Go TeamC/A
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Part 5 “Still have no regard for your elders,” the Master's deep voice spoke condescendingly towards Angel as he made to stand facing his grandsire and his charge's sire.
Though she was soulless, Cordelia was a different kind of vampire who's idea of torture was spending more than one hour in a shop. Though he found her way of talking hard to understand, he found he much preferred his Mistress to Willow.
Cordelia was funny, highly intelligent and had a way of getting around almost anyone, including the Master it seemed. The thing that surprised him the most about her was her lack of interest in typical vampire behaviour. Not once had Cordelia moved to cause him any kind of pain, not once had she shown any interest in the torture of anyone in particular. When Angel had asked why she didn't bother, the brunette had simply replied with…
“Oh no, please don't you start with that one. Why bother torturing someone when they're just gonna die in the end? You may as well save your scream-induced head and earache and snap their necks. Besides, do you know how much energy is takes to keep up with looking hot? I'm gonna be alive for a long time and I don't want to accidentally slip with a dagger and have eternal scars do I?”
She was the self-serving yet unselfish vampiress Angel had the pleasure of meeting, when he asked why she was aiding his healing, Cordelia had openly stated she wouldn't been dead with a walking bruise. When he had pointed out the fact she was already dead she had pointed out that statement was just a small, unimportant technicality.
Looking Angelus over, the Master held a secretive gleam in his aged orbs when he took in his attire. A dark crimson velvet shirt hung from the powerful frame of his grandchilde, the neat hem trailed down over his black leather pants and the informal combat boots completed the outfit. Angelus face had healed well, gone were the bruises Willow had bestowed upon him during her playtime and his handsome features were graced with a slightly curved smirk.
At the deep, spoken words of his grandsire Angel shook away his thoughts and turned his full and undivided attention to the eldest vampire. “Sire, always a pleasure” he refrained from adding 'Not my pleasure obviously' to the end of his returned greeting. Even he wasn't stupid enough to attack the Master verbally or otherwise in here.
“I see my Beauty has taken it upon herself to dress you up, Angelus” the Master spoke, not being able to help the affectionate smile that swept across his demonic face at the mention of his youngest childe. “What do you think of your Mistress?” he leaned back in his throne, watching the face of his grandchilde oh so carefully.
“She's very young” Angel chose his words as carefully as he was being watched, “I take it I'm to, what, teach her the ways of being a vampire?” someone had to do it or else she'd end up dust quicker than her nail polish could dry.
Tapping a claw against the strong wooden arm of his throne, the Master nodded his affirmation of the conclusion. “You are to guard Cordelia, Angelus, she is my youngest childe and I do not wish any harm to come to her. I need not tell you of the repercussions if such a thing should happen.” Willow's playtime with him would be a walk in the park compared to what he could and would do to Angelus if he failed.
Not once did the Master miss the flicker of insult within the dark amber gaze of his grandchilde when he insinuated he couldn't keep Cordelia safe. “Your trust in me is duly noted sire” Angel responded with as little sarcasm as he could manage.
“That is all Angelus, leave me now” the Master dismissed him with a wave of his unnatural hand before raising a ridged eyebrow when the younger vampire never moved from his spot.
Taking a confident step towards his grandsire, Angel's body tensed up in readiness to fight when the guards regarded him warily. “If you'll pardon me sire, I have some questions as to why I'm being chosen to have your youngest as my charge when you despise me so clearly” there was something else going on here, he could feel and see it written in the ochre gaze boring down at him with a quiet warning.
“You were once a legend” the Master replied evenly, dragging a clawed hand thoughtfully across his creased jaw and letting his hand drop back to the chair arm. “You maybe arrogant and reckless Angelus, I may also have distaste for your charms but you hold the humanity of a human soul as disgraceful as it is. My Beauty retained many of her human wiles to which you may relate, not so the case with others of our kind”
The double entendre was missed by the dark haired vampire as he didn't know about the clause of his soul and so he took the first thing that made sense to him. Nodding in understanding, Angel let his body relax somewhat and his knuckled cracked when he unclenched his large fist. “Use my humanity to relate to Cordelia in order to teach her”
“I have given you your answers Angelus, now leave” this time, the warning was as crystal clear as the ochre orbs locked onto his shaded amber one. The Master watched with a smile as his grandchilde backed up a few paces before turning to leave.
The only thing that had him tolerating the presence of a soul was the fact it could and would be removed. There had been a dramatic shift in power between the three ruling clans when seven of his best had been disposed of the night before, leaving him no choice but to muse over placing his immediate family in the frontline so to speak.
They were once known throughout the underworld as being the most powerful clan, never had he been forced to use his senior vampires in a war but he was fast being left with no other option. Summons had been sent to all belonging to the Order of Aurelius and soon they would be able to hold complete control of the Hellmouth completely.
William the Bloody, his companion and sire, sweet Drusilla were expected to arrive within the week as were a few of his own choosing. All brutal, well-noted and all above one hundred years of age, each vampire would bring this family to the height it had once been.
Sighing with satisfaction and slight mental disturbance, the Master could only sit back and wait.***
As he strolled across the grand space of the lobby, the dark haired vampire knew there was more to the Master's wishes than just having his youngest protected and taught. He had gone from being kept in a cage and subjected to Willow's less than nice versions of fun to being allowed too freely walk around without the concern of threat. There had to be more going on, he could feel it and he would somehow find out exactly what he was wanted for.
Angel ascended the spiral staircase with heavy footsteps, feeling very uncomfortable in clothing he normally would only adorn when soulless. Cordelia had made very sure he wore what she told him too, right down to his signature and symbolic ring on the fourth finger of his right hand. Pushing off the banister with that very hand, the vampire's gaze caught sight of the large and expertly created portrait on the wall overlooking the landing.
Immediately, his eyes were drawn to his sire and once over companion, Darla. The woman who had taught him mostly everything about being a vampire, she had taught him the hunt, catch and kill with an ease he had efficiently mastered within days of his becoming. Even a picture made his lips curl up with horror as he remembered their brief but tempestuous affair.
“Dear boy, how good it isn't to see you after all this time” the low, throaty and distinctly female voice had him facing his sire for the first time in just over half a century. Darla linked her hands together behind her back as she sauntered up to her childe and looked him over with a knowing smirk.
“Darla” Angel's greeting was clearly forced, his voice and posture stiff as he returned her gaze. Her blonde hair was neatly curled into loose waves, the shiny strands teasing her bare shoulders with stray wisps softening her features. Big, blue eyes lit up with extreme hatred as she focused entirely on him and shapely, full lips arched up in an equally forced smile. “It's been a long time”
“Not long enough” Darla told him, the quicker they got this out of the way the longer she wouldn't have to stare up at his face. “I would ask about your well-being Angelus, but that would mean I care.” Silence descended on the ex-companions as neither were willing to turn the gaze away from the other. Blue eyes held boredom for in her world, she had been there and done that, and disgust as she stared into human-like orbs.
In return, deep amber eyes held pity as Angel saw her as a lost cause, rivalry that came from years of trying to best his sire at her own game and blame for the way he was.
“Are we done?” again, Angel wasn't stupid to verbally lash one of the Master's favoured childer and so he proceeded to get their unwanted meeting out of the way.
“Definitely” continuing her lazy stroll along the landing, the blonde vampiress breezed past him with sheer hatred pouring from her. “God, I could eat his eyeballs” she hissed to herself as she pushed the far door open and disappeared through it.
Rubbing his palm over his face tiredly, Angel rolled his eyes at her parting words he was sure she wanted him to hear. “That was nice” he commented dryly, all the while the cogs of his brain were ticking over trying to figure out why his presence was being more than tolerated by the Master and Darla. He had gone from being caged with Willow and used a vent for her boredom to having the privilege of guarding the currant apple of the Master's eye and having the freedom to do as he pleased in the house.
It may take him time, but he would figure out what was going on and he wasn't so dense to believe that it was nothing. Taking one last wistful glance at the portrait, Angel resumed his walk towards his new quarters next to Cordelia's bedroom.***
Pacing her dark bedroom, Willow simmered with quiet fury at having her playmate taken from her and given to the Master's Bitch. Now she was bored, it was light outside and she had nothing to do whatsoever. The only thing that kept going round her head was the conversation she'd had with her sire a day or two earlier…
The Master watched with a knowing stare as the young red head respectfully approached him, leaving the one who called himself Xander waiting for her at the entrance to his private room. Large green eyes locked onto his as Willow knelt before him, not thinking to lower her head before being granted permission to state her piece. “You requested my presence young one?”
“Yes sire” he pleased she had at least remembered to address him formally.
“Then speak, do not keep me from my business Willow” his tone was rich with easy tolerance and a little impatience as he continued to wait her response to his questioning of her business with him.
Rising to her feet, she finally gave him what he asked of her. “I'm here to request having Puppy back in my care. I promise to be more considerate of my playtime so not to disturb Beauty” she had to choke back from saying her own pet name for the brunette. “Or anyone else from their rest” now she waited his permission.
“Your Puppy is now to be referred as Angelus, young Willow” the Master stated clearly, “No longer is he to be played with or tormented, he has been given the duty of guarding your younger sibling and he shall continue to serve in such a manner until I see fit”
Her ruby red lips parted a little as her eyes widened at his words, to her it seemed like Puppy got more privileges than she did. Folding her arms defensively across her chest, Willow closed her mouth as she came up with a countering argument in order to get Puppy back. “Sire” she began in a controlled voice, “Wouldn't Beauty” again she had to choke on that name “Be far better off under the care of a normal vampire? I don't see what good can come of having Pu… Angelus catering to her well-being would be. After all he has the shame that is a soul”
“It pleases me greatly that you have your sibling's interest at heart dear Willow” the Master blatantly ignored her point, turning debating words against her. “I assure you, young Cordelia is in the best of care with Angelus. There are many humans for you to choose from, I am more than sure that one will be to your liking”
After that, Willow had been gracefully dismissed from her sire's presence; angry at being denied her wishes for Puppy back, the red head had taken his advice and went to get herself a new pet. This time, she had chosen a teenage brunette with large, pretty eyes who had gotten her so very hot that by the time she had chained the girl in the cage, she had used her shamelessly.
“What I wouldn't give for one, single hour with Bitch” Willow purred, running the tip of a razor-sharp blade along her palm and watching as tiny stream of blood appeared, staining her pale flesh and pretending it was Cordelia's. One day soon, that vampiress was going to see just how much she had learned.***
Shuffling the deck of cards, Cordelia popped her chewing gum loudly and grinned at Angel. Her dark bronze lips furling upwards and the smile reaching her eyes, making the golden hazel light up. “Okay Angelus, what are we playing for?”
The male vampire hadn't missed the way she distracted him from broaching the subject of her vampiric lessons. She was clever, conniving and vindictive. “Mistress, we can play cards later” Angel's voice was as firm as he could make it “You have to start paying attention”
“Aurgh!” she pouted petulantly, letting her card-holding hands flop to the table they were sitting at. “You sound like my old school teacher did when he wasn't getting any... Maybe that's your problem Angelus, you know, lack of all things horizontal”
He was not going to bring up the subject of the very poor state of his sex life with her. “That isn't any of your business, Mistress” Angel pulled the deck of cards away from her hands and proceeded to tuck them neatly into the box. “If you don't start to learn about vampire ways then you're going to end up dust” and if that happened then he'd be dust after a few years of agonising torture.
“Please stop calling me Mistress, you make me sound like my old school principal which isn't of the good cus it was a he and he had apparently gotten eaten” Cordelia scrunched up her heart-shaped face in minor disgust as she remembered the rumours going round before the Master ascended. “Can you imagine being eaten by a bunch of stinky, gothic wannabe lowlives?”
“Can you imagine being eaten by a dead person?” Angel pointed out to her, if she thought being eaten by gothic people was bad then how would she feel if a vampire, a dead person, were to try and eat her.
“Hello! Vampire here!” she announced as though he were an idiot. “In order to become a vampire, you have to have a dead person snacking on you followed by drinking them. So yeah, I can easily imagine being eaten by a dead person” she watched smugly as Angel frowned at being caught by his own words. “So how exactly are you planning to teach me the art of being a vampire?”
That was a very good question, how exactly was he going to train her? He'd had three childer of his own but Cordelia was different to them and he doubted she would relate to his past methods.
As much as it killed his soul, Angel knew he had to take her out on the hunt to see how she lured people. “How would you like to go out tonight?”
The beaming grin that was turned his way slightly made up for the hurt of helping her kill. Her fangs were visible before she ran her pale pink tongue over the white, deadly points. Her cheeks puffed up, a tiny dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth and her button nose wrinkled up. “I'll have to ask Master though cus he wouldn't be happy if I just left... Hey! Maybe Darla can come too cus that woman knows how to party!”
Angel inwardly cringed at the mention of his sire and grandsire. “In that case I'll go request his presence...”
“I'll go with you cus I haven't seen my sire for two whole days and that isn't good for my social standing” Cordelia told him before jumping up out of her chair with exaggerated enthusiasm. Her bare feet padded across the thick red carpet on her floor as she strode into the bathroom to freshen up.
While she was in there, Angel took a good hard look around her sleeping quarters with a critical eye. Rich plum, heavy curtains were drawn away from the large bay window allowing him the opportunity to step out onto her balcony if he wished. A beautiful and obviously hand-crafted vanity dresser stood adjacent to the bed with a felted seat.
Her queen-sized bed was a four-poster with a luxurious mattress and quilted duvet in a dark but vibrant raisin shade. The pale cream net drifted down over the top to be tied to each post with a little ribbon. Fake sunflowers decorated the two empty corners in the room, adding a quirky touch to the room.
Cordelia's wardrobe was what caught his attention, rising from his seat Angel moved to stand in front of it. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened the double doors to peer at her clothing. Dark eyebrows rose high when he saw the skimpy tops, slinky skirts and dresses. “What is she planning on doing? Going on holiday?” he muttered with a shake of his head as he closed the doors.
“Are you finished playing sneak through Cordy's clothes now? Or do you wanna rummage through my unmentionables?” Cordelia's voice startled Angel as he realised he'd been staring at her clothes for the length of time she'd been in the bathroom and that scared him. “Or maybe” came her sly voice “You secretly want to try on my stuff not that anything would fit your big bod”
Angel's hands subconsciously went to feel his stomach “I don't have a big body” and he didn't. His gaze wandered over the young vampiress, taking her appearance. A short, babydoll dress in a warm shade of cerise skimmed her lithe frame and floated around her toned thighs teasingly. Her hair had been taken down from the loose ponytail and now the chestnut strands in luxurious, natural waves that fell down the smooth, creamy skin of her back.
Her lips were in a matching deep colour with slight wash of pink on her cheeks making her look flushed as though she'd just been ravished. Long and dark eyelashes fluttered a little under his openly appreciative gaze before Cordelia flounced to his side. The movement causing the hem of her dress to reveal more of her thighs to his gaze, leaving him with a dry mouth and deepening gaze.
Angel simply put it down to the fact he hadn't had any female contact for a very long time.
“Err, excuse me?” an impatient and questioning voice brought him out of thoughts he had had no business thinking especially about one of the Master's favoured. The last time he had bad, erotic thoughts about the Master's favoured, they had nearly killed each other. Happily.
Turning his oak shaded gaze in the direction of the light, tinkling female voice Angel found Cordelia peering up at him with all the innocence a new-born could possibly possess. Eyes were wide, the hazel irises flaring up with a bright gold fire, her gaze equalling his unknowingly. He wanted to see how many emotions could shine through that vixen gaze, he wanted to explore what would make her give in to her demonic side and wanted to see what would make her lose control.
The latter he would find out sooner rather than later.
Within her spectacular golden gaze, impatience began to shimmer through her innocent sexual response causing that gold to melt into a warm shade of cognac. “What?” Angel's voice was low, husky and melodious as he enquired what it was she wanted.
“Do I have to escort myself now?” Cordelia raised an elegant eyebrow at him as her lips thinned into a tight line of disrespect that he hadn't even had the courtesy to offer her his arm.
“Do forgive me M'lady” Angel replied dryly, curling his arm at the elbow he watched as she delicately placed her smaller, perfectly manicured hand onto his bicep in acceptance. There wasn't another vampire alive who would think of touching him like this when he had a soul, her sheer acceptance simply made him feel. “I shall escort you to see your sire to ask permission to leave the grounds” he continued with the gentlemanly game she brought up.
“Why than you kind sir” Cordelia said in turn, mimicking a very bad accent used by actresses portraying damsels in distress. “However shall I repay you?” she mocking fanned her face as he opened her bedroom door easily, allowing her to step through.
“Can you call me Angel please, Cordelia?” Angel asked, he hadn't gone by the name he took when he was soulless since, well, he had gotten his soul and now it was only people who knew him addressed him by that name. It was a name his soul despised as it was a reminder to what he was. A demon with the face of an angel. He wasn't an angel in anyway, shape or form but he was a demon and a brutal one by all accounts.
Blinking owlishly in confusion, the vampiress glanced up at her guardian “Why not? It's kinda nice I guess, but I've never heard my sire or Darla call you by anything else. But I suppose if you can stop calling me Mistress then I guess I can stop calling you Angelus. Sooo… What do you wanna be called? You aren't gonna say anything lame are you? Like Donald Demon or Vampy Vinnie? Or worse, Dracula… You're not him are you?”
Trying his hardest to follow her rapid-fire talking, Angel only caught little parts to her speech and made up what he didn't fully understand. “No, I'm not Dracula Cordelia” how many times did he have to be asked that before it sank in? “My name is Angel”
She seemed to ponder over his name for a few seconds before speaking enthusiastically with an accompanying skip to her step. “Wow! I have my own Guardian Angel like Frenchy did in Grease. How did you get a soul? Before I heard of you I never knew souls could be given on demand. What? Is there a House of Souls in Rodeo Drive now?”
Suddenly his relaxed demeanour changed at her questioning, Angel's icy exterior had Cordelia blowing out puffs of unneeded air to see if her breaths could be seen. “I guess I shouldn't ask stuff that isn't really anything to do with me huh? Oh well, I'm sure you'll forgive my crossing of the privacy line won't you?”
He couldn't hold back the soft smile at the way the brunette fluttered her large eyes, smiled and twirled a thick chestnut wave around her finger flirtatiously. “Of course I will M'lady” Angel responded as his mind waded through the memory of what he did to the poor, undeserving Gypsy girl in order for her family to seek vengeance by granting him his soul.
Before they realised it, both vampires were stood outside the curtain to the Master's quarters. “I'm here to request my sire's presence” Cordelia politely stated to the guardsman, “I would like his permission to…”
She didn't have time to finish making her request for the vampire in question appeared from the curtain pulled open from inside. “Ahh my Beauty” the Master addressed her with an affectionate sigh as his eye caught her hand on his grandchilde's arm. “You look radiant my childe, what do I owe for such a pleasure?”
Angel recognised one of the problems for the lack of Cordelia's interest in vampiric tendencies. She was clearly spoilt and high in the Master's affection, so she was probably doubting the fact of ever having to take care of herself.
Letting her hold on Angel go, the young vampiress knelt before her sire and lowered her head until she received permission to state her business. “Dear, sweet Cordelia” the Master ran his clawed hand softly over the top of her head, “You are not needed to bow to me when I have regarded you first” he explained patiently. “However, your respect for me is impeccable, for which you shall be rewarded. You and your guard are required to dine at my table tomorrow's eve”
Snapping her head up to face her sire, Cordelia's face was filled with barely held back glee at his offer. “Really? At your personal table sire?” he had only offered Darla a place at his table before. “This so rocks!”
“Rise my Beauty, or you will crease your pretty dress” the Master watched through heavy and unusually strained eyes as his youngest gracefully lifted herself from her place. He took in everything, the way she was dressed, the way she kept stealing glances at Angelus and the way Angelus kept his eyes to the floor. His plan was working wonderfully just as he knew it would. “Angelus, don't you agree on her radiance?”
“Yes sire, indeed I do. Your childe is incredibly…” hot? Gorgeous? Fuckable? Fit? A magnificent piece of walking female art with a great rack? All of the above? Angel went with “Beautiful”
Cordelia beamed brightly at his praise of her physical appearance. “Sire, may I request permission to leave the grounds please? Angel would like to escort me to the Bronze for a night of dancing and fun time”
“As long as he promises to take exceptional care of my special girl” the Master set unwavering and warning ochre eyes on Angel. “Does your guard vow to take exceptional care of my Cordelia?”
“Nothing would harm Cordelia, sire” Angel didn't think he'd ever said more sincere words in his existence. “They would have to deal with me and we both know that can be an unpleasant experience”
“Then you may go” the Master granted, after returning his child's delighted smile with an indulging one of his own he dismissed both vampires with a flourish of his hand. Watching Angelus leave with her, he clasped his hands behind his slightly hunched back as he was once again relegated to waiting until the family was once again whole.
Time would soon be running out.
Part 6Leading his newborn charge into the club owned and ran by the Master. Angel wasn't oblivious to the stares both Cordelia and himself were now receiving from the other vampires.
The security at the entrance to the Bronze gave a simple nod when he recognised the young brunette and her companion instantly. His large hand placed firmly and protectively on the small of her back, his fingertips teasing the gentle curve of her ass as he guided her through the crowd towards the centre table.
Though her body had no human heat, Angel could swear his hand was beginning to burn from his simple touch and he had to stop himself from moving his hand from be back to circle around her slender waist. The silk of her dress rasped against the roughened skin on his palm, unconsciously causing him to increase the pressure of his grip slightly and circling his fingers slowly over the material, relishing the feel of it.
Rich and deep mahogany eyes roamed the goings on inside the club, taking in the willing and unwilling humans held in cages waiting for either the pain of death or the pleasure of a vampire bite. The demon within wanted so much more than a taste while the soul wanted to help.
Knowing there was no way he would get away with letting the caged humans go, Angel forced the hurt and disgust to the back of his mind. Dismissing the realisation that he found it a little too easy to do since seeing something like that wasn't new to him.
Misty grey clouds circulated around them, the dim lights creating soft little beams through the smoky puffs, he frowned when the smoke seemed to dull the brightness of the hazel eyes peering up at him with a look he didn't fully understand. “This is where you usually sit isn't it?” Angel asked, turning his gaze from her strange gaze and looking at the luxurious sitting place they were now stood next to.
He just assumed that this seating area had been reserved for the the Master and his favoured. Each seat was decorated with plush velvet that looked soft to the touch with a throne-like chair at the end of the table. Two smaller but equally regal chairs sat at either side of the larger throne, leaving Angel no doubt about who those chairs belonged to.
“Yeah” Cordelia answered, clasping her hands behind her back and she began twisting her shoulders back and forth. The corners of her vibrant bubblegum pink lips curled up slightly, her eyebrows hitched up just a little and the hazel irises were suddenly glowing with flecks of a sparkling light gold.
Glancing unsurely between the seating place and the vampiress, Angel tried to figure out why she wasn't sitting down in the chair he had pulled out for her. “Don't you want to sit down?” if they sat down then he could start prompting her with the start of her learning.
“Umm… We're in a club which we came to for some funny fun fun, there is music, free people and dance floor. Do you think I wanna sit down yet? God, we just got here and already your old bones are complaining of arthritis”
“Dancing?” the last dance he had done was the waltz when he and Darla had crashed a politicians party years ago. He didn't think that would go down quite so well. “I don't dance”
Her shoulder twisting ceased, her curling smile drooped, the gold in her eyes disappeared and he immediately felt guilty. “Oh no mister I've been alive for two hundred and odd years” Cordelia snapped in a mockingly dangerous note as her finger began to make constant contact with his chest, making him stagger back a little. “That excuse won't work with me. You brought me here, you're my guard and my sire told you to take care of me. Taking care of me includes dancing with me”
Smacking her finger away from his chest and subconsciously rubbing the place she had prodded, “I don't dance” Angel repeated in a much firmer voice. No force in Hell, Heaven or on Earth would get him to dance.***
After an hour of watching Cordelia move in perfect synchronisation with the music, he began to wish he was moving with her.
After an extra ten minutes of watching as the vampiress was joined by a male vampire, Angel tensed up dramatically and focused his gaze on where the vampire was inching his hands towards. His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists, his lips thinned into a tight line and his body burned with something akin to envy as he watched Cordelia sway closer to her dancing partner.
Then, the vampire's hands curled completely around the firm arc of her ass and Angel stood up so violently that his chair was shoved to the floor with a clatter. However, he didn't get to defend her for Cordelia suddenly had the male vampire cowering under a very threatening raised eyebrow and he watched as her knee came up into a very painful collision with the male vampire's groin.
Her eyes flashed, the hazel merging into pure spun gold in outrage that someone as low as the vampire who had dares to touch her. Her forehead rippled slightly as Cordelia purposely used her demonic strength to add a little something extra in her defensive movement. The male vampire's eyes rolled back up into his head as a loud, high-pitched squeak escaped his parted lips. She watched as he crumpled to his knees before wiping her hands together in satisfaction.
“Ow” Angel grimaced in sympathy and carried on moving towards her until he was by her side. “Everything okay?”
Beaming up at her guard, Cordelia grinned wickedly and smugly at her defensive movement. “He touched my butt but I don't think he'll do it again” her eyes turned threateningly down towards the male vampire on his knees, gripping his family jewels with both hands. “Will you?”
“No” he squeaked, would he hell try that again.
The dark haired vampire couldn't help the pity in his eyes as he looked down at the pained vampire on the floor. He knew from personal experience that a childe directly sired by the Master had a little extra strength at their disposal and that extra strength could damn well hurt. Not that Darla had gotten that close, he'd been smart enough to learn how to dodge pretty quickly.
Suddenly feeling a sharp tug on his hands, Angel was once again brought out of his thoughts and looked down at the vampiress staring in annoyance up at him. “What?”
Happy in the fact his attention was once again focused entirely on her, Cordelia began tugging on his hands with a smile that was too sweet to fit her. “Oh no, I told you I don't dance” he tried to pull away desperately when he realised just what it was she wanted him to do.
“Would you rather I danced with another groping maniac?” Cordelia asked pointedly. Off his scowl, she smiled so sweetly up at him again. “Thought not, now let's see what I can do with the lack of dancing skills you probably have”
Just because he didn't dance didn't mean he couldn't, he had skills albeit old fashioned skills but they were still skills. Swallowing whatever was left of his pride, Angel gave up resisting her pulling him into the centre of the compact dance floor.
She seemed to be totally unaware of the attention they were getting from the other people in the club. It was no shock that both vampires were well known amongst the crowd. Angelus, the Scourge of Europe, accompanying the Master's youngest had sent a wave of speculation throughout the Bronze the moment they had arrived.
Angel had been feeling uncomfortable under the constant questioning stares. After being part of the shadows for so long he had forgotten what it had been like to be noted for who he was, had forgotten what it had felt like to belong. A sharp tug on his hands brought him out of his thoughts as Cordelia grew impatient when his attention began to drift away from her.
“Hello! We're missing half the song here Angel. If I didn't know better I'd say you were having a silent conversation with voices in your head” the brunette's tongue popped cheekily out of her mouth as the apples of her cheeks puffed up.
Thankfully, the music had changed from being a heavy beat to a slow, heady throb as a classic rock song floated from the speakers. Angel removed her grip to curl a grip of his own around her waist, inwardly marvelling at how a... “How old were you?”
“When I was turned?” her voice came out soft, the vibrations of her very feminine purr ran through his chest where she had placed her head. Gently, she trailed pink-tipped fingers up his chest, the colour of her nail polish standing out amazingly against the creamy pallor of her complexion. Her hands slid up over his shoulders to curl around his neck, tickling the soft hairs at the nape teasingly.
Feeling him nod in answer “17-years-old and the Master found me holding a goodbye note from my parents just after they left the country”
Cordelia didn't see the heartache he felt for her human self pass across his face. “Seventeen” Angel mused, turning the conversation away from her past life. He easily recalled the story of Darla's turning, the Master had turned the blonde before she had died.
It seemed his grandsire had a thing about rescuing the damsel, Angel thought. The Master was anything but a knight in shining armour. He just put it down to the fact his grandsire hated seeing a pretty face go to waste. Both girls had been in a bad place and now both girls were his favoured.
Shaking his head, Angel wrapped both his arms around Cordelia and let his cheek relax on the top of her head. Completely in the knowledge she had made him forget all about teaching her how to hunt.
Smooth nails tickled the nape of his neck, making him shiver with ticklish sensations. Against his chest, her hardening nipples brushed erotically through the layers of silk and velvet while the scent of light arousal stemmed from both of them. Angel slipped his hands down her sides to firmly caress her thighs through the silk, lifting the hem of her dress up slightly to feel her skin.
There wasn't much difference between the skin on her thighs and her dress; soft, silky and incredibly smooth. The gentle contours of her female, toned muscles moved in response to his touch, each shaped arch rippling with the slow, easy dance. It had been so long since he touched a woman in this way, it had been even longer since a woman had touched him the way Cordelia was doing now.
Slender feminine fingers locked tightly around his neck, her cheek lay contentedly on his chest with her body up close and very personal with his harder one. Hazel irises peered up through dark eyelashes, returning his watchful gaze with one of her own. “You're actually a good dancer” Cordelia complimented, “At first, I had visions of you only being able to do one of those old funny waltzes or something”
Hiding his embarrassed cringe with ease, Angel gave her a small half quirky half smile that held a little bit of humour. “There's nothing wrong with waltzing, Cordelia”
“Especially if your name's Matilda” she remarked dryly, causing him to laugh slightly.
The sound was so strange to him and he had forgotten what it had been like to laugh sincerely. His voice was low, rich and deep, her eyes brightened up in delight at the sound of his male laughter He spun her round, bringing a large smile that flashed her fangs to her heart-shaped face .
Satisfied that for once her humour had gotten a response from him, the vampiress commented “I'm hungry now”***
Observing from a darkened corner, Angel stood close by but easily staying hidden from view within the shadows. Brown eyes tracked the brunette's every move and ears picked up every word she spoke.
This was supposed to be where she pounced on the unsuspecting man standing close to the shop window. This was supposed to be where she drained him dry, leaving his body an empty shell on the pavement for somebody to find.
Instead Cordelia, the Master's childe, was looking in the same shop window admiring the same outfit the man was looking at and giving him advice. Angel closed his eyes at the sheer hopelessness of her, that vampiress was a lost cause. “Okay, so you want this as a birthday present for your girlfriend?” he overheard her ask.
“Yeah, you like it?”
Cordelia pressed a finger to her lips as she looked critically at the suit in the window, “Nah, it's too outdated. Pin stripes are waayy out of fashion now. According to Cosmo, it's two-tone colours with a contrasting, not clashing, top underneath”
“Oh” the man stated in disappointment, “Okay, well thanks lady”
She beamed brightly at the man and waved as he walked to the next shop to look in that window instead. With a skip in her step, the brunette bounced back to Angel's side and latched both her hands around his arm. “I thought you were hungry” he stated in monotone, not at all impressed with her actions. Soulless vampires were meant to eat people, not help them pick out birthday presents for their spouses.
“I am but there was no way was I gonna eat him” her face scrunched up in pure disgust, “Did you smell his cologne? Cheap wasn't in it and he smelled like he hadn't bathed in a week”
“He may have just gotten off work” Angel pointed out as he resisted the urge to call her a picky spoilt snob.
“That is no excuse for smelling like horse manure” Cordelia snorted, “I suppose that could have been his cheap cologne…” her voice drifted off as she spied a nicely dressed young man carrying a briefcase who was walking towards a very expensive looking car. “Hello dinner! And bonus, check out his car”
Angel swallowed the urge to help the man who had turned into prey, instead he focused on his charge as she ruffled her slip of a dress and fluffed up her hair. His rich, deep amber eyes once again followed her every move as she swayed wantonly up to the young man with intent.
There was questioning the fact that she was dressed to kill, everything about the young vampiress screamed predator. The hem of her silk dress floated flirtatiously around the tops of her thighs, her heels adding height and shape to the gentle contours of her legs and the way she walked was pure vixen.
To him, another vampire, he could tell she was one of his kind but underneath, she was nothing like a typical female vampire at all. For God's sake, most female vampires didn't have a light, glowing bronze tint to their skin. Most female vampires were evil and liked to play with their food, not make polite conversation about the outfit in a shop window.
Angel shook away his thoughts and continued observing from the shadowy corner.
“Hey there” Cordelia purred to the man she had set her sights on, leaning her lithe body possessively against the drivers' side door of the sleek black convertible.
The young man looked the brunette up and down, seeing her dress and the offering in her expression. “Hey” he answered back as his eyes gave her the once over. She was a very pretty brunette with long, dark hair and wearing a slip of a dress. But that wasn't anything unusual these days. Slinging the briefcase onto the drivers' seat, the man returned her interested look with his best come-to-bed eyes.
“What's your name?” Cordelia purred, running her fingers over the side shell of his car and admiring the convertible.
Angel could see her hesitating and he wondered if she was planning on seducing him before she ate him.
“Bernard” Bernard replied with a smile, the car was a babe magnet.
“Bernard?” Cordelia asked in distaste, no way was she eating any guy called Bernard. “Well Bernard, change your name and I may look you up” pulling no punches, she began to walk away with Bernard watching her with a confused expression on his face.
Angel had the urge to yank his hair in frustration as he tried to think of the what the problem could be this time. “What is it this time? Did he have a hang nail? Was his hair the wrong shade of blonde? Didn't his socks match?” he hissed in frustration when Cordelia reached his side again.
“He was called Bernard” she replied, “I refuse to eat anyone I wouldn't date and I certainly wouldn't date anyone called Bernard” giving him an expression that told Angel she fully believed in her right to have the perfect dining experience.
The look on his face was priceless. His mouth simply refused to close, his eyes were rapidly blinking and his hands seemed to making small but exaggerated movements “That's it?” he asked blankly, “You didn't like his name?”
“Would eat a girl called Gertrude?” Cordelia snarked, sticking to her belief that her grounds of refusal were justified.
That was it. He had had it with her and her picky ways, if she wasn't going to choose for herself then he was going to choose for her. Angel had never gotten truly frustrated before, he'd been through every other emotion known to man but never tear-your-hair-out-and-scream-frustration. For the first time since he'd gotten his soul, he didn't have a problem submitting to the demon within.
Angel stilled when he realised he was seriously thinking about showing her how to hunt. The demon kept up the urging while the soul kept denying, spliting who he was into two equal halves. He couldn't face killing another person, couldn't have their blood in his dreams and he didn't want another faceless victim to stare at him in his mind.
There was only one thing left to do.
Play dirty.
It took every bit of willpower he had to resist the darker urges of his demon side. Forcing himself to concentrate fully on the objective of tonight's excercise.
“I never really realised just what a pathetic vampire you are” Angel commented casually, leaning his body up against the wall, watching as she stared back at him with rage simmering in the depths of her eyes. “I mean look at you”
Cordelia's jaw dropped a little as her guard openly insulted her as a vampire. “Excuse me pal, I'm not pathetic” she smugly retorted “If I'm pathetic then how come the Master has you, the Great and Powerful Angelus, as my guard, huh? Pathetic is when you get yourself a soul cus you can't keep it in your pants then waking up to find you're playing Fetch with Willow the Wonder Vamp. Now that is pathetic”
“You're right” Angel's agreeing words left her for once speechless with her hazel eyes blinking up at him as if she couldn't believe he just agreed to his own insulting. “But you are the one who can't get her own dinner” he remarked easily, “But then again, if I was looked after by Daddy then I'm sure I'd be spoilt”
“The Master does not spoil me” she yelled at him, jabbing a finger in his direction “I just have standards”
Recognising the combination of anger and a little humiliation lilt, Angel knew his comments were hitting home. “What you really mean is you know you can't actually hunt so you have all these little excuses” Angel continued with a simple shrug.
“Oh he has the wrong name, he's wearing cheap cologne, his nose is too big” he mimicked, sounding scarily like her. “The fact is Princess, you're scared” it wasn't the fact that she couldn't kill, it was the fact she was, in a word, hopeless at it for the simple reason she was too damn picky. She seemed to want a full five-star dining experience topped off with a suit, car, money and a nice name.
“Scared?” Cordelia deadpanned, crossing her arms defensively over her chest as she stared at him blankly.
“Yes, scared of failing as a vampire, showing yourself and your sire up in public” another sadistic laugh emanated from him. “I bet as a human you were the teen beauty queen, with all the little boys trying to play kiss-catch. A superficial little girl who had nothing real and who lived off Daddy's gold card. A girl who had no need for brains cus she went off her looks…”
“I have brains and there is nothing wrong with being noted for beauty or not looking” Cordelia cried indignantly as her finger now made constant contact with his chest. “And don't accuse me of being spoiled and brainless just because I'm the Master's youngest childe. I don't need you to show me anything. Picky? Pfft!”
“Prove it” Angel countered “Bernard hasn't drove off yet” he glanced to the black convertible still in the same place with the man in the drivers' side, talking on his cellular phone.
“When I come back, I want the utmost respect and I want you to take back all your words” Cordelia purred, the promise of vengeance not totally hidden by her relaxed demeanour. Angel was once again relegated to watching as she walked confidently over to her prey who sat in his care, unaware of the danger he was now certainly in. Her hips sashayed with her saunter, the silk material of her dress kissed the tops of her thighs and her dress clung to her body as her posture became taut.
The change in her demeanour was instantaneous, Angel saw the way the vampiress went from having to be goaded into not being picky into the predator she was. His brown eyes darkened as he watched Cordelia as she approached her prey, knowing this time she was going in for the kill.
The people who were around either didn't see or they ignored what happened to poor Bernard.
Angel saw the demonic visage slip over her face, the ridges on her forehead, nose and cheeks became prominent while her teeth elongated into deadly points that gleamed in the streetlight. It was her eyes that drew his attention the most; the hazel had been swallowed by the brightest gold glistening through her long eyelashes.
This was the first time he had seen her in full vampire visage but unlike some others of their kind, it seemed to fit her. Her eyes carried who she was behind the golden orbs, her lips were still the same voluptous shape and her body kept the natural feline grace she had when in her appearing human.
A lot of pretty looking things held hidden dangers; like roses had their thorns. Cordelia, a truly classic beauty, had fangs.
He couldn't remember the last time he had willingly watched a vampire feeding from a human, couldn't remember the last time he had bullied a vampire into feeding. Had he ever had to bully a vampire into feeding?
Those precious orbs locked onto his as Cordelia sank her fangs deep into Bernard's jugular, a hint of a smug, victorious smile flickered across her lips as she drank in slow gulps, prolonging the experience. The sensuality of staring deep passed through them both, leaving Angel once again pushing his baser instincts to the back of his mind.
Angel's own gaze turned, his tongue darted out to lick his dry lips with a hunger of his own and he hardened with the visual he had. A small droplet of blood trickled from the corner of her lips as pleasure and satisfaction filled the gold orbs looking at him.
Memories of days long gone assaulted his wild mind, bringing back the feelings of glory as he winningly executed a perfect kill. Memories of sharing some of those kills with his own childer, sating both his bloodlust and his sexual needs.
Retracting her fangs, Cordelia moved the now disoriented and helpless man to where her guard was watching from. Her hand wrapped around the man's throat to cease blood loss, she used her other hand to push an unresisting Angel further into the shadows.
She wanted to share this with him, wanted to see what he looked like when he fed, what he looked like as a vampire. Her images weren't enough anymore and neither were portraits around the mansion. She wanted to know what he looked like up close.
“You want?” she offered, removing her hand to allow the tangy scent of humanity to tease his soul-controlled senses. “He's quite yummy for a guy named Bernard… In a way I'm doing the world a favour by getting rid of this awfully named man”
The rich scent of fresh, warm human blood made his mouth water and go dry at the same time. Once again, who he was divided in two as opposing sides wanted different things. Phsyically, he reacted to the taste in the air. His nostrils flared, the dark amber of his eyes went from molten to a glistening onyx and his body became taut and harder as he resisted the offering.
“Hello in there!” her free hand waved in front of his face, trying to get his attention back on her as it always should be. After all, he was her guard and anything could happen to her while he was off in La-La land.
Cordelia had overcome her self-induced 'standards' and performed her first, real kill and Angel felt a little sick at the pride going through him because of it. “No human blood” it took everything he had to decline the offer to share in her kill, “It's your kill not mine”
“Talk about me being a snob, God you'll drink human blood from a skanky vampire 'ho but blood from a human not even killed by you is against your morals?” she asked lightly, wrapping her hand around Bernard's throat when he began to babble incoherently. “Oh shut up would you? I'm trying to have a conversation with my guard here. Rude much?… Where's your car keys?”***
The black convertible handled like a dream, the engine purred quietly and Angel was in his element. “This car is…” he was lost for words, Cordelia had given him the keys and told him he could have it.
“Way cool?” she offered smugly, folding her arms across her chest she pinned him with an expectant gaze. The rushing wind had her hair fluttering wildly around her heart-shaped face, her cheeks held a rosy after-feeding glow and her lips were curled up in a wicked victorious smirk. “At least now I have a cool car to be driven around now, nothing against my sire's collection but I wish he move into the 20th century. Hell, I'd settle for him moving into the 19th century”
Angel found himself with images of the Master sending faxes from a high-rise office wearing an Armani suit. Shaking that mental image away before it turned truly frightening, the vampire slowed the car down to steer it into the grounds of the mansion grimacing as the gravel sprayed up from the Earth and possibly scratching the paint on his new car. “What?” he asked when he noticed she appeared to want something.
“Isn't there something you have to do?” Cordelia inspected her nails, making sure the polish hadn't chipped.
Nodding, he waited until the car rolled to a dead stop before killing the engine and getting out to open the door for her. “I was going to open the door for you” Angel affirmed what he was already going to do.
“Oh well, you can do that too but there's something you haven't done yet”
His eyes roamed her as he tried to think of what she was talking about, “What?” she couldn't mean a goodnight kiss could she? The Master would kill him if he actually kissed her, the touching was okay because the scent was more or less innocent despite his less-than innocent thoughts at the time.
“Oh how about 'Well done Cordy' or 'I take my mean words back, you aren't a pathetic vampire or spoilt'“ Cordelia supplied innocently as she continued to inspect her nails, every so often sneaking a sly sideways glance at the vampire next to her.
He didn't really want to be reminded of her kill, he didn't think he could take his senses being teased even by a hauntingly erotic memory. Angel stepped out of the car and, for the third time that day, shoved everything to the back of his mind. “I take it back” he spoke as he pulled her door open, “You are neither pathetic nor spoilt. Happy now?” he looked down at the hand she held out for him.
“Well?” Cordelia wiggled her hand in a signal for him to take “Help me out”
Taking her smaller, feminine hand in his Angel guided her with a gentleman's touch and closed the door with a quiet thud noting how her skin on her hand was so much softer than his. Nails were short, well-kept and coloured in a shade that matched with her dress and her fingers were long and slender with a ring symbolising her status in the Order on her fourth finger.
“M'lady” Angel made a graceful sweep with his free hand and began guiding her towards the mansion.***
As soon as they were inside the grand lobby, Cordelia left his side and immediately went to tell her sire's guardsmen that she was back. And took the opportunity to show off about her new car.
Willow exited the curtain just as the brunette had turned her back, Angel immediately tensed when he saw his old mistress turn a deadly gaze to Cordelia. An uneasy feeling ran through him as he watched the red head scour the young vampiress with a cold hatred in her green eyes. Slowly, that cold gaze finally came to rest on him and a smirk flirted at her red lips.
“Puppy” she purred, purposely ignoring the order to call him Angelus, and sauntering over to him like she owned the place.
“Willow” Angel relished using the name he had been ordered not to use.
At the sound of her guard being addressed disrespectfully, Cordelia turned her attention to the red head and Angel, seeing what would happen as this would be the first time he saw her since she'd been given him. “I think you mean Angelus” the brunette stated coolly, her gaze locked tightly with Angel's for a moment and he swore he saw very real, very fatal threat within the hazel irises.
Ignoring the Master's favoured, Willow never tore her eyes from the vampire she had played with for months before he'd been taken away from her and given to Bitch. “Has Puppy been for walkies?” she taunted.
“Actually Willow, we've been dancing, went for dinner and we got a new car. A Porsche Boxter convertible no less. Are you still driving around in that tin wagon Xander got you?” Cordelia asked, not hiding the insulting meaning behind her words. Her heels click-clacked softly against the large covering on the floor as she went to Angel's side, curling her body into his.
“You should see how great Angel looks driving it” without waiting for the red head to say anything in return, the brunette turned her words to the elder vampire now responding and curling his heavily muscled arms around her.
“Angel, we so have to go to the mall tomorrow night because we both need some new clothes for when we dine with my sire at his table” Cordelia's expression was wicked as she glanced towards Willow's face and saw the envy at her news written over her face.
“C'mon Tiger” her phrasing gave the red head the conclusion Cordelia wanted her to have. “You can escort me to our quarters where you can have a sneaky peek at your new living place. I asked to have what stuff you got to be taken too the room right next door to mine… Hey, you've been alive for so long you must have a ton of cool things, you can show me because I'm not ready to go to bed yet”
“Bye Willow, say hi to Xander for me” dragging Angel away from the other vampiress, Cordelia kept herself as close as possible to him as she continued to chat happily while he guided her up the stairs.
He didn't like the way Willow's gaze had turned deadly when she had looked towards his vampire. He knew sibling rivalry when he saw it and he knew how it could turn out when that sibling rivalry was between obvious arch enemies. Cordelia didn't seem to be bothered by the red head at all, it was like she was too good to talk to her, but Willow.
Well, he may have worked out one of the hidden reasons he had been chosen to guard the young brunette. Angel wanted Willow to attack his charge then he'd have a good excuse to kill her but in another way, he just wanted Cordelia to be completely safe in her own home. Until his instincts had proof, then he'd be by her side all the time.