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#21
Cordelia's apartment


Cordelia had had a bad day. A couple of bad days, in
fact. First her agent told her she missed a casting
because he couldn't reach her when she was out with
Doyle and in the office later.
Right, he could get attacked by a swordwielding Bruce
Lee psycho and get chased by some vamps after...not
that he would. Sometimes Cordelia wondered what made her
deranged enough to accept getting involved with all the
save-the-world-types. It wasn't like she felt any sort
of desire to be a hero.
And that, of all people, VampHarmony had saved her!
Maybe it paid to let her former rival fuck her...not
that she had done it out of rational motivations. She
just was in the mood, Xander was playing hero again with
his Slayer goddess and Harmony had looked at her...and
then the chemestry happened again. Right. SO not like
what the Cordelia Chase known to the world or herself.
But, heck, she had wanted it and it had been a brief
fling. Mostly about sex. It should have been over long
before Xander...but it wasn't.
Cordelia shut her eyes and forced the Harmony issues
from her mind. She had others. Faith and Xander were in
town. And now Buffy and her beat up gang were so, too.
Angel had her even drive to Sunnydale and look through
some devastated apartment for something which was in the
mail there. And then she had to call him and tell she
got the package.
The answer he gave her was sort of freaking her out - it
wasn't exactly Angel on her phone but Buffy's new boy.
Some soldier, the secret agent type. Looked like he was
dashing but seemed awfully dull to her, whatever. She
got one major chewout for calling him, something about
compromising operational security...whatever that was!
He sounded like a soldier...well, he was.
All she knew was that they met some extra freaking thing
and got kicked in the ass royally. All the reason to get
the hell out of Dodge.
"Asshole," she spat as she killed the line. What the
drek was the creep thinking, giving her such a shouting
over a harmless call.

And right now she was in even worse troubles. She had
barely come back from Sunnydale and went home after a
quick session with Angel before there was a visitor.
As it was dark outside she should have known what to
expect - but this one was quite the stunning event.
Cordelia had heard Faith was the scariest type of the
bloodsucking fiend but she had no idea about the true
meaning of it. She got it this day.
Faith ordered her to invite her in.
And Cordelia...had done it.
Now she stood there, holding a cross up and staring at
a leather clad vampiress...the dark eyes were dangerous
close to each other. Faith seemed pissed for something.
But then, why admit she was scared? She could not hide
that. Or, at least, why let herself be influenced?
Cordelia stood up, looking the monster in the eye and
wondered if defiance was such a good move now. When
Faith's lips moved to do that disdainful quirk.
"What do you want, Faith?" she coldly stated. Aside
from sucking my blood to hurt Angel and my friends.

"Not that much," Faith replied casually. Not exactly
chummy but, hey, she was not in a murderous state of
behavior. And as far as she knew Faith had never much
bothered with hiding her evil intentions. Right?
"You have hurt my Xander, Cordelia Chase."

"YOUR...?" Cordelia gulped before swallowing a comment
at the last moment possible. Of course. She never had
gotten after it but Xander had, at one time, changed.
So she was the other woman he had been close with, for
a time. It couldn't have been much between their breakup
and Faith going mad. Unless he was doing it behind her
back as she did...but he never had the time for that,
and it certainly didn't add up with his hero trip.
She always had thought that annoying...though, seeing
him fight for her had been...sort of romantic. Too bad
he did it for all others as well and did not much stand
up for her in the human society.
Cordelia thought that they just were not ready for a
real relationship and he was the type to go for that. It
wasn't just Willow, he was in with the Slayer and her
holy duty. And she could never share him with that!
Kinda ironic, she ran away from one wannabe white knight
with a quest and ended up as a part-time squire for yet
another.
Besides, she never quite figured out what made them a
couple aside from danger and constant fighting. Maybe it
was that he did not let her get to him and kept getting
back at her just the same...noone had ever dared this.
And maybe she also had been attracted because he wanted
her, not just her attractive body or social standing or
the family's money. He wanted her because of herself.
Couldn't have been any scarier, really.
Because she still was not so sure about who she really
was. She had always hid it and played the prom queen,
the social shark her mother wanted her to be. And she
had become that until she saw...the sheep.
The hollow and empty of her world and the deep dark
world of the Scooby gang. She was so scared of it and
yet at the same time thrilled. She got caught up in it.
Just like him.
Maybe that was a part of why they got involved.
But Cordelia Chase had some human life left beyond the
great battle against the evils of the world. Xander had
never had that, which meant they could not have worked
out...then.
He always had been leering after Buffy Summers, but the
Slayer either mooned over the latest waste of time she
got attracted to or some undead monster. Crap, for some
woman with her intelligence Buffy had a real gift for
picking the wrong lovers. Probably she just loved sorrow
and breakups and that. Her being sick enough for this,
as she was into killing all these things around.
A headcase, that Buffy Summers.
But nothing compared to psycho girl standing right in
her own apartment. Even before she got a demon and added
the vampire factor to her Slayer.
And Xander got to her? Hardly. Unbelievable.
As unbelievable of her going for the King of Cretins.
It seemed there was enough to it that Faith went and had
him turned for their old connection...crazy. But then,
he had been the one to go to her even after she got her
hands bloodied.
And now they were a pair of vamps kicking ass.
Cordelia thought she knew who was the brain in their
partnership. She was not certain if Harmony had come
just for her or because she wanted to gain favors with
Xander, him effectively owning the club.
"I guess he now really is yours."

"You better do keep that in mind, Chase," Faith said in
a dry voice full of bile. "You hurt him bad before and
if you do that again...I will kill you."

Cordelia felt her heart skip a beat. She got a lot of
death threats in her life, most were not that serious.
This one was...personal. "Hey, he and me, we're over."

"You are not," Faith answered, sadly. She shook her head
forcefully. "He wants you. And you want him."

"I said we are over!" Cordelia barked. What part of that
did Faith not understand? She was not into dating the
undead. "He's your Childe anyway, some brutal demon
monster. I mean, can he even love?"

"Oh C!" Faith moaned. Looking like she just got a long
session with a dentist ahead, she winced. "How often do
we have to tell? We got souls! Everything we do is of
our own decision." She grinned wryly. "Otherwise we'd
never left like that. And come for you, long ago."

"Just why can't I believe that?" Cordelia replied. Not
as certain of herself as she sounded. "Oh, yes. Xander's
no bloodthirsty killer."

"Are you sure of that?" Faith countered, knowing grin on
her face. She shook her head. "You know better, Cordy.
Rest of the gang, they would drop dead with the idea of
a human kill. Angel? Bet the old fart's really into this
good karma gathering these days." She laughed, evilly.
"But we're different."

"You and he, huh?"

"He and me and you, dearest," Faith hissed angrily. She
nodded. "Comeon, C. You really don't know? You and he
have more in common than just your hometown...you are
born killers."

Cordelia glanced at her and then decided Faith had lost
it for real. She didn't intend to kill anyone, anything.
Besides from demons gunning for her, of course. She was
certainly NO born killer.

"You don't get it, huh, Cordy? Let's speak it like that,
uh...you two got some common ancestry and destiny,"
Faith said without the least bit of humor in it. She
was serious as death. "He and you, that's a bigger thing
than just you spreading for my man."

"I bet he's that jealous of all those who do him better,
is he?" Cordelia retorted viciously. Faith was utterly
deranged. "You into him because he kills them?"

"I'm into him because of love, C," Faith replied and
snorted. "He got that thing to look into your heart and
just don't care if you're a princess or a prostitute or
something in between..." A headshake, a meaningful moan.
A fist raised. Cordelia almost stepped back to the wall
at the sight of frustrated anger in these dark eyes of
Faith. "He got that talent to get in there, deeply. And
you know exactly what it is like, C, don't ya?" Faith
laughed. "You go for it and it couldn't have less to do
with getting some bloody happy from a lover. Not that
Harmony would be so much of one, though she's probably
quite entertaining. You know it all too very well...see,
I know you. All that seperates us is this...I don't hide
what I am, C. And he accepts that."

Cordelia had her mouth hanging open. Faith KNEW? She
knew entirely too much! And she treated her...not as
she had expected. Cordelia would have expected her to
get jealous and try to kill her, here and now. Or maim
her so that he lost all interest in her. That was what
Spike would have done, and Dru wouldn't even have taken
the time to speak a word with her. Faith was different.
She treated her almost like...like...an equal? Some
sort of equal. Like a rival.
Cordelia was sure she did not like that.
"What do you want? My written promise to leave him
alone?"

"If it were worth something!" Faith chuckled and studied
the apartment without much effort. "More of my kind of
place to be, C, but it's yours. Style and all." She got
an expression of regret on her face as she admitted it.
"He cares for you and when the day comes he'll be there
for you...making me go along." Faith nodded, her mind
half-absent. "You know, at times I considered chasing
you for myself...you got that IT, C. Don't know if I
want your blood or your spanking more...guess he'll make
me go for that when the day comes."

"Thanks, but no," Cordelia rasped back. She almost would
have claimed she was not into that sort of thing, men
and women and more than simple sex. But she was and
Faith knew it. With Harmony spilling her secrets it was
no big wonder. Damn that gossiping whore. "I do not have
the impression I would fall for you. Ever."

"So sure?" Faith asked, curiously. A grimace. "Two ways
this is gonna happen, C. Either you decide to go or I'll
get you, too...and I will." Another mad grin of hers and
then she showed her yellow eyes. Just the eyes. "You are
so sweet and tasty, 'Delia. Infatuating. And if you get
into it...can almost see what you'll do to me."

Cordelia remembered she had to breath, shaking her head.
"Faith," she barked, "there is no way I will EVER fall
for you!" She certainly would not start to play sick sex
stuff with that slut. With that psychotic demonspawn!
She had a greater demand for staying alive. "Trust me,
right now I'd rather go for some worm - and the idea of
even touching you makes me sick in the stomach."

"Pretty much mutual there," Faith gloated and shrugged.
"But, fuck, I know it's gonna happen. And C? I want you
to know very well what choice to make!"

"I said I will NOT...!" Cordelia spat and gulped as
Faith vamped out. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing permanent," Faith told her. "Just something to
make you remember me, forever...who's gonna own you and
that delectable ass of yours the instant you cross the
line, sister." She raised a clawed hand in a gesture of
invitation. "I won't let him slip away again, ever."

"Stay away from me!" Cordelia wailed, cross held high.
It was not of much use and suddenly Cordelia remembered
Angel when he was bad...Angelus. He had that same air of
danger around him as Faith now had. That evil smirk. She
held her breath and called for Dennis, her ghost roomie.
Nothing happened but Faith jumped her.
She hit the cross aside, not caring about the pain it
gave her to touch it. And then Cordelia had the fangs at
her throat, scratching it...she screamed. She had been
certain Faith would either kill her or, worse, turn her.
And then Dennis was there and the undead was ripped away
from her...with considerable force.
Faith yelped surprised as the ghost came to protect his
roomie...but unfortunately Faith did not get destroyed.
She just got sent out of the apartment, even if she then
crashed at a wall outside of the door very hard.
She was almost instantly up again and glared at Cordy,
who was clutching her scarred throat. Feeling blood ooze
from the bitewound. "You bitch!" Cordelia screamed, she
just knew the scar was going to stay. Slightly visual
even in anything that was revealing more than a bit of
her shoulders. "I will see you dead for that!"

"Don't try, C. I can kill you forever, you know?" Faith
answered, icily. "Send Angel my kindest regards. And
tell him as long as you don't harrass us we won't harass
you...won't even kill any humans in his town."

Cordelia was speechless when the VampFaith then just
whirled around and left, walking away. She did not run,
she did not curse or laugh. She walked away. She was
running for her first aid kit in the bathroom even
before Dennis slammed the door and the next she went for
a phone. Her hand was trembling as she picked it up and
dialed Angel's number.

An hour later Angel came along, trailed by Buffy and a
not so healthy Giles. There was a quick exchange of
words and Buffy was ready to explode even as Angel was
busy making a phonecall to Doyle, at the office. Making
some reference to them loosing the package, even if he
held this envelope in his hands at the time he made the
call.
Cordelia only noticed that little factoid later.
Before she got looked over by Giles - and saw Buffy
wince at the sight of the bite. Or Faith's name.
"After this is all over I'll hunt that bitch down!" she
promised, glowering at Angel. "That skank! That lying
treacherous piece of trash! That vermin psycho scum!"

"Calm down," Angel answered, much less agitated. Just
threw one look at Cordelia and then he smiled smuggly.
Cryptic guy knew a new secret, Cordy knew this sort
of expression on his face. "Everything is under control.
In fact, this is nearly perfect."

"Have you lost your mind?" Cordelia pouted. Whatever
sort of sane mind he had left after...well, all that was
his life. Unlife. Whatever! "Faith just came over and
she tried to kill me!"

"She didn't," Angel informed her. "She came here for
Xander."

"Right," Buffy said uneasily. "Angel, if Faith's that
jealous she...she'll try again. And again, until her
rival is dead."

"Dru would," Angel admitted as he had his mind on a
few other matters he didn't talk about. Giles got into
lecture mode and spoke about vampires getting jealous
and their reactions. Catfights to the death were the
usual result. "You just forget to take one most relevant
aspect into account."

"Which would be?"

"Faith's got a soul. And, by all I see, Xander probably
has one, too," Angel informed them before turning away.
Cordelia sobbed and Buffy gave her a kleenex for the
tears. "Don't worry so much, Cordelia. Right now you're
VERY safe. Much more than before."

"Safe?" Giles croaked, shocked. "H-have you lost your
mind?"

"Giles," Angel reprimanded him, "put that Watcher
education of yours to some use, would you?" It was one
of the few occassions the man failed completely. Maybe
because of his - their idea that they knew Xander Harris
inside out.

"Explain that!" Buffy deadpanned, with a temper. Even
if that earned her a taxing glance that did not exactly
approve of her.

"Faith does not want a vampire, she wants Xander. And
since Xander has strong feelings for Cordelia, killing
her is the last thing Faith wants. It...would hurt him,"
Angel replied wrily. "I figure this is why Harmony was
there to guard your back at the club."

"Are you nuts?" Buffy snapped, shooting up and staring
wide eyed at her former lover. This was mad. They knew
very well Xander was a vampire who didn't give a damn
for anyone...besides his sire, Faith. "You gotta be."

"If Faith wanted her dead, she could have done it. She
did not."

"Because of Dennis!" Cordelia insisted. "If not for..."

Angel shook his head, annoyed. And his gaze settled
upon Buffy's throat. Not her neck, her throat. Where he
once had biten her. "What has Giles told you about how a
vampire decides to make a childe, Buffy?"

That finally got the wheels to spin in Rupert Giles'
brain. He grapsed for air and had to swallow a lump in
his throat before stammering out what Angel meant. Of
course he noticed it. "She MARKED her?"

And Angel nodded, smiling. Though they stared at him he
thought that this was quite perfect for him. He had a
hard time to envision any scenario even close to this
one, borne of whatever subtle manipulations he was able
to put into effect.

"What?" Cordelia asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Cordelia thought that she had all the more reason to be
concerned. Vamps after your blood were bad enough and
those who wanted her turned were...worse. But, Jesus
H. Christ, the worst were the vamps that got inventive.
She didn't want to be involved with any part of that.
Always turned out as upper league sick and icky stuff.

"Long story," Angel answered. "Compare it to having a
dog tag on you. One that makes most vamps back off on
general principle, 'Delia - don't want to mess with
the one who claimed you, see?"

She made a silent O with her mouth. And then she saw
Buffy take her sight in. "That's all that is to happen?"

"Almost," Giles said, torn between his books and his
feelings as a friend...even for Cordelia. "That...bite
is going to stay on as..."

"Out with it!?" Cordelia demanded.

He couldn't say. So Angel asked Buffy what it had been
for her - after he drank from her. She instinctively had
her hand placed on the spot and rubbed it, thought back.
"For a few weeks it was...the pain was gone and even the
wound healed but...I had a feeling there, whenever I had
touched it..."

"Consider it an additional erogenous zone," Angel
soberly said and shrugged as they stared at him. They
really had a lot left to learn abotu vampires. Things
one didn't pick up when one just killed them. "I never
marked Buffy for real, so it went away. It...is a
rememberance on whom you will belong to."

"She, she doesn't want to turn me, does she?" Cordelia
whisked scared. She did not want to be a vampire. She
did not.

"Last thing on her mind, really," Angel assured her. If
Faith had been after that she would have done it. And it
wouldn't be so productive if she wanted to get Cordelia
away from her mate. What confused him was how exactly
she had treated Cordelia. Way too much as an equal, too
much to come from a simple likeliness of their personal
characteristics. And why did she emphase she knew how to
kill Cordelia? It wasn't anything special about it. "She
probably just wants you to remember if Xander comes by."

"Great," Buffy uttered, grinding her teeth. "Did I ever
say I think vamps are seriously sick?"

"You e-e-expressed, duh, op-opinions," Giles muttered.
The rest was unintelligable but it did not sound so
nice. "Sss-so, Angel, care to-to explain what is your
plan?"

"What plan?" Angel answered, feigning innocence. "All I
care about right now is that you are safe, 'Delia. And
that we can put our minds back to the issue at hands."

"That being Adam and how we can trap him?" Buffy asked
a little bit susoicious. "We really do need a plan for
that! And soon."

"What else?" Angel answered while he inwardly began to
wonder. He needed Willow, that much was certain. She
and Tara were the only ones with a chance to get this
vital bit of work done. Mhm, he better went and asked
Tara. Willow was much too involved with Buffy to keep
this quiet. "Though, now that I think about it, I will
look into this problem."

"We could gear up and go after them?" Buffy said,
liking that concept immidiately. Then she remembered
her own state of health and winced. "You could."

"Bright idea," Angel said. "Your force just got some
mauling, you're nowhere close to defeating your enemy
and now you want to attack a probably neutral power.
Charging widly into the unknown!" He shook his head.
"Sometimes I think people do never learn..."

"What would you propose instead, sit back on our butts
and take lessons in advanced brooding 102?" Buffy
sniped back. Damn, she was angry. Ever since Adam got to
her she was on the edge, she just wanted to do something
and get it done with. She had failed with doing that for
months. Many months. Starting right with the time Xander
got turned. Since then...things came apart and she was
uncertain how to fight it. Strong and decisive action
sounded like the right kind of idea, though. "Comeon.
They're just two vamps."

"Not just, never that," Angel returned as he moved out
of the apartment. "Get that tended to, 'Delia, then get
some sleep and forget the incident."

Buffy was right in one point, if he wanted to go after
the pair he would have to do it soon. Before they began
to get really powerful - and began to use their brains.
Question was, could he do it?
And was it the right thing to do!


#22
Angel Investigations office, LA:


"What do you mean?" Tara uncertainly squealed as Angel
had her cornered. "I...I can't do that...you would have
to...to ask Willow. Yes, ask Willow!"

"Can't," Angel said and thanked Buffy for being such a
determined creature. "Willow is back to researching the
soul spells. Just in case we get vampire troubles."

"But...!"

"No buts," Angel said, bowing down to look at that
fragile blond thing that was Tara. He was sure he did
a good act at looking haunting and intimidating. "We
need that matter resolved by oh-fivehundred tomorrow."

"I can't do it alone, I need more time!" she tried to
back out of her corner. "And what use is that?"

"Make it anyway," Angel said. "It's vital."

"But I...I...please. Ask...ask Willow..."

He stared her down, using all the willforce he was
capable of. Which was considerable. Finally she nodded
and said she'd do it, hurried off to the room she and
Willow had taken over with their notes and equipment.
Angel knew all he had to do was to get Willow out and
away to do wolf-sitting tonight.
For the rest Buffy was at her dad's place, catching up
on some necessary R&R with him. Giles orders. Who was
busy smoothing through some issues between the Watchers
and the Initiative.
The words were about how to pull off an attack on the
underground club and capture the two vampires. The
Watchers got a bit smarter for a change and wanted a
better plan, riley and his special operations goons
had put a small team together and said they could
just walty in and take anything out with their fancy
weaponry.
Angel knew sooner or later they would figure out he was
the one who offered them a chance, and Spike was just
the one to jump at the chance. Once one knew him that
well as Angel did he was somewhat predictable.
And being the same bad to the bone demon he ever was he
immidiately utilized his smart mouth to spread a little
bit of mayhem and discomfort.
Angel just hoped William was thinking for a change - he
had to, within his situation - and got the clues he had
dropped around him. As he opened the door to his office
to get in and change clothes for the daytime operation
once more.
When he came to his desk and spotted the missing manila
folder back on there he smiled. Yes, he thought. Now he
could feel ease...William was just the right kind of
bastard to figure out this was his chance to get that
annoying chip out of his head.
Now everything was going according to plan.
Angel ignored the desk and flipped into his chair, then
reached for his phone. Marvelous invention, that one.
He began to do work on investigating about Faith and
Xander and who was their front.
Some wannabe-moneyman named Dave.
Yeah, he was just the kind of slime that one would use
to launder a lot money aquired less than legally. Though
there were far worse crooks.
A bit of digging into what Buffy and her friends had
been able to gather confirmed what he wanted a hundred
times...Faith and Xander were hunters. They were not out
to get bored by tormenting mortal men. They got their
kicks out of challenging the powerful ones.
Amazing they still were alive.
Though they probably were not so much lucky as clever
and dangerous. Certainly knew how to fight, but did they
also know how to play the rest of the game so well?
Xander had four years of experience now, more than Faith
could have, and their whole actions said they were very
aware of their shortcommings. That martial arts dojo was
a real telling tale for their thinking.
Angel had to call in a few favors or make debts here
and there but in the afternoon he got what he needed.
All the essential information was in front of him.
He just had to connect the pieces.
Xander started the next stage of development early. He
probably was learning very well.
He smiled in the darkness of his office after he sent a
courier on his way to Xander...with sort of an offer,
hidden inside of a warning.
Of course that was just a gesture.
The real message would be driven home by the action he
had to undertake next.