Fanged
Lambs
All
right, this is quite possibly the scariest thing I've ever written.
This is in two parts, the first of which is below you, and the second
of which you'll see in a few days. Don't exactly know where it came
from, don't exactly know if I like it, but if you guys do, I'd love
to hear from you. I hate to pull the review ho thing, but if this
first part goes off pretty "blah," it's doubtful the rest
of the second part will be written.
Enjoy!
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Row,
row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily,
merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream...
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You
know, you could just give it up. Give. It. Up. Throw your penance
to the wind. Your Catholic religion has tainted you and given you
false comforts. You want to know the real answer to the age old
question, "Is there a God?" No, there's not. Worshipping is
fantasy and religion is lies. Throw your lies away and embrace the
truth. You are the only God you need. Worship yourself. Your
father never understood that part of you. Never understood that you
were always too wild to be conformed into a good Catholic. He hated
you for it.
"Don't bring my father into
this. It's too petty for you."
Ouch. The little lamb
has fangs, after all. That's what you are, isn't it? A wolf in
sheep's clothing? Throw off the disguise and embrace what you are!
Rejoice in your true nature for once. You could get Cordelia to
help.
"You'd best keep Cordy out of it too, if you
know what's good for you."
Violence. We're getting
somewhere.
"No we're not. I am getting creeped the
hell out, but we're not getting anywhere. Why don't you just
leave, Angelus?"
I can't. You're a part of me, just
like I'm a part of you. Only I ignore your part. Come on, Angel
face, let me out to play. I haven't stretched my legs in so long.
Won't it feel good to be a real vampire again, instead of just some
mock-up sham? You're itching for it, I can tell. Itching for that
moment when you hear your prey scream, feel them give up hope of
being rescued. Won't it be nice to not play the rescuer for a
change? Become the hunter. Be the predator.
"No.
I've done that enough. It's not who I am any more."
The
leopard cannot change his spots, just as the vampire can't swap in
his fangs. It is who you are, Angel boy, and you can't
change that. I am who you are, and you can't change me either.
God, turn that cheesy ballad music off, will you? It's hurting my
eardrums.
As if he was in a dream, Angel shut off the
Barry Manilow CD. "That better?"
Much,
thanks, Angel. But that's not your name, is it? You're Liam.
Liam, Liam, Liam. You were the scourge of Europe once, weren't
you? Feared everywhere you went. You can get those days back, that
prestige you had. Hell, you could Turn Cordelia if you liked, to
have someone at your side, a fledgling just like we were to Darla.
Wouldn't it be nice, Liam?
"Don't call me that.
Liam doesn't exist anymore."
Ah, Angel, Angel. How
naïve you are, how innocent. Do you really think it's that
simple? The world is not black and white, stark justice and stark
evil. It's all shades of gray. Your nemesis understands that.
It's why they win, and you lose. You always lose, even though you
don't know it. Let me out to play, and I promise you'll be a
winner.
"Oh yeah?"
Yeah. First thing
we'll do is make Cordy. Then, we'll wipe out Wolfram and Hart.
It'll be easy, so easy. Just slip under...you'll find it's
easier than trying to fight, Angel my boy.
"Do you
think she would, you know... like this life?"
Who
wouldn't? It's the life at the top of the food chain. You
remember what it feels like to turn someone, don't you? That rush
of power you get, that feeling of paternal pride when they make their
first kill? Wouldn't you like to feel that --- with Cordy?
"Well, it would certainly bond us... No! No, Angelus.
No."
Why not? You love her; don't deny it. She cares
for you too. Seal the bond with blood, Angel. Make her yours in the
only way that really matters.
Turn the girl.
"And
then we'll wipe out Wolfram and Hart?"
Yes, Angel, I
promise. And we'll torture that Lilah cow and make her scream
until just before the sun rises..."
"And then?"
Angel's voice was gleefully insane. Angelus' voice resonated in
his head, just as cheerfully mad.
And then we'll bleed
the bitch dry.
Angel grinned. "I like that plan,"
he said to himself. "I like it a lot."
I knew you
would. Now where's Cordy?
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Angel
knocked on the door to Cordelia's apartment that night, one hand
holding a shopping bag. "Hey, Cordy! You home?"
The door
opened, and there stood Cordelia, dark eyes sparkling at him.
"Maybe. Come on in." He followed her over the threshold.
"Whatcha got?"
"A present." He grinned, holding the
bag up in the air as she lunged for it.
"For me?" Cordy
asked.
"Who else? Go and try it all on," Angel told
her, finally handing her the bag. "I want to see you in it." He
sprawled in a chair as she scampered off behind him to her room.
Closing his eyes, Angel smiled.
Good
job so far. Don't bungle it up now.
"Thanks," he
muttered quietly. Then, louder: "Almost finished, Cordy?"
Her
bedroom door opened with a soft click. "Yes," she said. "What
do you think?"
Lazily unfolding himself from the armchair,
Angel looked at her, smiling in satisfaction. He could see her in
the dress as soon as he happened upon it in a store window. A
strapless, silky, dark green confection, the hem descended gracefully
from mid-thigh to slightly past her knees. A pair of equally green
heels adorned her dainty feet, as well as an antique-looking diamond
necklace that must have cost a fortune, with matching long
earrings.
"I think you're beautiful. What do you think?"
He advanced on her, stopping just within arm's length. Cordelia
looked up at him, smiling softly.
"I think I feel like a
princess. Thank you, Angel! But, I am curious."
"Oh
yeah?" God, her perfume... Ensnaring his senses, bewitching his
mind, luring him in...
"It's not my birthday...
Why?"
"Because," Angel said, finding it hard to think,
so close to her. "You deserve it. You've sacrificed a
lot."
"So it's a job perk? I can go with that."
"No,"
Angel said, drawing her into his arms. Placing a chaste kiss on her
lips, he grinned, vampire face emerging as he whispered into her ear.
"But this is." With that, he sunk his fangs into her neck, and
drank deep from the pool of his
desire.
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Cordelia
lay on a couch, appearing fast asleep. Angel watched the city from
her window, waiting for her to rise. The unconscious man sprawled on
the floor groaned a little. Angel was careful not to kill him when
he'd found him. His blood had smelled delicious, and Angel wanted
his princess to have a good meal when she woke up. It would be a
shame to waste all that food. He'd broken the man's arm, though.
Just to hear him scream.
He'd missed that sound.
Nicely
done, Angel.
"Thanks."
No, really, that
was smooth. I loved the whole "perk" thing.
Angel
chuckled a bit. "Me too."
That's your mother's
necklace, isn't it? And the earrings?
"Yeah.
I thought she'd look beautiful in them. Surprise, surprise. She
does."
"Who does?" Cordy asked.
Angel turned,
grinning. "There's my Princess. How did you sleep?"
"All
right. Nothing remarkable." She grinned at him. "No big killy
things in my dreams."
"Well, that's good. I'd hate to
have to kill them." Angel beckoned her closer, slipping a
comforting arm around her waist. She leaned her head on his
shoulder, looking out at the city lights, sparkling like stars.
"I'm
hungry. When can we eat?"
"As soon as our dinner guest
wakes up, love." Angel took her hand in his other one, squeezing
slightly.
"Can't we make him wake up faster?"
"Love, we've got forever. Patience is a virtue."
"What's going on, Angel? You bit me, and that's the
last thing I remember..."
"Welcome to the eternal side of
life." Angel felt her draw back, and made no move to pull her
closer. "You can't blame me. Beauty such as yours should be
eternal."
"Is my face all scrunched?" Cordelia felt her
features gently, prodding her forehead.
"No, darling.
You're beautiful, more so than the night sky." She smiled at his
words, looking over at their guest, who was waking up.
"Oh,
look. Now we can eat." She knelt gracefully beside him. "Are
you all right?"
"My head..." he groaned. "My head
hurts. And my arm is killing me!"
"Oh. Well, that sucks.
What's your name? I'm Cordelia, and this is Angel."
"Frank,"
the man said. "Frank Madigan." He looked at Angel. "Hey,
you're the son of a bitch who--"
"Now, now," Cordy
said. "That's no way to treat your host. He was so nice in
bringing you here when you were hurt, and everything. Now, would you
please get up so dinner can be served?"
He rose, Cordelia
helping him. "What are we having?"
"Oh, you're not
having anything," Angel said. "It's Cordy who gets to eat."
Frank made a break for the door, but Angel was suddenly there,
holding him back with a painful twist of his broken arm. Frank
screamed, and Angel grinned again. He really had missed that
sound. Cordelia advanced, her vampire face on.
"Now,
Cordelia, love, be careful. The jugular is on the left side. Get
that and you won't make a mess of things. I paid a lot of money
for that dress, try not to get blood on it."
"Yes, Angel..."
she said, lowering her head as she traced a finger down her victim's
throat. "I'll be good. I promise." Cordy sank her teeth in
Frank's throat, relishing every single drop, her arms wrapped
around him in a parody of a lover's embrace.
The empty body
thudded to the floor. "Did I do good?"
"Very good. Oh,
wait," he said. "You've got a little dribble, let me get that
for you." Bending his head toward hers, Angel kissed away the
trail of blood flowing from her mouth down to her neck. "That's
better, don't you
think?"
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Wesley
hadn't seen Cordelia nor Angel for ages, and frankly, he was
worried sick. If they were together, he theorized, Cordelia was in
no trouble at all, but last week's police report, stating a body
drained of all blood was found in her apartment made him less than
hopeful. Attempts to reach either of them on their phones had been
futile. One thing was certain: the two would have some explaining to
do when they came back. In the meantime, he kept vigil at the
Hyperion, watching and waiting.
He told himself he shouldn't
worry, that it had only been a week. There was a missing person's
report on Cordy, and Angel, well, Angel could take care of himself.
Besides, he told himself when he couldn't sleep, they'd probably
turn up tomorrow.
A week stretched into a fortnight, and that
into a month. With the body count rising nightly, Wesley abandoned
the wait-and-see position he held, instead venturing out into the
night armed with a sword and stake, doing what he could against the
evils of LA.
Two months more went by, and Wes flung himself
into his work more than ever. Returning half an hour before
daybreak, he slipped inside the Hyperion, settling down with some
tea. Possibly all of ten minutes later, there was a frantic
knocking on the door.
"Wes! Wes! Wesley!" Cordelia
screamed. "Vampire! There's a vampire! Let me in!"
Wes
flung open the door. "Come in, come in!" he said. "Quickly
now!" Shutting the door behind her, he turned to look at her. "A
vampire?"
"Yes," Cordy said, looking terrified. "I
noticed it on Ventura Boulevard... this was the only place I could
think of... Couldn't wait till daybreak... could feel it all the
way here..."
"Rest now, Cordelia, you're safe. Where
have you been? There was a body found in your apartment, I've been
looking for you everywhere! Have you been with Angel? He's gone
too."
"There
was a body? Oh, God." Cordy looked faint. Wesley ushered her into
a chair, pouring her some tea. "I've been in Hell, Wesley. Pure
hell..."
"Sssh, Cordelia. It's all right now. It's
all over. You're safe." He pulled her into a hug.
"You're
right," she told him, twisting his neck until it broke with a
sickening crunch. Wesley fell, pirouetting to the floor at her feet.
"It really is all over."
Angel entered, what seemed like
mere minutes before the sun rose. "Bravo." He clapped twice,
lazily. "To bed, my darling? I imagine it'll be dusty, but we
can manage for right now." Cordelia rose, stepping over Wesley's
corpse as if it were trash, and Angel scooped her up in his arms,
sprinting up the stairs, where the two vampires retired into one
another's arms.
Cordelia sleepily groped the space next to her. Finding it empty, she sat up, clutching the sheet to her nude torso.
"Angel?" she called. "Angel!" Looking at the clock --- it read three-thirty --- she got out of bed, leaving the sheet lay, and trudged toward the bathroom. The shower was already running; she could hear it under the door. Slipping inside quietly, she slid the door open. Angel's back was to her: she got in without comment.
"Ah, ah, ah, Cordelia." He spun around to face her, gripping her wrist. "Never try to sneak up on a vampire, love."
She
kissed him, snaking her arm around his neck to pull him closer. "I
wasn't." Cordelia felt rather than heard his throaty
chuckle.
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That
evening, Angel had left -- business, he said -- and he hadn't
returned yet. Cordelia was catching up on her soap operas, waiting
for him to come home.
"Hello?" the deliveryman said,
walking through the Hyperion's lobby. "I'm looking for Ms.
Chase? Flowers for Cordelia Chase..."
"I'm here," she
said, behind him. "Flowers? For me? Ooh." She took the two
dozen red roses he handed her, glancing at the card.
My
love,
Thank you -- for letting me out to play, for everything.
Take these and whatever else you desire as a token of my
appreciation.
Angelus
She grinned wickedly,
reaching for her purse, laying on the countertop. "Did he already
pay for these?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, well
-- a tip can't hurt, can it?" She took a fifty and handed it to
him. "Thanks, kid."
"Thank you!" the delivery
boy said, turning to go. Cordelia hit him with a paperweight,
snatching the fifty back from his hand before he even fell to the
floor.
"A girl's gotta shop --- and you'll make a great
thank you present."
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Angelus
walked back into the hotel, shopping bags dangling from both hands.
"Daddy's home!" he said, whistling a lilting tune under his
breath. "He's got presents!"
"I'm up here!" Cordy
called. Setting his bags down in a chair, he took his time going up
the stairs, pausing in the open doorway of their room. The lights
were dimmed, but he could still very clearly make out a young man
tied to a chair with, of all things, a bright red ribbon. Across his
chest was a big bow. He was still alive; Angelus could smell his
fear, sweeter than the sweetest perfume.
"Where are my
presents?" Cordy demanded. "If I don't get mine, you don't
get yours."
"Who is that?" Angelus asked, gesturing to
the guy.
"He brought the flowers you sent. Thanks for
them, by the way. He's really quite delicious."
"You
took him?"
"Just a little bite to keep him calm. I hope
you don't mind."
"Of course not, Cordelia. Now, about
your presents." He ran off, using every bit of vampire speed to
get there and back as fast as possible. "I'm afraid those three
bags are all you get for now. The rest will have to wait until after
I've had my present."
"You have two," Cordy said,
with a seductive smile and a wink. "You can have one now and the
other later." Returning her smile, Angelus crawled towards her,
planting several small kisses along her lips and neck, paying special
attention to the bite scars.
"Such initiative, my love. I
think it's time we go on a hunt for real; tomorrow?" He brushed
some of her hair out of her closed eyes, kissing each of her
eyelids.
"Tomorrow's perfect."
"Good."
Angelus jumped away, landing behind his prey's chair. Kicking it
down, he spun and landed on top of it, crouched over the luckless
delivery boy. "I promise it won't hurt much." Slowly licking
the dried blood away from the jugular, he sniffed the pulse point,
grinning. The poor, hapless soul was scared almost to death. He
loved the taste of adrenaline -- it was the only drug he partook in.
Vamping out, Angelus took his time in biting, tracing his fangs along
the neck, deciding where the adrenaline concentrated.
Settling
on a little to the left of the windpipe, he bit in deep, crushing the
boy's air instantly. His blood was kind of low-class, Angelus
decided. Still, Cordelia had shown proper initiative. With a little
training, the pair could take Wolfram and Hart on no problem.
Wouldn't that be grand! He could already see the look on Lindsey
McDonald's face when he, Angelus, was drinking his blood. Maybe he
would let him live, out of all the rest. He wouldn't go free,
though, oh, no. Angelus would torture him for quite a while. The
last dying gurgles of the boy were barely enough to snap him out of
that pleasant daydream, and Angelus withdrew quickly, wiping at his
mouth.
"Oh, no," Cordelia said. "You've made a mess
of things. I got that lily from Wes's grave, because I thought it
would look so pretty..."
Angelus looked down and to his
surprise, found a once pure-white lily tucked in the boy's shirt
collar. Blood had dripped onto it, turning into something resembling
a dogwood flower.
He thought it was beautiful. "Darling,
it's still pretty. Look at it." He held it up, twirled it
between two fingers. "Look, Cordelia, see how the blood made
little patterns? Plain white is so boring. This --- this is
interesting. This is practically art."
"So it is," she
said, and smiled. "It's very pretty, Angelus. Now come and
let's play with my presents." She held up a pair of handcuffs.
"Are these for me or you?"
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