sound of cruel laughter.
Angelus rose to his feet and dusted himself off. “Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you two to admit your feelings?” He stretched his limbs. “Now the real fun begins. Poor Soulboy. He didn't even get a kiss this time around.” His eyes drifted down to the baby. “Did he ever tell you how delicious family blood is? A baby isn't very filling. It's more of an appetizer but I may just save my boy for dessert. I think I'll start with sweet crazy Fred. Although I really should take the time to show her how much of a beast I truly am before I kill her. What do you think, Cordy? Which one should I kill first?”
“Please don't.”
“Don't what? If you're going to beg, you need to be a little more specific.”
Cordelia cradled Connor closer to her chest. “Please don't hurt them.”
“Why would I agree to that?”
“I…” She glanced down at Connor's sweet face. “I'll do anything if you'll just let them go.”
“Cordy”
“Don't Fred.” The glint in her eyes was cold and hard as steel when she looked up. “Let them go and I will do whatever you want.”
“Now that is a tempting offer. What to do, what to do? Hunting them later could be fun too. The two hero wannabes will make it more interesting. So many choices. OK. I accept your terms.” He took a step away from the door. “Fred and my son can go.”
Cordelia handed the baby to her shaking friend. “Fred, you don't stop until you and Connor are safe. Angel has been invited into Wesley's apartment so don't go there. Do NOT come back here until Connor is safe. That includes Wesley and Gunn.”
“But..”
“No buts. Now go!”
Fred eyes were riveted to Angelus as she edged her way closer to the door.
The scent of the girl's fear and her tears was delightful. If he had enough time, he would definitely see them again. Once they were gone, he shut the door and locked it. “We don't have much time, Cordy. Your heroes will be here soon.”
Cordelia stood frozen. She had promised Angel she would stake him but she knew she'd never be able to overpower him. The sun had already set. After he killed her, he could easily catch Fred and Connor. She needed to buy them enough time to get away. “What now?”
He dropped into a chair. “Take off your clothes.”
“What?”
“Should I go after them now? You know I can still catch them.”
“No!” She began undressing. She could no longer hold back her tears.
His predatory eyes raked over her naked form. “Beautiful. You have no idea how many times the soul imagined this. Seeing you offer your body to him like the whore we all know you are.”
She tried to raise her chin in defiance. “I am not a whore.”
“Spare me your delusions. You offered yourself to me. I always suspected that you secretly wanted to be my plaything.”
“I”
“Shut up. Come over here and get on your knees.” His features shifted at her hesitation. “Don't make me repeat myself.”
She slowly walked over to him. She wondered how far Fred had gotten. If she'd taken Angel's car, she could be… No she hadn't had enough time to get anywhere safe.” She dropped to her knees.
“Unzip me.” Her trembling hands fumbled with his belt. “Don't pretend like this is your first time. That's better. Now take me into your mouth and if you try to bite me, I will make you watch Fred do this in your place.” He smiled as her hot wet mouth surrounded him.
His hands tangled in her hair and forced her head down. “Relax your throat, you stupid bitch.” He pushed her away. “For a whore, you're not very good at this. Looks like I'll have to do all the work.” He rose to his feet, took her head in a harsh grip and thrust inside her mouth. He ignored her choking and continued ramming his way in. His cock kept slamming into the back of her throat. “That's better. Use your tongue. That's what it's there for.” He grunted in pleasure.
“Now you have the hang of it. I knew you'd make a great cocksucker.” He tightened his grip on her head, pulling her hair. “Ever want to know what a vampire tastes like? You're about to find out.” He savored every whimper she made. The vibrations made him that much harder. “Oh fuck yeah!” He exploded in her mouth while he held her in place. “Swallow every drop.” Her throat contracted around him. “That feels so good. Do it again. Oh yeah.” Her constant sucking kept him hard. He shoved her away. “Now get on the bed.”
She climbed onto the same bed she, Angel and Connor had shared the night before. Her lips and throat ached from his harsh treatment but the rest of her body felt numb. A small part of her mind was aware that Fred might have made it to safety by now. Her eyes searched the room. She knew Angel kept stakes in his room but where?
“Don't bother looking for sharp objects. Soulboy moved his weapons into his closet. As if the baby could get anywhere near them yet, he really is a moron.” He noticed her staring at the closet. “You'd never make it.”
The sight of his naked body made her feel sick. What should have inspired lust overwhelmed her with disgust. It didn't matter. She would do anything to keep Connor safe.
“Lay back and spread your legs for me. Show me how welcome I am.” She mechanically did as he instructed. “I knew you wanted to get fucked by a real vampire.” He slowly began to crawl up her body.
Cordelia flinched when she felt his tongue make contact with her entrance. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”
“Did you really think I was going to fuck you dry? What kind of man do you take me for? My women feel pleasure while I'm fucking them. The fear and humiliation are a bonus. We'll get into the pain and blood part later. I wouldn't want you to feel cheated.”
She tried not to think about what his tongue was doing to her body. She did feel the humiliation. Her body betrayed her heart as it became wet. Bile surged up her throat; she swallowed hard in response.
“Shouldn't you be trying to stop the people in Sunnydale from resouling you?”
He moved further up her body until they were face to face. “You want me to go kill them instead of killing the people you actually care about? You really are a cold-hearted bitch. No wonder they hate you.”
She could smell herself on his breath as he spoke. She turned her head away. Her nausea increased. “Willow would have the spell done before you got there.”
He wrenched her face back. “Probably that is why I'm going to stay right here in LA. I've tasted freedom twice and I know it won't last. I can run around trying to make it happen.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “It's a vicious cycle. He can't get rid of me and I can't get rid of him.” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.
“Instead of learning another lesson in futility, I plan to ruin the one thing he wants the most. Think of it as my little present for my lesser half.” His cock speared her body in one brutal thrust. “How does that feel, baby?” His hips continued to slam into hers. “You're so nice and wet for me. So much for Soulboy, huh?” He grunted his pleasure into her ear. “You feel so good, so tight. When was the last time someone fucked you properly?”
Cordelia stared at the ceiling. Her body grew numb again. She watched a small spider slowly crawl across the ceiling. A laugh almost bubbled up. She usually screamed at the sight of spiders. She had been afraid of them ever since her cousin put one on her face to wake her up when they were both five. Now she fought monsters almost daily. They invaded her mind in her visions. They invaded her body. The feel of a monster, who wore the face of the man she loved, raping her made it seem almost funny to be afraid of spiders. She said it, even if only in her mind.
She was being raped. She was being raped by the monster inside the man she loved. How could the best moment in her life be on the worst day of her life? Is that irony? Angel said he loved her. He said he wanted them to be a family. Connor would be her son. The wonderful moment cost them everything. Connor's father was gone. All that was left was the thing moving in and out of her body in a harsh rhythm. She remained limp on the bed. It was strange but she wanted him to hurt her. He seemed intent on causing her unwanted pleasure. She could feel her inner walls start to hiccup in an oncoming orgasm. His thumb had begun rubbing insistently on her clit and her body responded. Her heart was screaming in horror that she could cum from being raped.
Her mind responded that nerve endings had automatic responses to certain stimuli and the pleasure he was causing was meant to be a part of the violation. Angelus wanted to humiliate her. He wanted her to know she was betraying Angel. She had promised to stake him if he ever lost his soul. Would he ever be able to forgive her for allowing herself to not only be raped by his demon but to cum while it was happening?
“Don't fight it, baby. You know you enjoy having my cock inside you. It feels good, doesn't it? The way we're connected, the way we're sharing something you and Soulboy can never have, it feels good. You like having me between your legs. I bet you've fantasized about it. You can tell me. Tell me what you imagined I'd do to you. I'm willing to take requests.” His thumb increased its torment.
He was close. He captured her mouth, forcing his tongue inside. He proceeded to fuck her with his tongue and cock. One hand held her head forcing her to allow him to continue the invasion. His balls tensed as his release drew near. He released her mouth and prepared to sink his teeth into her neck. His eyes focused on Darla's faded marks. He joyfully intended to replace them with his own.
She silently prayed Angel wouldn't hate her or blame himself for her death. He lost his soul because of her. It hadn't been his fault. It was hers. She had given her body to his monster. The fault had been entirely hers. If she had reacted sooner, they could have escaped before his soul had been completely lost. She hadn't fought. She had cooperated. Tears streamed down her face. Sobs choked from deep within her soul. She had cum.
Angelus bit into her jugular the moment her inner muscles clamped down on him. He slammed into twice more, savoring her blood as it slid down his throat.
Cordelia welcomed the approaching darkness. She wished Gunn and Wesley didn't have to find her dead, naked body. She wondered if they would stake him rather than try to curse him again. Would Angel tell them what she had done? Would they forgive her for being Angelus's willing whore? Would the Scoobies be told she had gotten off from being raped?
Her final thought had been a plea. *Please don't turn me!*
Angelus watched his sleeping beauty. He noticed signs of stirring. “It's about time you woke up. I thought you'd sleep the day away.”
Her hand immediately went to throat. Under the torn flesh, she felt a strong pulse.
“No. I didn't turn you. As I figure it, you'd probably be an even bigger bitch as a vampire and I haven't had a nice hot cunt in a long time. And no, I don't count Slutty. Darla was cold but her expertise made up for it. That and the fact she didn't need to breathe made her a great fuck. Besides if I turned you, I'd lose the little control I have over you.”
“You already lost that. Fred and Connor are safe by now.” Her voice sounded foreign to her ears. It was so raspy. Her eyes quickly scanned the room for weapons. “Where are we?”
“I'm so glad you asked. I knew it was only a matter of time before the others came to your rescue. We had to relocate. Welcome to your new home. Would you like to meet your new family?”
“What?”
“A beautiful mansion like this comes equipped with everything. You should see what they've got to eat.” He threw a silk robe at her. “Cover yourself up. You don't have to advertise that you're a whore. I'm sure most people can tell right away, regardless of what you wear. I don't want anyone gawking at my property.”
“I'm not your property, you fucking bastard.” She lashed out with her fist but she was still weak from blood loss. He easily caught the punch.
“I see you got some of your spirit back. I thought your need to be fucked was going to make you docile.” He yanked her hard. He released her hand as she lurched forward. She tumbled out of the king-size bed onto the floor. He laughed at her grunt of pain. “I said cover yourself. It's time to meet your new family.”
She struggled to her feet. She slipped the silk robe on covering her nakedness. The soft material brought no comfort to her.
“Good girl. Now let's go.” He grabbed her by the back of her neck and forced her to walk in front of him.
They walked down a corridor dripping with expensive artwork. He took her down a set of stairs. They stopped in front of a door with a padlock on it.
He handed her a key. “Open it.”
After she removed the padlock, he jerked her neck back. She handed him the lock and the key in response.
“If you don't open the door, you won't get your surprise.”
Her hand trembled as she slowly turned the knob. She had seen glimpses of sunlight during their walk. The sun was shining which meant she had been unconscious for hours. He could have caught the others and brought them to the mansion. She opened the door and found six strangers on the other side.
“Meet your new family, Cordelia.”
“What are you talking about?” There were two men, one woman, two teenage boys and one teenage girl. Six terrified people huddled together. The room was a mess. It obviously belonged to a teenager. The black walls and bars on the windows screamed a troubled teenager. She guessed it belonged to boy with dyed black hair and a nose ring. “Why are we here?”
“Well I knew you'd wake up being a bitch again. So I found us a new home and lucky for me I picked one that had a nice boy who doesn't want anyone going into his room when he's not home. He designed the perfect cage.”
“I don't understand. Why..”
“You're usually smarter than this. In this room are six innocent people and I will kill one every time you say no to me.”
Her eyes widened in horror. “What?”
“Don't make me repeat it. I know you understood me. Like you said it's just a matter of time before they bring Soulboy back. I plan to enjoy every moment I have with you.”
“But”
“Would you rather I just prowl the streets killing random innocent people? Do you want me to hunt down the rest of your ragtag bunch? Do you want me to hunt for Connor? What kind of do-gooder are you? You want to help people. You want to keep people safe from monsters. Well here is your chance. There are six people in this room that need your protection.”
Her tears fell unchecked. “You won't hurt them at all, no feeding, no nothing, if I…” She turned her head away as his hand slid inside her robe and possessively squeezed her breast.
“You know what I want, baby. You want it too.” His tongue licked the flesh his teeth had ripped into. “I've given you the perfect excuse to give into your needs.”
Her voice came out in a whisper. “I hate you.”
“I love it when you whisper sweet nothings to me. So do we have a deal or should I just start killing.” The women shrieked in terror at his vampire features. “It's all up to you. Their lives are in your hands.” He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “You know you want me.”
She looked over the frightened faces. The women were crying and the boys looked like they were about to wet their pants. The two men tried to shield the others from Angelus but their eyes were on her, pleading for her help.
“We have a deal. You don't touch them. Any of them. Agreed?”
“Agreed. Let's go. We've already wasted so much time.” He grabbed her by the neck and started dragging her from the room.
“We can't just leave them in here.”
“Sure we can. There's a connecting bathroom and no way to escape. I think I'm being pretty generous by not tying them up.” His yellow eyes connected with the man who had claimed to be the owner. “If I hear you trying to break the door down, I will rip out your daughter's throat.” He shoved Cordelia out the door. He kept an eye on her as he put the padlock back in place.
“Teenagers.” He ripped the robe off her body. “There's no need to cover yourself anymore.” He quickly removed his clothes. “Get down on your knees. Soulboy was always too much of a boy scout to a let a human woman pleasure him properly. I may not have been there that lost day but I know his memories of it. The loser didn't even have Slutty suck him off. She wasn't the blushing virgin anymore.” He backed her into the wall and pushed into her mouth. This time his thrusting was slower. He wanted it to last.
“He fucked her again and again that day. He never gave you a second thought. The bastard always was stupid. How could he not have noticed you right away? You suck cock like a pro. I knew you were just acting coy before.” He leisurely fucked her into the wall.
Her mouth was still sore from the last time. The image of those scared faces behind the door kept her from biting him. She forced her mind to escape the confines of her body. There was this wooded area behind her Grandmother's house. She used to play there when she was little. She would pretend she was a lost princess. Her family and her prince were desperately searching for her. She didn't need to be afraid because they loved her. They would find her. No harm could come to her. Their love kept her safe. The taste of a bitter fluid running down her throat brought her back to reality.
“I knew you were the perfect whore for me. Let's go test out the bedrooms. There are seven of them and I plan to enjoy every one of them before my times up. Lucky for you if properly fed, a vampire can have amazing stamina.”
“But we agreed..”
“Don't worry. I ate before you woke up. You didn't think I starved myself all this time, did you? If you'd woken up sooner, there would have been three more people to protect. Who says you can't find good help these days? The staff here helped me to a full stomach.”
“Oh god.” Her knees started to buckle.
“There's no use crying over spilt blood. It's over. You already failed them. Crying about it isn't going to bring them back. Although the way people keep coming back these days, I probably shouldn't say that.
He shoved her into a pink room with a canopy bed. It looked kind of little-girlish for the teenage girl she had seen.
“I like it. It makes me feel like a dirty old man. Get on the bed.” He grabbed some of the stuffed animals on the window seat and tossed them on the bed with her. “It sets the mood. Darla used to love to play the role of the innocent virgin. Now you get to play.”
Cordelia let her legs be pushed apart. Her mind went back to the woods. There was a beautiful tree. The branches looked like they were reaching down to scoop her up and keep her safe. No one would have guessed that Cordelia Chase loved to climb trees as a child. She would climb up to these two branches that made the perfect seat. She could lie down or sit depending on her mood. The full branches kept her shielded from prying eyes.
The tree, her tree would keep her safe until she was rescued. She was safe. It didn't matter that he manipulated her body to give them both pleasure. Her tree kept her safe and hidden. No one could see her. It didn't matter when she heard him grunt his release or felt the resulting gush of fluid. No one could see her. It didn't matter when his teeth pierced her breast. None of it mattered.
“I don't think you're giving me your full attention.” He grabbed her by her hair and dragged her off the bed. “You seem to be distracted. You are to think only of me and the pleasure I am giving you.” He pulled her into the next room. It must have been a guest room. It didn't have a lived in feel to it.
“We'll skip this bed. You're starting to stink.” He headed for the bathroom. He pushed her into the shower stall and turned the water on. “We can conserve water if we shower together. Maybe that will help keep your mind from wandering.” He handed her a bar of soap. “Now get to work before I get angry.”
She tried to concentrate on what her hands were doing. She blocked out what she was touching, only that it needed to be washed. Her hands worked quickly but thoroughly. If he became angry he would hurt the innocent people. She didn't understand how his flesh could get hard so quickly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered Willow, Buffy and her giggling over one of the books in Giles's apartment. A vampire didn't have circulation. It wasn't blood flow to the penis that gave a vampire an erection. It was simply the will of the demon.
It was theorized by the author that a vampire could keep an almost continuous erection, although the theory was never tested. Buffy had joked that she wanted to do the testing. It had seemed funny at the time. It wasn't funny anymore. Her vagina hadn't been torn or even bruised by the rape but it had been a long time since she'd had sex. Her body wasn't used to the invasion.
He grabbed the soap from her hands and began washing her body. She was too quiet. She wasn't crying. She seemed empty. His hands began teasing her flesh. Making her cum was better than making her bleed. Her self-loathing would be the perfect gift for his soul. Angel was accustomed to carrying the burden of his guilt. Watching his precious Cordy hate herself would be a new torture. As a bonus, Angel would remember what it felt like to be inside her hot, tight cunt. He would remember what it felt like to be inside her mouth, her expert tongue rubbing his cock. He would remember every pleasure she had given him and he would remember every pleasure his demon had given her. He would remember everything. This time he dropped to his knees.
“Tell me you want me to make you cum.” Tears stung her eyes.
“Tell me! I will interpret silence as a no.”
“Please…” her voice trembled, “please make me cum.”
Her tears came down in torrents when his tongue parted her folds. She willed her mind away but it wouldn't leave. She felt every disgustingly pleasurable moment. His fingers thrust inside her stroking her sweet spot, the one no man had ever found in her before. She sobbed in grief and shameful ecstasy.
Her sobs were music to his ears. He had her full attention again. Her muscles clamped down on the invading digits. His mouth released the pulsing bundle of nerves to savor the juices flowing out of her. He removed his hand so his mouth could latch on and capture every drop. Her sobbing increased when he pushed his tongue inside her. He brought her to a new high. He was tempted to give her a third but her legs were already shaking like crazy. They needed to lie down. He shut off the water. He didn't bother to dry them off. The sheets were going to get wet one way or another.
Cordelia had managed to hide in her tree while she was in the next three rooms. It was almost a relief when the pain started. She was beyond sore. Her clitoris was raw from over stimulation. Her entire body ached. He had decided that each room merited a new position, actually the rooms merited several positions. He was well versed and her body was flexible. When they had reached the fourth room, the older boy's bedroom, he had found a tube of lubricant. She had never… There hadn't been any tearing or bleeding. He had carefully prepared her while telling her how lucky she was.
She was a lucky girl because he was going to allow her to enjoy being fucked in the ass. They had taken another shower afterward. She'd been the one on her knees that time. He told her she was lucky because he was giving her other holes a short break.
Lucky, it was a strange word. She was lucky. Cordelia was a lucky girl. Aside from the bite marks, her skin was unmarred. Her mind tried to recall what her health teacher had told her. What constituted rape? Didn't it require the woman to say no and the man to force her anyway? She hadn't said no. She hadn't said stop. She hadn't said please don't. She had asked him to make her come. She had told him how good it felt. She had told him she wanted more. She had told him she would never get enough of him. She had told him she enjoyed being his whore. Did it matter that he instructed her to say those things? Did it matter that there were six reasons in a locked room why she couldn't say no, don't or stop?
Was it rape when she offered herself to him in the first place? Their first deal hadn't been his idea. He had only asked her who he should kill first, Fred or Connor. She had been the one to make an offer. His later deal had obviously been inspired by hers. He had admitted it when she woke up. He would have lost his control over her by turning her. She had shown him her weakness. Was she really a victim if she told how best to victimize her?
She was a lucky girl. She had no tearing, no bruising, nothing to show to a doctor. She had nothing to show that says look I've been raped. She had nothing to show that says look I've been raped and it wasn't my fault. Fault, it wasn't a very big word but it had such overwhelming connotations. Fault, it was her fault Angel had lost his soul. She'd been reckless. It was her fault that she didn't react sooner and fled his suite. Angelus hadn't taken her against her will. He had accepted her offer. It was her fault, but she was a lucky girl.
She had cum more times than she cared to remember. She had screamed in pleasure. That was her fault. Her body refused to obey her commands. Her body betrayed her mind's disgust and her heart's shame. That was her fault. She had no marks to show how she had fought her rapist. She had no marks to show her family and say I was the victim. It was all her fault.
Angelus punched her in the face sending her sprawling across the room. He hit her again but her faraway smile only got bigger.
Cordelia cradled her bruised and bloodied face. She had a mark. She had something she could show the world.
“What the fuck are you smiling about? I want you focused. That's it. Come with me.” He grabbed her by her hair and started dragging her towards the locked room.
He slammed her head into the wall as he released her. He reached into his clothes that were still on the floor and pulled out the key. This time he didn't hand it to her. He took it off himself and pushed her naked body inside.
“Passive behavior is no longer enough. I'm sick of you making me do all the work. I want you to pick which one dies. Their death is entirely your fault.” Fault, it's such a tiny word.
“Please”
“Are you ready to be a little more enthusiastic? Your mind keeps wandering and I don't like it. It makes a man feel like you don't enjoy his touch. You like it when I touch you, don't you? You like it when my cock is inside you, don't you?” He grabbed one of the teenage boys by the throat. “Answer me whore!”
“Yes”
“Yes what?”
“Why don't you leave her alone, asshole?”
Angelus turned yellow eyes to the boy choking out words. He tightened his grip. “You want to be her hero, boy?” He yanked him closer. “It wouldn't be because she's beautiful, would it? Being her hero hasn't stopped you from staring at her naked body.” His glare turned to the other men in the room. “I can smell the arousal coming off all of you. So you can drop the righteous indignation.” He turned his attention back to the boy. “I'm a reasonable guy. I'm in the mood for a good fuck. To show just how reasonable I am, I'm going to let you choose who. Do I fuck your mother, who looks good for her age? Do a fuck your sister, virgins are always a treat? Or do I fuck the naked girl over there?”
The boy's terrified eyes darted around the room.
“Leave my son alone!” The man rushed him but was sent flying with one swing.
“Come on, boy. I haven't got forever.” He leaned in and let his voice drop to whisper. “Actually I do have forever or until the soul comes back.” He pressed the boy into the wall. “Choose!”
The boy's tear-filled eyes locked with Cordelia's “I'm sorry.”
Angelus dropped him. “You're pathetic. A real man would have offered himself in their place.” He turned to Cordelia. “You want to protect people like this? They don't care about you. They'll sell you out every single time. Tell me to go fuck myself and walk out of this room. They don't deserve to live. Give up!”
Her eyes closed. *They are your responsibility, Cor.* “I can't.” Her voice quivered. “Come to bed, Angelus.” Her hand was almost steady as she lifted it to him.
“You're so stupid.” He took her hand.
Angelus smiled at the sobbing girl. True to her word, she became his enthusiastic lover. It had been amazing to watch her riding him, moaning in pleasure, tears streaming down her face, wincing at her sore limbs, flinching every time he touched a raw nerve. She had probably had more sex in the last 24 hours than in her entire life.
A human woman may be multi-orgasmic but not even a seasoned whore could handle this much abuse. His cock was actually becoming a little sore too. He would have to feed soon or he wouldn't be able to continue trying to break her. She showed the signs. He didn't have time to do it properly. He had to finish before one of the do-gooders managed to curse him. It was pointless to try and fight it. Freedom from his soul was not to be had. His soul needed to stop caring, to stop fighting his instincts. The beige period had been a valuable lesson. They could be dark together without living in a gutter. He hoped eventually the soul would retreat so deep inside them, it would practically disappear.
He would break them both. Draining Connor would have helped to achieve his goal but Cordelia's offer was too good to resist. Forcing himself on her would never break her as quickly as making her cooperate would. Making her cum again and again to her utter disgust would hurt her in ways his fists never could. He saw it in her eyes. He saw her start to believe his words. He hadn't seen her give up yet but he would.
“You really are a hellcat in the sack, but I'm sure you've been told that before.” Her sobbing grew louder. “It's okay to enjoy being my whore. I don't think any less of you.” He planted kisses on her back. “I think you're the woman of my dreams. You suit me so perfectly. Your burning need to be fucked properly and often is exactly what I want in a woman.” His finger teased her puckered opening. “I knew you'd get used to it. The first time was a fluke. Hearing you cum this time was music to my ears. You like making me happy, don't you baby?”
Cordelia couldn't take any more. Her body hurt but not as much as her heart or her soul. Her escape didn't work. She couldn't see the tree. She couldn't hide. She needed to hide.
“It's okay, Cordy. I won't ever leave you. I'll be here as long as you live. I enjoy your heat too much to turn you. Just think of our life together.” He felt the familiar burning start in his chest and expand. *Good luck, Soulboy.*
Her head popped up at the sound of his gasp. She saw his eyes glow bright. Her tears switched off and her heart went numb. She didn't wait to see his confusion slowly turn to realization then horror and disgust. She turned away and slid off the bed. The sound of his sobs reached her ears but she didn't react. She continued digging through the mother's dresser. She found a set of workout clothes that would fit her. After dressing, she disappeared down the hall.
The new memories pounded into his brain. Everything he did came crashing back. Every horrible action, every cruel word, every unforgivable moment played in his mind's eye.
Cordelia threw his clothes at him. “Get dressed and wait for me by the door.” She glanced out the window. Luckily the sun had just set. Her gut clenched at the thought.
Lucky, she was a lucky girl. Lucky, it had such a strange ring to it. She didn't wait for a response. She walked out leaving his trembling form on the bed.
She clutched the small key in her hand. The small piece of metal bit into her palm. There should have been a twinge of pain but there was nothing. She knew walking should hurt. It hurt before but there was nothing. She knew her neck and breasts should hurt from being bitten repeatedly but there was nothing. Her free hand touched her bruised face. It should hurt but there was nothing. Angel was back. She would have to face her betrayal. He would know every depraved thing she had done. He would remember every time her muscles clenched in pleasure. He would know what she had willingly done. He would know what she had become. Her heart should hurt but there was nothing.
She slowly removed the lock and stepped inside. “It's over. You can call the police if you want but you saw him. There is nothing they can do. Just try to forget this ever happened.” She flinched away from the mother's reaching hands. “I have to go. Can you please just stay in this room a few more minutes while I leave?”
“But”
“It's for your own good. You don't want to see this.”
The family huddled together. She never did ask who the other man was. Was he an employee? A friend? Extended family? It didn't matter. They were safe. She hadn't failed them. The six living breathing reasons were well in body. She turned to go.
“Thank you.”
It was funny to be thanked for putting someone in danger then doing whatever you had to do to keep them safe. It was her fault Angelus had been free. She had gotten their staff killed. She absently wondered what he did with the bodies. She hadn't seen any. Would the family call the police? Would someone come to the hotel looking for Angelus only to find Angel? Would he tell them what she did?
She closed the door and said nothing. She silently moved through the house. She didn't know exactly where the front door was. Angelus had carried her unconscious body in. Body, it was such a hollow word. Body. She had a body that had been touched and tasted and filled by a monster. It was funny. It didn't used to sound so hollow.
He was waiting for her. His clothes were rumpled and torn. Angelus hadn't been patient with them. She absently wondered where he had found the clothes. She didn't remember seeing that red shirt in Angel's closet. She didn't speak. Her throat hurt from… His keys dangled from her fingers. It was funny. She usually got excited about driving Angel's car. He followed her out the front door. The Plymouth was out front. Fred hadn't taken it. She slid in behind the wheel. He normally whined about being a passenger but he said nothing.
He sat in the passenger seat crying. Her mind tried to recall ever seeing Angel cry. She couldn't really think of a single occasion. It was funny. He wouldn't stop crying now. Maybe he had saved up all those tears for today. She hadn't cried since he returned. Maybe he somehow took her tears. It was lucky. Her eyes still burned from all the tears she'd shed. She was a lucky girl.
She drove around the affluent neighborhood for a while before she found the highway. He knew the way but he remained silent. He knew how they had gotten there. He knew everything. It was funny. He had all these memories even though he hadn't been there. Not really. She had killed his soul and sent it away. Now he had these new memories thanks to her. Fault was such a small word. It was funny if you thought about it.