False Claims

Chapter Fifty Two





Awash in a sea of fragrant colors, lost in a lover’s embrace; Cordelia meant it when she’d told Angelus that there was no where that she’d rather be.



For the barest moment she wondered if her answer sprung from happiness at her current circumstances or if it was indicative of the emotional wasteland that seemed to be the rest of her life.



A wisp of thought fluttered through her beleaguered mind, questioning when her life had veered down a path that lead her to this place, where the arms of a demon was her chosen haven. But before it could take shape it was gone as a cool, gentle tongue swept into her mouth and all thinking stopped.







He couldn’t stop thinking.



Angelus finally had what he’d wanted for what seemed like an eternity, and instead of reveling in the feeling of his woman in his arms at last, he was captivated by a single thought.



She’d said, “Nowhere.”



Cordelia Chase, his unwilling obsession, his radiant moonbeam said that there was nowhere that she would rather be at that moment than with him. And though he knew that was a temporary state of mind for the rebellious girl, he couldn’t help the intense satisfaction her honest answer gave him.



He’d meant every word he’d said to her, and though he’d used them like weapons to tear her from those who would keep her from him, the most he had expected was a quiet acquiescence to the inescapable. But instead of her silent resignation, she once again surprised him with her unflinching honesty.



Angelus knew that Cordelia thought that this was about sex. But he had never lacked for partners – willing and not; this much effort would never go into mere sexual gratification. If that’s all he wanted he could’ve fucked her a thousand times over by now.



No, although their joining would be nothing less than bliss, this union far transcended the physical. This would be the completion of their bond. This night would ensconce him deep within her soul for the entirety of her life. Never again would she be Cordelia Chase, an independent entity, singular in her own existence, forging her own path through life.



From here on, no matter where she was, who she was with, or the acts in which she engaged, she would always be his Cordelia. She was the embodiment of his pleasure, and after this night in his arms she would never be able to deny that her destiny was his desire.



And more than anything that had happened that day that thought heated his still blood until he was burning with it.







She was burning up. She wasn’t sure that it should be physically possible for someone with no body temperature to create so much heat in another person. Cordelia Chase was no fool. She knew exactly what would happen here tonight; knew that it had been inevitable since she’d been pulled kicking and screaming into this place. And so she understood that her instinctive, spontaneous answer to Angelus’ queries hadn’t been the genesis for what was now taking place. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow that single, whispered word had transformed this moment, lending it an intimacy that it would otherwise have lacked; an intimacy that she wasn’t sure her soul could survive intact.



Even now her body was screaming at her in hunger and longing. The part of her that would normally beg her to resist was strangely silent as the stripping of her nerves, the loneliness of her life, and the deep stroking of the firm tongue against hers all combined to create a need more powerful than anything she’d felt up to this point. At that moment she wouldn’t have been able to say if this was solely the product of the bond or a culmination of events. In fact, the only thought she could truly hold was even now causing her heart to beat a harsh rhythm of desire inside her chest – She had to touch him.







Angelus knew he would die, again, if he didn’t touch her. He’d always felt impervious to harm; indestructible even when facing slayers and a century and a half of vampire hunters. And yet, at this moment, he knew that if he couldn’t merge his skin to hers, he would cease to exist.



While Cordelia had felt relentlessly pursued over the past weeks, she had no idea of what it had cost her soon-to-be lover to proceed at such a slow and deliberate place. Every day without her had been a lifetime of solitude and emptiness to the vampire who had immersed himself in their bond. But he had known the divine dividends of every moment spent with her would far outweigh the cost of restraint; and now it was time to begin reaping the rewards of his patience.



Placing gentle hands on her shoulders, Angelus reluctantly pulled his lips from hers, allowing Cordelia air which was much needed but apparently not wanted if it separated her from him, as witnessed by her small whimper of loss. Making the most of her moment of distraction, he gazed down into her face.



Beauty was by no means a foreign concept to the vampire, and yet this particular women’s magnificence moved him in ways he couldn’t begin to describe. It wasn’t just her outer countenance, he had decimated hundreds of beauties, but they hadn’t turned his head. No, it was something vibrant in her; spirit, courage, caring, that particulars didn’t matter, just that it lit her from the inside out, lifting her far above the realm of physical attraction and transformed her into a force of nature - A whirlwind that blew through him and left him dazed yet longing for her endlessly.



Cupping her face, his eyes narrowed into slits of sultry satisfaction as Cordelia instinctively nuzzled into his touch. With a whisper of movement his thumb slid across the warm, silk of her skin as he explored the contours of her face. Soft, sweeping movements transfixed the pair, locking them in a timeless moment of need.



Finally, unable to resist tasting what he had worship with his reverent touch he tilted Cordelia’s face towards his. Finding a matching hunger in the swirling depths of her liquid gaze, Angelus groaned deeply as his mouth slid smoothly across hers.



Although her lips parted instantly to allow greater access, the vampire abandoned the temptation if favor of recreating the path of his questing fingers. Cordelia’s skin, warmed with the glowing health of youth, and slightly damp from anticipation was a delicacy beyond imagining; more so as it was freely shared with him this night.



His tongue slipped past his lips to trace abstract swirls on her skin as it blazed a sensual trail over her jaw and down her neck. Angelus was drawn, as always, to the place of their mystical joining. As he soothed and caressed each mark left by his deadly fangs, he tasted the unique blend of both Cordelia and himself. It teased his senses with its tantalizing flavor until his head swam with need; to touch, to taste, to own.



This time the sound that spilled from his lips was a deep, resounding purr; a sound of satisfaction that only comes with the attainment of the dearest of goals. It poured from him and into her, this building sense of completion, and his body shook under the weight of his desire.







Cordelia wanted him so badly that she was actually shaking with need. That thought briefly surfaced in her mind only to be once again submerged as his blunt teeth nipped at the scars he’d left behind.



There was something about that point that seemed to recognize the vampire, that longed to draw him back into the place of their first joining. In the logical part of her mind she knew that it was folly of the life ending variety to invite a vampire’s bite; but reason had abandoned her this night and all that was left were sensations, endless vibrations of body and soul that threatened to tear her asunder, and yet, for the life of her she could not wish away.



Whatever small breathes Cordelia was able to drag in stilled in her throat as Angelus tenderly drew the marked flesh into his mouth, his gentle suckling creating identical shafts of desire to spear through them both.



Feelings, foreign and frightening in their intensity, encompassed her and she reached out to the only familiar figure left in her world, uncaring that he was the cause of the deluge crashing through her. Needing nothing but to feel him, to acknowledge the reality of something in the swirling void into which she was falling, she wrapped her arms around his hard, straining form.



Slowly, as if it were a necessity to memorize every plane and angle before her, she smoothed her hands over the taut muscles of his back. The silk of his shirt eased her travels and added erotic dimension to the caress on both sides of the material. Finally reaching flesh, she teasingly danced her fingertips over his nape to draw soothing patterns in his hair with her nails.



Whether it was her specific movements or her active participation, Cordelia didn’t know, but the rumble that shot from his body to hers alerted her to his appreciation of her actions. Desperately wanting a repeat of that sensation, her fingers clenched in his hair, stroking firmly and pulling him even tighter into her neck.



The singular rumble turned into a continuous purr as Cordelia offered up more of her throat to his pleasure. Her body trembled in time to the pulsations surrounding her and each tremor shot its way through her and settled with unerring precision between her tightly clenched thighs. A pool of liquid heat gathered there as a deep ache began crushing her in its demanding grip, robbing her of her will to be anything other than a colliding mass of random thoughts and feelings set ablaze by her overloaded senses.



Pushing forward she eliminated the small slivers of air that sought to separate them. Her legs weakened as her breasts connected with the sculpted planes of Angelus’ chest. Everywhere his body touched hers was like a cool, soothing balm to the fire consuming her, and at this moment she wanted nothing more than to drown in the ravenous hunger beating through her.







Angelus was starving for her and he knew that no matter what the heights of pleasure this night yielded, it would never be enough.



Feeling her touch him, her hands molding themselves to his flesh, stroking through his hair aroused a fierce affection in him as she pleased him of her own accord. But tender feelings were soon converted to raging desire as she pulled him securely to her neck. Her acceptance was appealing, her willing participation was enthralling, but her submission, it was beyond exhilarating.



Needing to see more of her, to touch more of her, Angelus slid his arms around her waist. Skimming his hands under them hem of her shirt, her reveled in the velvety warmth of the large expanse of skin beneath his palms. In strong, broad sweeps they moved upwards, dragging the worn cotton with them until, with one movement, he’d separated their bodies and whisked off her thin shirt, leaving it to fall softly to the ground.



The delicate rose lace of her bra did little to cover the sun kissed curves of her breast. Already Angelus found himself straining against the restricting material of his pants and he paused for a fraction of a second to wonder how his control would survive further revelations of her beauty.



The view that was even now pushing the bounds of his control was suddenly obscured as Cordelia’s arms came up to cover herself in a move inherent to her untried state. Growling at the loss, Angelus grasped her hands in his, stretching them out to the sides and back, thrusting her breasts out towards him. Feeling her fight his tightening grip, he captured her gaze so that she could not doubt the sincerity of his words.



“You will never hide yourself from me again, Cordelia.”



He felt the hesitation in her defiance and his lips curved into a cruel smirk as he prepared to crumble her thoughts of disobedience.



“I could always keep you naked to break you of this false modesty.”



He couldn’t restrain the chuckle at the utter dismay that shot across her face as she realized that not only was he serious, but that he would be more than happy to carry out such a threat. In fact, Angelus almost wished for her noncompliance in this matter. Not that he needed the excuse. She was his and if it suited him to have her unclothed for the rest of her life then she would remain so and what’s more she would eventually come to love it.



He could feel the moment she accepted his will in this matter, and as he release her arms they fell limply to her sides. But, being Cordelia, he knew that her compliance would not be complete anytime in the near future, and her next words proved him right.



“It’s not false modesty.”



Angelus smiled at her words, her first and last defense. He didn’t want to steal all of her spirit, but he couldn’t allow her misconception to go unchallenged.



“Modesty is about hiding away something of yours that you want kept private from prying eyes. But nothing about you is yours anymore; your thoughts, your feelings, your body. Your control of any of them begins and ends at my discretion. Never forget that, Cordelia.”



Before she could begin to argue with his comments, Angelus pulled her back into his arms, taking her lips with a ravishing intensity that bewildered her senses even as it robbed her of her breath. Taking advantage of the momentary weakness that was causing her to sway slightly, his fingers deftly manipulated the clasp on her bra leaving it vulnerable to his slight tug which sent the filmy material to land gracefully on her discarded shirt.



Moving his knowing hands to the band of her jeans he broke their dizzying contact long enough to growl his intentions to the bemused young woman.



“These. Off – now.”



And as he began to dispose of the last major obstacle, moving ever further to his ultimate goal his mind whirled as his relentless desires sent him soaring on a current of expectation.







She was flying.



At first Cordelia thought that it was the lack of oxygen or the fire streaking through her veins that was causing the sensation of flight. But as she collided with the large, soft mattress of Angelus’ bed, she realized that she’d actually been airborne.



Feeling the cool rush of air prickle her skin she looked down to find both her jeans and shoes gone. Questioning how that had all occurred so quickly was but a momentary pause as embarrassment flooded her mind. A becoming shade of pink moved swiftly from her cheeks downwards until it had swept the entirety of her body.



Lying before Angelus, clad only is the wisp of satin that comprised her panties, Cordelia’s first instinct was to cover herself. But the weeks spent with Angelus had taught her to give heed to his threats, and his last had been disturbing on dual levels. On the one hand it offended every sense of decency and modesty she had, but on another, far more elemental level she had to admit that it appealed to some part of her; the thought of always being ready, always dangling on the cusp of this. It was the second thought that disturbed her most and kept her hands pinned to the bed beside her as the vampire looked his fill.



A movement from the end of the bed refocused her eyes and caused all thoughts of mortification to flee as she watched his long, skillful fingers begin the task of unbuttoning his crimson shirt. The heat of embarrassment quickly changed to arousal as Angelus casually shrugged off his shirt exposing smooth, pale flesh stretched taut over hard muscles that spoke to the power this body housed.



As the silk fell away, his hands returned to their work and began opening the buckle of his belt. Cordelia’s breath hitched at the sight, knowing that this final act would take her to a place she’d never been with anyone. Not even she and Xander had gone this far. Actually, Xander had always seemed so amazed to simply be dating her that he had never pushed for anything beyond their heated make out sessions.



A shaft of sadness pierced her heart at the thought of Xander Harris. A mere month ago she’d been considering doing this with him someday. Now she knew that would never even be an option. No one would. She’d never date, never have a wild college fling, never marry. This would be her life; this home, this bed, this demon. And as much as that made her hurt on one level, a part of her was so overwhelmed by the feeling of simply being this near Angelus, so bombarded with the waves of his desire that nothing else mattered. She knew that tomorrow she’d once again be preoccupied with what her heart had lost, but tonight she was so inundated with what her body had gained that lucid thoughts were few and far between.



And that particular lucid thought ended abruptly as Angelus’ black silk boxers skimmed over powerful thighs to land in a pool at his feet, along with his leather pants. If breathing had been a difficult task before, it was nothing compared to the near complete shut down of her lungs as shock held her paralyzed in its grip.



Cordelia had never considered herself naive. She’d taken sex-ed; she’d seen pictures. But either her health teacher had been woefully uniformed, or this wasn’t normal. I couldn’t be normal, could it? ‘Cause they should really warn women about something like this, Cordelia thought in near hysteria. Of course, she continued to reason, maybe they’re all like this and they don’t tell women until it’s too late because they’d all switch teams.



Having recently discussed the theory in science that, given multiple explanations the simplest is preferred, Cordelia decided to leave the conspiracies behind and attribute the discrepancy in size expectation and reality as a vampire thing. Maybe then her lungs would start to work again. Although, considering the view, she wasn’t sure that it was lack of air that was making her dizzy.







Angelus was fast becoming lightheaded as he pulled in a deep breath drenched with equal parts arousal and fear. Both scents further hardened his shaft, and the increase in Cordelia’s heartbeat gave him a burst of unadulterated masculine pride.



But even more satisfying than her anticipation and alarm was her body’s continual proof of her innocence. Every reaction she gave spoke of her lack of practical experience, from the faintly stunned O curving her full lips to the slight crossing of her legs that she must somehow imagine would keep him at bay. Planning to divest her of that foolish notion, Angelus climbed onto the bed.



Knees on either side of hers, Angelus sat back, resting his weight equally on her legs and his. His hard rod burned where it touched the satin skin of her thigh. Pausing a moment he simply looked at her; this beautiful woman, his beautiful woman.



Her long, lustrous hair spilled across the pillows, framing her face in luminous chestnut waves. The swirling hazel depths of her eyes were feverishly bright as she swung rapidly from hunger to fear and back again. Slightly parted lips were stained a deep cherry tint and hinted at the sweetness they guarded.



As his gaze became more heated Angelus noticed that it drew an equal measure of shyness from Cordelia’s. Her limit being reached far earlier than his own, she averted her eyes; turning her head and pinning her sightless stare to some point on the wall beyond.



His lips tilted in amusement as the long, golden column of Cordelia’s neck was exposed. At some point in their future Angelus thought that he might explain to her that showing a vampire one’s neck, especially one’s marked neck was never an effective method of escaping attention.



As he stared at the twin scars adorning her smooth skin, he wondered at the vagaries of fate. Generally, Angelus preferred to think of himself as the author of his own destination. And yet, had this choice been left in his hands he never would have claimed the bewitching creature spread out before him. No, Cordelia was his not merely by his will, not simply by his claim, but by the demands of destiny; and before long her was damned determined that she not only admit, but embrace that fact.



Bending down he came once more to his “deed” to Cordelia Chase. His cool, supple lips pressed against her heated flesh and he paid his passing respects as he continued his erotic exploration in a descending path of moist, whisper-soft kisses.



Running his hands up the firm lines of her body, they found the lush curves of her breasts in time with his watering mouth. Charting this new territory by taste and touch he allowed one hand to encircle her right breast while his lips caressed a dewy trail over the left. He felt the vibration of Cordelia’s moan of approval as his fingers mirrored the movements of his tongue which was swirling delicate circles around her dusky rose colored nipple.



Drawing the straining peak in he created a gentle tug that had her arching into his knowing mouth. Rolling the other lightly between teasing fingers he heard her whimper her need for greater stimulation. Not wanting to free her, even momentarily, from the sensual spell that enveloped her, he slid his hand in to replace his suckling mouth as he kissed his way across the valley of her breasts and up to feast on the puckering coral tip.



Abandoning his tender ministrations he began to pull voraciously, filling his mouth with the taste and feel of her. Her cries of passion fashioned a seductive rhythm and he could not help but be swayed by its sensual pulse. Torn between remaining in the paradise he had discovered or venturing further to what were sure to be even greater delights, Angelus was decided by both Cordelia’s pleading whimpers and his throbbing dick which was driving him onwards in a demand for completion.



Feeling the fine tremors skim the supple, golden flesh, Angelus couldn’t help but pause to create full fledged shudders as his tongue swirled over Cordelia’s belly button, tracing the indentation, dipping in and spinning out as he savored the tang that anticipation was lending to the flavor of her skin.



Finally his lustful wanderings brought him to the edge of a fragile looking pair of pale, pink panties. Tracing the boundary of satin and skin with small, amorous bites, he skated one hand down and, with a single tug, removed the last barrier between them.



Angelus heard Cordelia’s sharp intake of breath and felt the tightening of her crossed legs as she surfaced from the sensual haze in which she was floating to register the very real threat to her innocence. Smile hidden in her downy soft hair, Angelus’ hands moved to encircle her thighs and began to firmly pull them apart, placing his own legs between hers, forcing her to remain open to his attentions.



He felt a sharp tug on his hair as Cordelia made a futile to avoid the inevitable. As the pain on his scalp increased he groaned against her. He wondered if she understood that the small spikes of pain she was sending through him were only increasing his ardor, not dampening it. And then all thought was useless as the air was filled with the succulent perfume of Cordelia’s arousal. Knowing that his rumblings against so sensitive a place had reignited the spark of desire in her, Angelus pressed closer and gave his pleasure voice in an extended purr that had the writhing brunette tightening her hold in an effort to pull him nearer now as opposed to pushing him further away.



Although he had tasted her before, Angelus shivered at the though of finally being able to drink from the well of Cordelia’s passion. Sliding down, his tongue swept out to take possession of the beckoning heat before him. Her fire throbbing against his perpetual chill was apparently as shocking a sensation to her as it was to him as her hips flew from their place on the bed to encourage a greater blending of the two.



Although pleased with her eagerness, he needed her to understand that her pleasure was his to give and would come to her, but not at the expense of his gratification. And nothing at this moment could gratify him more than to delve into this spring of arousal and not cease until he had imbibed his fill. To that end he tightened the hands restraining her thighs and forced her hips back onto the bed, leaving her once again at his mercy.



With one firm push, Angelus drove past the dewy petals that guarded her innocence and into her clenching center. The slightly spiced flavors of her creamy arousal filled his mouth and, drunk on her essence, he began to thrust feverishly into her grasping core, driving both her and himself beyond reason.



Ignoring Cordelia’s wail of distress, Angelus pulled temporarily away to hone in on the hidden bud straining now for his attention. Lowering his head he gently circled the nub, teasing, but not touching the throbbing bundle of nerves.



Cordelia’s head thrashed on the pillow as she begged incoherently for completion, and her frustrated sobs heightened their tension as he acquiesced to her incoherent begging, drawing her clitoris into his mouth.



This time his hands gave her free reign to buck and thrash as his tongue rasped over her swollen flesh and his teeth gave tiny, electrifying nibbles. They’d both lingered on the edge of oblivion for to long now and hearing her scream as sensations, one after another crashed into her, Angelus knew that Cordelia was falling deep into the abyss.



Before her shudders could lessen, Angelus moved quickly up her body, and with one fierce thrust, plunged into her, obliterating the barrier of her innocence as he drove deep to touch her womb.



As her cries of ecstasy transformed into shrieks of anguish Angelus gazed down at they beauty beneath him. Although her pleasure was a wonder to behold, her pain, this pain was exquisite and he delighted in every facet. Knowing that these moments of agony were his gift to her, that no other man would ever be able to recreate this enchanting suffering, he reveled in the tears streaming down her face.



Pushing slightly deeper before her body could adjust, he tore another cry from her; a verbal testament to the same agony twisting her face, engraving this moment, his moment of absolute possession forever into her soul.



But he didn’t intend the pain to last for long. Tonight, Cordelia with her single word had given herself to him, and for that he would reward her with unimaginable bliss. And for the purpose of allowing Cordelia’s body time to adjust, to begin converting pain into pleasure, he finally stilled.







Cordelia had never known how much effort it took to remain perfectly still. But anything was worth it if it could ease the searing pain streaking through her. Nothing, not sex-ed, not gossip with the girls, not the practically non-existent mother-daughter talk she’d received which basically boiled down to “don’t give it away”, had prepared her for this. And to compound the trauma was the instantaneous passage of pleasure to pain.



So wrapped up was Cordelia in these thoughts that she didn’t realize that the very pain she feared was beginning to fade as her young, athletic body stretched as nature intended it should, and made room for the intruder lodged within her, and in it’s place was a burgeoning sense of fullness that was in no way unpleasant.



Feeling a familiar coolness at her breast, whatever small part of her brain was still functioning at that point, ceased as she once again began the upwards journey to ecstasy. Her trip that was greatly hastened as thick fingers moved between them; deft digits stroking her pulsing clit pausing occasionally to tug gently on the aching button. Muscles she hadn’t even guessed were hiding in her body clenched at the nearly unbearable stimulation, and this time it was Angelus who cried out at the motion.



Caught up in a blinding sense of need, Cordelia was desperate to recreate that sensation and hurled her hips upwards against his hand, forcing his fingers back into contact with her. The resulting spasm from the intimate pressure caused them both to groan this time as Angelus took back control, repeating the motion over and over.



Distracted, momentarily, as his lips captured her for a deep, drugging kiss, she was caught off guard by the sudden feeling of emptiness as Angelus slowly pulled away from her. Operating on instinct alone, Cordelia threw her legs around his back to halt his retreat.



Not quite able to intellectually grasp the change, but aware on a purely physical level that pain had given way to glorious pleasure, her breathy whimpers encouraged the vampire as he slid his free hand under her ass, pulling her up to meet him as he plunged back into her, setting a pace that pushed them both to the brink.



Her body having been expertly angled so that every thrust nudged a secret place of pleasure deep within her, Cordelia willingly gave herself to the forces building in her, threatening to tear her apart on a molecular level. Spinning further and further away from reality she was dazzled as brilliant lights burst behind tightly clenched lids and she came utterly undone.



Even as she was sure that the waves buffeting her body would have to recede, she felt them instead intensify as Angelus’ fingers maintained their steady dance on her hypersensitive core. Bringing them full circle, Cordelia felt her head nudged to the side as the vampire returned to his natural place at her throat. In no shape to generate even a flicker of concern, all she could do was curl her hands more tightly into his shoulders as small mewls of pleasure spilled from her lips.



She had felt Angelus’ bite on more than one occasion, but never was it like this. The slide of his fangs was an echo of his continuing penetration that sent her spiraling once more away from any sense of certainty. Her body began to shudder convulsively as the feverish heat of their love making gave way to the cooling sensations of his seed spilling into her as the blood was voraciously pulled from her. And in that final cresting moment her lover’s name flew from her lips.



“Angelus!”







Chapter Fifty Three





Harsh breaths echoing in his ears brought Angelus back to the awareness that his lover needed oxygen. Rolling over to avoid crushing her still trembling body, he pulled her exhausted form into his arms.



He’d told Spike she was magnificent. He hadn’t even known the meaning of the word. Not until now. Not until he’d tasted her; all of her. Not until he’d buried his seed deep within her. Not until he’d heard his name, clinging to her kiss swollen mouth. Everything he’d thought he known ‘til then was but a pale shadow of the girl curled against him.



His hand entwined in the long strands of her hair, he tilted her head back until their eyes met and locked.



“I love you.”



Awareness crept slowly across her hazel gaze and he could see her struggling to make sense of what he’d said, of his obvious expectation. Taking pity on the beleaguered girl, he clarified.



“I love you, Cordelia. When I tell you that, that’s your cue to return the sentiment.”



Cordelia could only gape at the genuine sincerity in both statements. No matter how she felt, and at that exact moment she wouldn’t have been able to offer a description for the life of her, she could see that he really did love her. In whatever perverse sort of way vampires could love she apparently inspired that feeling in the vampire before her. Seeing the warmth melting his chocolate gaze, she could no longer deny that. But that he thought that she would return those feelings, that she would make some kind of declaration of undying love?



“You’re crazy.”



Although she meant that with as much as she’d meant her reckless “nowhere”, she was equally unsure of the wisdom of voicing it as his disconcerting stare continued to hold her captive. She was even more wary as the intense expression melted into a heartfelt smile.



She felt his hands slide down her back, pulling her tight against him, brining his rapidly hardening shaft into intimate contact with her once again. Even as she began to moisten with a new sense of awareness her overtaxed muscles protested even the thought of any prolonged effort on their part.



Feeling his tongue stroking languorously over the newly reopened punctures she pushed unproductively at his shoulders.



“We can’t.”



Raising his head, Angelus cast her a deceptively innocent look from beneath his lashes.



“Shhhh…I’m convincing you that you love me. Don’t interrupt…Well, except to let me know when you’re convinced.”



It was funny to Cordelia, although not in a very amusing way, how Angelus could make his threats sound so mundane. She could never tell if he did it to make them more startling by the contrast or if threats were just such a large part of his life that they really were of the ordinary. Either way it didn’t matter as they were always crystal clear and this one was no exception. He was planning to pick up right where they’d left off, and he wouldn’t stop until she proclaimed her love for him, even though they both knew that it would be a lie.



Well she wouldn’t do it. She’d given up enough; she wouldn’t have this taken from her, too. It didn’t matter how much she hurt or how good he could make that hurt feel; this was where she was drawing the line. And, convincing herself that her resolve just might be sufficient this time she allowed herself to go limp in his arms.







Chapter Fifty Four





Three times he’d started at that particular spot on her neck. Three times that had ended in storms of ecstasy that had tightened every fiber of her being to the breaking point. And now he was back again, lending credence to everything she’d ever heard about vampires and their amazing ability to recuperate. Two hard truths burned themselves into Cordelia’s brain – Angelus would never stop this until he’d gotten what he wanted, and she could withstand no more.



In a voice hoarse from the cries of an endless night of pleasure, she managed to whisper, “Love you.”



Angelus stilled the nuzzling of Cordelia’s throat. Smiling into the well loved flesh he pushed her, willing to accept nothing but complete surrender in this matter.



“What was that?”



When no further answer was forthcoming, Angelus simply resumed his ministrations. A splash of moisture hit his face and he knew those tears were the silent signs of Cordelia’s defeat.



“I…love you.”



Her husky admission was a glorious sound to the vampire’s ears, and stretching out to his full length he pulled the exhausted girl into his arms, cuddling her close against his chest.



“I know you do, moonbeam.”



His words were wasted on the fatigued brunette in his embrace, but that in no way hindered his delight at her declaration. Oh, he knew that she didn’t love him. None of this had been remotely about her current feelings. Angelus knew better than anyone that Cordelia loathed him at worst, desired him at best, and dwelled in a land of ambiguity the rest of the time. He had no delusions as to that reality.



No, this had been about Cordelia’s future feelings. She could love him. Angelus knew it. He’d seen moments where she’d forgotten the circumstances of their relationship and just allowed herself to enjoy being with him. But her strength of will was beyond all of his previous experience and she believed that she had to keep fighting. Of course even that determination wouldn’t prevent her from loving him. The bond and his concerted efforts would make that change in her emotions inevitable.



But even when she loved him, even when he consumed every though, asleep and awake, even when she was sure that she needed his presence more than air, the greatest obstacle would still lie before them – her pride. Cordelia Chase was a fiercely proud woman. It was one of the most alluring things about her, and Angelus is no way wanted to damage that any more than was necessary. For Cordelia, the problem would not be in her ability to love him, but in her ability to admit it. Forcing her to do so now and to keep doing so when she could console herself that they both knew that the words were false was the smoothest path to overcoming that impediment to their happiness. By stripping her of her instinctual need to never give him that satisfaction, he was freeing her from the restrictions of her pride and allowing her a future full of pleasures and delights that she’d deny herself given the chance.



And while Cordelia would no doubt believe that this had been yet another manifestation of his evil makeup, she was human, and therefore would not understand that she was his, and as his, he would care for her whether she wanted him to or not. Her happiness was one of his highest concerns. And while it was not within his nature to place it above his own, he would nevertheless define his goals and then always attempt to find a place for her within those that would bring her joy or, at least, the minimal amount of pain.



Right now his objective was Cordelia; her loyalty, her devotion, her love. And that would require actions that might, in the present, bring her anguish. However, in the long term these measures would bring her a satisfaction that, right now, she would be unable to credit. And, in the absence of her trust, he would have to use coercion, knowing that, ultimately, all of this was for her benefit.





TBC…Garden Party