10.

A little while later, Cordelia found herself dressed in one of Angelus's shirts, a blue overthrow tugged across her bare thighs, and seated comfortably on a massive chair downstairs in front of the hearth. It was quite a shock that as soon as she buttoned the last button, he swept her up into his massive arms and started out of the room and down the stairs. She hung onto his frame, not afraid he'd drop her, but what he'd planned next.

He deposited her in a massive chair in the lounge of the home—mansion from what she'd seen from the quick tour—that he'd currently take up residence in. Cordelia glanced around the room with a thoughtful eye and found it suited Angelus. She'd never frequented the soul's apartment, but she imagined it filled with old relics from the past that would remind the tortured fool of what he'd done in Europe. Angelus felt no qualms of brooding about the past and the room—the house reflected his manner.

The lounge was cozy and warm, inviting even, with a massive marble fireplace the center of the attention. Littered on the mantle were various art pieces that Cordelia judged to be quite expensive in both price and workmanship. Besides the chair she sat in, a black sofa angled towards the fireplace in the center of the room. There were several various paintings adoring the walls from different artists and eras, some quite extraordinary, a massive Chinese chest that stood against one wall by the door, the door slightly ajar to reveal a rather extensive weapon collection. But what had really captured her eyes were the stacks of books situated on the cedar bookcase along the far wall of the room.

Her heart thumped at the thought of reading . . .

Angelus hunched down next to the chair, smiling, "You should see the library."

He eyes widened even further and she hoped she wasn't drooling. "Library?"

"Angelus likes to read, Princess." Spike informed her, "Carted around books for as long as I could remember." Then he reached into his duster and found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "I figured the soul liked books too, since Angelus snagged those from his old place, but I never found out because I hated the sodden bastard."

Cordelia only nodded numbly. Angelus lifted a hand against her cheek, his thumb stroking it tenderly. "We can explore my literary kingdom later." She nodded in agreement. "You want to know about claiming."

Spike's eyes widened, "Damn Princess, I didn't think you'd have enough balls to ask that."

"Spike," Dru hushed him, "Kitten wants Daddy to talk now."

Cordelia covered her smiled, watching as Spike looked like he was about to protest and then he softened and leaned forward to kiss Dru's neck. She giggled and then turned to bite his lip, blood spilling between them. Cordelia should feel grossed out by the exchange of blood between them, but somehow it felt right between the two of them. Anyone who looked at this couple could see that Spike and Dru were deeply in love with each other.

"Spike! Dru!" Angelus gained their attention. "I need your help in explaining things."

Then he moved swiftly, lifting Cordelia up out of the chair and depositing her firmly into his lap. He nestled her against his massive chest, her head fitting comfortably in the nook of his shoulder. His fingers entangled within her dark strands, combing lightly through them with his fingers. His other hand moved to rest near her hip, keeping a firm grip on her body.

"Claiming is tricky." He started.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Only if one of you is human." Then his blue gaze settled on Cordelia, "Should just turn her."

Angelus felt the shiver as it moved through her body and he growled at his childe. "I already told you I'm not turning her."

Spike shrugged, "Like her either way, but vampire Princess would be badass." He smiled at Cordelia.

She smiled back, "Of course I would." She sat up straighter. "I am Cordelia Chase."

Angelus smiled and rubbed her back with pride. His Vixen was surprising and he could almost imagine her with long black hair and an earthy beauty surrounding her in the darkness, luring prey into her clutches and then attacking relentlessly. His lions clenched at the image and he shifted against her. As much as he wanted to see that image, he wanted her warm and just like this. Her charm was being human and not afraid of his touch or claim. In all the two hundred plus years of his existence, even with the soul, he'd never had a human trust so completely.

"What do you know about vampires?" He started.

"How to kill them, what they eat, and how to turn a human into one," She answered. "Call it an education with the Scooby Troop."

"Didn't that sodden watcher teach you anything?" Spike asked.

"No, he focuses on his slayer and the rest of us just stumbled along behind," She informed him.

"If he didn't teach ya anything, then what did you do in this Slayer group?" Spike asked, lighting a cigarette.

"She's the bait," Angelus answered, the anger apparent in his tone of voice and the harsh growl he made. "She walks through the graveyard like a delicious vampire snack and waits for someone to attack."

"Bloody hell, it's a sodden miracle you haven't got killed." He cursed. "Of course, you came dame close the other night." He blew out a poof of smoke. "Why doesn't that bloody watcher teach you anything?"

"Giles didn't talk much about anything." She informed him. "At first I thought it was because he didn't want to scare his Slayer with stories of vampires and demons. But lately I think it's because he doesn't think Buffy can handle the truth about vampires and such."

Dru swayed gently, "A little girl went a walking and fell into a trap." Cordelia glanced at her. "She tried to scream but the demon's jaws went snap." She clapped her hands with glee. "No more little girl."

"I think I actually understood what she said," She announced with disbelief. "I don't know if I should be happy or werided out."

Spike laughed, "Dru's special." Cordelia nodded in agreement.

"Ahem," Angelus gained their attention again. "Can we get back to this claiming?" All three nodded. "Was there anything in the journals you stole?"

"Yeah the Scourge of Europe exploits and a little about a sire/childe relationship." She answered.

"The good days," Spike smiled with remembrance, "Before the sodden soul and a century of misery."

Angelus smiled with agreement. He could hardly dispute how things were back before the soul came along estranging himself for his childe and family. He could remember the nightly hunts that ended with rich virgin blood flowing sweetly down his throat. The fights that had him laughing and dancing a merrily chase with Spike by his side. He loved walking into an establishment and the name of Angelus struck fear into both humans and demons alike. Angelus was a bloodthirsty demon with a reputation, one that was tarnished by the whining actions of the soul. In fact, the only favor the soul did was stake Darla and rid him of a two and a half century pain in his ass.

Pushing aside those thoughts, he turned his attention back to Cordelia, clarifying, "A sire/childe relationship is very different from a claiming," Angelus clarified. "A sire doesn't have to necessarily claim the childe."

"Okay, so what does claiming involve?' She asked. "In spite of my extensive search into the watcher's journals, I couldn't find anything about a claim."

"That's cause them sodden arses wouldn't know anything about a real vampire unless it was biting him," Spike tossed out. "They spent all that time watching and writing and watching, but none of them have the balls to actually get into the fray and fight."

Cordelia smiled at Spike, "Explains why they have a Slayer."

Even Angelus smiled at that comment. The Watchers were know-it-all jackasses who were too afraid of their own shadow to fight the evil in the world; instead, they send a small girl to fight for them. Irony?

"Can't find fault in a lapse in watcher knowledge," Angelus admitted bitterly. "Claiming isn't something a vampire, their claimant, or the demon population as a whole discusses with the humans."

"Why?" She asked.

The three vampires looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. Cordelia should feel slighted, but she liked that Angelus had a family bond even though everything she was led to believe said otherwise. Angelus was supposed to be a killer who took and took without caring about anyone or anything but himself. The watcher's journals all labeled him a monster, a soulless demon, but Cordelia saw something different. The souled version of him hid in the shadows, refusing to live with humans, dining on rats and vermin. But Angelus lived, and maybe not like she would approve of, but he lived. He was larger than life when he walked into a room, commanding his attention and announcing his presence without uttering a single word. He cared about his family, Spike and Dru, the evidence in him healing Spike and moving them into a home worthy of their status. Angel was the one who put Spike in the chair. So maybe, just maybe, the watcher's or Buffy wasn't as smart as they claimed to be.

"Claiming requires . . ." Angelus paused, "Let me explain the process and then I'll explain why." Cordelia nodded in agreement. "To answer your first question, a claim doesn't have to work on only a vampire."

"Duh?" She snapped. "Human here and you are the vampire." Then she rolled her eyes. "The question was do I have to die?"

He smiled at her, "No." His hands trailed down to her chest and he touched the skin above her heart. "Making you a vampire would take away everything that I like about you."

She sighed with relief, "No offense, but I don't want to die to be with you."

He laughed, "None taken."

Spike sighed, "Look Princess the first claim is just a mark."

"A bite," Cordelia asked, turning to look at him.

"No, lest every other vampire would claim its victim by feeding from them," Spike disagreed. "A mark is a bite that only another vampire would see and understand."

Cordelia nodded, "A scent or something that tells them I'm claimed."

Angelus nodded, "Yes. The vampire bites the person and a small mark is put in the skin that tells other vampires or demons that you are protected by someone."

"Why would a vampire need just a human marked?" Cordelia asked.

"Vampires can't go out during the day, so sometimes we call upon humans to do errands for us." He explained. "I've never had the need for a marked human, but some of the older masters like them because they are easier to control then minions."

"Oh," She mouthed. "So a mark is just like branding a cow so no one else can hurt or take them."

"Oy, a cow," Spike laughed. "Princess, I prefer to think of human's as walking Happy meals."

Cordelia glared at him, shivering as she realized exactly what that statement meant.

Dru must have sensed that Cordelia was frightened, because she turned to her mate, whispering harshly, "Hush Spike." She raised a finger to his lips. "Daddy wants to keep Kitten forever." Then Dru looked over to Cordelia, "Kitten we shall treat you so nice if you stay with us. There will be tea parties and cookies and we shall never let anyone hurt you anymore."

There was that familiar thump in her heart. This time it wasn't out of fear. It was acceptance and a sense of belonging. In that moment, it didn't matter that a deranged vampire had begged her to stay. It was that someone wanted her to stay. Acceptance of who she was hadn't happened in her life, not even to the people who gave her birth. Then she felt Angelus's fingers entwine with hers and she dropped her gaze down to look at them together, pale and golden, merging into one. Stay! One word and yet it beckoned her to everything she'd ever wanted.

"I . . ."

"Later," He whispered. He stroked her hair and she nodded. "Now the second claim is when vampire and human exchange blood."

"Eew," She shuddered. "Drinking blood doesn't sound all that appealing."

"Blood has this coopery taste mixed with the essence of the being you are drinking from," He licked his lips. "For instance, I think drinking from you would be like sipping wine, dark, sweet, and makes you heady."

"Blood can be an aphrodisiac," Spike cut in.

"You think fighting is need for sex," Angelus snapped.

"Oy, what's the point of afterlife if you have to sustain from all the fun." He countered, winking at Cordelia.

Cordelia laughed.

Angelus turned back to his Vixen. "The second claim requires an exchange of blood because once the exchange is completed a bond is forged between them. Neither can go anywhere that the other doesn't feel."

"And it only requires one taste?" She asked.

"On the part of the human," Angelus answered. "To keep the bond strengthened, the vampire would have to exchange blood with them on several occasions."

"Does it hurt," She whispered. "Biting . . ."

Dru clapped, "Daddy is good with making pain feel like pleasure."

Cordelia paled and then turned to look at Angelus. He simply met her gaze, "If the vampire knows what he is doing, it should bring pleasure." He leaned down to whisper against her lips, "And I know exactly what I am doing." Then he kissed her.

The kiss lasted the briefest of moments, but when he released her lips, she swayed against his shoulder. His hand gently stroked her stomach and she allowed her head to rest against the hard lines of his chest. She itched to touch him as he was touching her, but she refrained. She needed a clear head if she was going to finish the conversation. She looked up to meet it eyes, whispering, "And the last one?"

"Is a mate claim," He answered. "It's the equivalent of a human marriage only with stronger ties."

"It's what Dru and I have," Spike informed her. "I'd die without my Dru."

Dru touched Spike's cheek and whispered softly, "The stars brought us together and the stars will keep us there."

Cordelia smiled at them, liking the ease into which she'd settled into the strange family.

Angelus grabbed her chin and returned her attention onto him. "Usually it is only done between two vampires, because once the claim is in place, it is unbreakable."

"So I guess no divorce." She quipped.

"No," Angelus answered darkly. "This is far more potent than a mere wedding ceremony before a priest. This claim sustains time, place and obstacles trying to separate them. If after this claim is in place one of the two was to die . . ."

Spike looked at Cordelia, "The remaining mate would fall into a deep depression and soon after follow." His hands moved to brush back Dru's hair, "I've loved this woman over a hundred and fifty years and I will love her until the day we both die."

"My Spike would chase me into Hell," Dru whispered. "Fire and flames burns us like love."

"It also explains why the watchers don't know about it," Cordelia admitted. "Imagine that information in their hands?"

"It would be a witch hunt on our mates," Angelus agreed. "Of course, if the watcher council started a campaign to hunt down mates, they would be ill prepared for the entire demon realm waging a war the humans would not win."

She frowned, "What would it matter if a vampire's mate dies to any other demon?"

Spike leaned forward, "Because a mate is sacred, not to just vampires but demons as well. Demons mate for life, not just when it suits them. If one mate is injured or wronged, it is a mark against all mates."

Cordelia started to understand just how closely knit the demon world was. They relied on blood and violence to survive, but also family and love played a huge part in their world. It was more elaborate than human bonds, which fade over time or weren't that strong to begin with. Xander sprung to time mind.

"What does this claim require?" She turned to Angelus.s

"It requires blood and sex." Somehow, she knew it was coming. A bond that tight and secure would have to require an exchange of their bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. "Both parties have to regularly engage in both parts of the claim, which is also the reason why it isn't attempted outside vampire realms."

"Why?" She frowned. "I mean blood . . . not my favorite but you'd think someone would get use to the taste like a hamburger. And the sex . . ." She blushed.

"Yes, but our blood has certain properties that give us life. If we share too much with a human . . ." He trailed off.

Suddenly she understood. "They might start changing?"

"Yes." He answered. "It is rare between a human and vampire, but it was tempted once about two hundred and seventy years ago between a vampire and his lover. They were in love and neither knew or truly understood the ramifications of what their actions would cause."

"Not that it would have stopped the sodden idiots," Spike said.

"What happened," She asked, bringing a hand up to her throat.

Angelus sighed, "The changes were subtle at first. She was gifted with being able to see in the dark, added strength, longer stamina."

"So she became like a Slayer of sorts." But as she caught the look in his eye, she knew there was more. "Something else happened."

Spike lit up another cigarette, toying with his lighter to avoid telling the Princess what truly happened. Even Dru seemed to withdraw into herself, as she leaned further into Spike and started whispering about stars and Miss. Edith and protection. And Angelus met her gaze with the stark truth shining in his eyes, truth that she needed to hear and yet didn't want to.

"Annabeth was twenty when Marcus claimed her . . . she still looks twenty."

"But that was over . . ." Cordelia gasped.

"Yes, no one knows how long Annabeth will live." Angelus finished. "But the immortality is only one of the changes, there were others as well." He sighed. "She can eat human food, but it no longer sustains her body. She must have fresh blood . . ."

Cordelia gasped at what Angelus was implying. This woman was living and breathing, but her feet were firmly in the realms of vampire.

"The changes made her more bloodthirsty," Angelus stated with a sigh. "She can sense whatever Marcus feels, his need for blood and violence and soon it corrupted everything about her."

Cordelia looked at him, "What is she?"

"The human equivalent of a vampire," Spike answered. "The only difference is she breathes, her heart beats, and she is warm to touch."

"But she . . ." Cordelia looked at Spike.

"Is a vampire in every other sense," He answered. "She hunts with him, kills with him, feeds with him, and she sodden enjoys it." He sighed and put out his smoke. "Blood, especially vamp blood shouldn't be messed with. If it keeps our sodden arses alive, imagine what it would do to an unchanged human."

Cordelia tried and failed. She turned to look at Angelus, "You gave me blood to heal . . ."

"Only small doses," He assured her, "Nothing that would make any lasting changes."

She nodded absently. Then she felt the tension in the room and she looked at the three other occupants. They were waiting for her to make a decision and it didn't take much to figure out what that decision was. Angelus wanted to claim her as a mate, but he was leaving the decision up to her. The question was what she wanted.

"You want to make me your mate," She voiced aloud.

"Yes," He admitted softly. "But I cannot force ye to the ritual."

She nodded again, wondering if she had the strength and courage to bind herself to a vampire for eternity, turning into another Annabeth, one foot in the human world and another foot in his world. Could she endure century after century, turning more bloodthirsty with each passing day, soon feeding on the population without a care for the humans. The alternative was to leave Angelus and his acceptance. Moving through her life with motions and smiles that she didn't really mean, all the while her heart remained frozen and untouched. Wouldn't that be just the same as what he was offering? Only his offer came with him and a family. His offer was about acceptance of her and him and wanting each other anyway.

He wanted her with him forever and that was all she needed to hear.

"Would I still be able to finish school?" She asked, her education important to her. She was unsure about the rest of her future, but she wanted to at least say she finished high school.

"Only if you promise not to run off with some football jock," He teased.

Cordelia snored, "As if you wouldn't just track us down and eat him."

He kissed the tip of her nose, "You know me so well." She nodded and chewed on her lip for a second, pondering whether she could ask the question. "Just ask me." He ordered softly.

She nodded, "Say I agree to this mate claim and then ten years down the road I want to become a real vampire, would the claim still work after I change."

"Princess is full of surprises," Spike teased with a laugh.

Angelus smiled at her, "Vampire or human, the claim remains intact." He growled deeper, glaring at her. "Ye think I willa allow ye to leave me?" He growled harshly. There was that Irish brogue that made him charming and yet dangerous.

"And how will I eat and live?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Do you think that I lived two hundred plus years and never tucked money away," He asked with a growl.

"How much," She inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"Enough," He answered.

"And I don't have to share a bed with anyone else?"

"I'd kill anyone who thinks of touching ye," He growled. "I told ye once before, I don't share."

"Mates aren't passed around," Spike supplied. "Now will you sodden answer Princess?" He sighed. "Pet and I have some new chains need breaking in."

Cordelia blushed, lowering her gaze, "I would like very much to be your mate."

Angelus smiled brightly.

Then Spike stood to his feet and dragged Dru to hers, "Come along, Love, we aren't needed here anymore." The two of them swayed out of the room.

"Mine," Angelus whispered, leaning down to claim her lips.