Chapter Twenty-seven

Heat, Take Two

Angel slowly shifted in the bed slightly, not wanting to disturb Max, who'd finally drifted off. He knew that she would heal, but guilt was still his favorite form of self-flagellation. Seeing her as she was now was still a big bruise to his mending soul. With a sigh, he tilted his head to plant a gentle kiss on her head. He straightened his neck, staring up at the ceiling. So many emotions were running through his mind. Fear tempered joy in an endless circle like a dog chasing its own tail. He had no idea what to do when one caught up to the other, but the chase was on and he felt helpless to stop it.

Bringing his free hand up to painfully pinch the bridge of his nose, Angel told himself to just stop thinking. But he'd been alone so long before returning to the civilized world, that he knew the voices in his head, endlessly arguing the pros and cons wouldn't leave. It was like a radio improperly tuned between two stations. He'd focus on one voice, but the other was constantly there, tantalizing him with secret, whispered words, so he'd shift his focus. Then the other would catch his attention.

'Sleep,' he told himself firmly. Although he shouldn't have been tired at that time of the night, the emotional release of everything they'd been through that night caught up with him. His eyes drifted downward, his body easing the long held tension from its muscles. The arm under Max going lax as the other rested comfortable on the plentiful area of his chest. Angel's head finally fell to the side as slumber claimed him.

*****

He walked up to Max and Cordy's building, the flowers he was bringing them, carefully cradled in one large hand. When Cordy had called in earlier to say that she was staying home to take care of her sick roommate, Angel had been sympathetic. He'd offered to come over and relieve Cordy, so she wouldn't get sick. She'd refused on the basis that it was nine in the morning and as much of a pain in the ass he could be, she preferred receiving a paycheck to starving. He'd assured her that he'd find a way. She'd refused again, on the basis that she'd already been exposed, so she may as well stay. He'd countered that vampires didn't get sick. She'd finally admitted that Max illness seemed to make messy, ishy appearances and Max preferred to be left alone. He'd respected that. For all of nine hours.

The continuation of their weekly dates, hanging out, whatever they could call it, was too strong a lure. And, Angel reasoned to himself, visiting sick friends was a good thing to do. If Max needed to be…ishy, he simply wouldn't look. So he found himself before their building. Before he could enter, a familiar form was slipping out the door.

"Hey Cordy," he greeted easily. The brunette actually jumped a few inches off the ground as her head jerked up. She stared at him a moment, before anxiously glancing up at the evening sky.

"Damn," he heard her mutter under her breath. "I didn't realize it was so late." He grinned slightly, wondering why she was upset. "Hey Angel!" she chirped in an overly perky voice. She glanced down at the bundle of flowers. "Are those for Max? Ah, how sweet. Give them here and I'll take them up. Then you can run along home." She fairly tried to snatch the flowers from him, but he turned away.

"What's gotten into you Cor?" his brow furrowed. Her heartbeat had picked up alarmingly. She seemed apprehensive. He let his senses reach out, but he couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary. That left only one conclusion. She was nervous of him.

"Nothing's gotten into me, Angel," she remarked scathingly. She blew a breath out in a huff, dislodging her artfully arranged bangs. "I just thought you weren't coming over." Her tone was very pointed. Angel squirmed slightly under her intent look.

"I'm just visiting a sick friend," he shrugged, aiming for casual innocence, and failing miserably. But Cordelia did soften a little. She gave a half-smile.

"That's really sweet Angel, but Max really, and I mean really, isn't up for visitors," she stressed the words, while trying to tug on Angel's arm. He pulled away, concern all over his face.

"How bad is she?" he asked fearfully. He was actually starting to worry.

"It's just…the stomach flu," Cordy hesitated a moment and worry took over. She waved her hand dismissingly. "She just can't keep anything down and she doesn't have any energy. She'll be over it in a day or so. But at the moment, she doesn't want anyone around. Really Angel." She sighed at the mulish expression he wore. "Angel, really, she will be okay. Can you please just go home? I'll have her call you or something and she can tell you herself." Angel finally nodded and backed off, letting her take the flowers from him.

"So, where are you going then?" he demanded lightly. Cordy looked almost guilty.

"Uh, just to get some ginger ale," she gulped, hoping desperately that he didn't see through her little white lie. Max had promised her a long, torturous death if she let this secret slip. "You know, to help settle her stomach." Angel stared at her for a moment, recognizing the lie instantly. Cordy stared back. It was true, in a way. She was going out for supplies to keep her roommate distracted. Max had wanted beer, but Cordy had nixed that idea immediately. There were just some things you didn't mix.

Finally Angel backed down again. He nodded. Cordy smiled and they silently walked to their respective cars. Angel climbed into his convertible as Cordy climbed into her vehicle. She watched as Angel pulled away from the curb and with a sigh of relief, started her own engine and headed for the nearest grocery store. She had quite a list to fill and Angel was pushed to the back of her mind.

With a deviousness he was proud of, Angel slowly circled the block. He made sure that Cordy was nowhere around and parked the car about half a block away, just in case. He jogged to their building and let himself in with his spare set of keys. As he approached their apartment in the complex, a new scent caught his attention. It came to him in a split second, only to disappear tantalizingly. Angel pushed his head forward as his body tensed. He sniffed carefully, trying to catch the scent again. There was something about the smell, something that his brain was screaming at him to recognize, but it hovered, elusive. He took a step forward, wondering if he should discover the source of the scent, or continue on to Max.

His choice was taken from him as the scent came again, slightly stronger this time. His body tightened all over as he tracked it. The smell permeated his senses, filling every sense of him. It was primal, alluring, basic, raw…female. He recognized it with every sense of the maleness he possessed. Angel's brain was still screaming at him, but with an ancient skill, he shut off what he didn't want to hear. He was hunting. His prey was near, and he needed her now! But the way was blocked. With ease, he kicked at the wooden door in his way. The powerful blow splintered the frame and the door slammed open.

Max straightened up immediately at the noise, wondering who the hell could be so inconsiderate. She wasn't really shocked, as the door to her apartment slammed open. She was more interested in who was standing beyond it. She'd been thinking about him all day, ever since she'd woken up from the erotic and highly graphic dream she'd had of him. And judging by those dreams, she was at the pinnacle of her yearly cycle. The other one or two times were child's play compared to the one time a year, when everything about her was reduced to a basic level of sexual survival, where rational thought did not exist.

She stood up from the dining room chair, a sensual smile already in place. Her eyes dilated slightly as she took in Angel's large, heaving chest as he sucked in unnecessary air. Her predatory nature responded in kind, searching the air for his scent. It was there, the blood, the spice, and the undeniable combinations that she identified him by. Her smile deepened into a grin. Rational thinking was completely shut down by her carnal desire. She needed him now!

Angel stalked forward, keeping her in his sight, prepared for anything. Females were wily. Just when one thought they were cornered, they were gone. But his need was too strong. It had been too long since it had been sated, and this female was calling to him. His leg bumped into the table as he neared her and he threw it aside distractedly, not caring as the chairs were scattered. They were just another barrier keeping him from her. He watched her throat as her pulse picked up. The closer he came, the faster it was. He clenched his teeth, not knowing which pull was stronger, the blood or the lust. With a snarling growl, he gave in too the second. He rushed at her, pleased that his chosen prey was waiting for him as was proper.

Max felt the rush of pleasure deep in the core of her femininity at his growl. "Yes!" she hissed. She found herself scooped up by the waist as his momentum carried them on. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him as she was slammed into the wall behind her, splintering the plaster and knocking the heavy bookcase free of it's mooring. Neither noticed as the books collected there spilled out as it toppled over. With undeniable hunger, his lips fastened onto her as she threaded her fingers into his hair painfully. She was desperate not to let him escape her and her needs. He growled again, pleasure at her heat mixing with the slight pain as her nails marked him.

Max sucked on the tongue that was thrust into her mouth. She was delighted that she could hold her breath as long as she could, but even she had limits. She broke the kiss and pulled her head back, cracking it into the wall. She ignored the slight pain as she took in his demonic visage. She trembled as her body catalogued what he offered in a mating ritual usually too deep in the subconscious to be recognized by humans. He was strong and could protect her. He was pleasing to her senses, they complimented each other. This man was destined to be her mate. Max yanked furiously at the cloth covering her modestly, finally managing to tear it loose at her collarbone. The exposed flesh caught his attention. "Bite!" she demanded harshly.

Angel didn't need to be asked twice in that moment. His senses were attuned to her. He'd catalogued her as well. A ferocious hunter, complimenting his own skill. Beautiful and perfectly formed. Her scent highly exotic, she was unlike all the other females. She brought everything he lacked to their pairing. They were each other's missing halves. And so he claimed her, his fangs sinking into her jugular vein. But even as the first satisfying sip of blood flooded his mouth, he knew that he could not endanger his mate. The perfect claiming that his body had already accepted kept him from taking much, even though her blood was so powerful that it made him lightheaded. His mark was there now, keeping all others from her. He growled momentarily as the thought of others scenting after her entered his mind. But her pleased moan brought him out of that snarling mood.

Max had never known such pleasure was possible as he bit her. He'd claimed her, in the deeply erotic, possessive manner that her primal female self needed. Now it was time for the next step, to complete the mating. It was brutal in its intensity, but neither cared. They were driven to lust by their respective bodies. Both responded to the other on a basic level only. Impediments, clothes, furniture were destroyed in their haste for each other. Angel paused momentarily at the sight of the scar running the length of Max's chest, an intense rage settling on him that someone had hurt her in such a manner. Never remembering that is was from the ultimate sacrifice her brother had made for her. He could feel the pain radiating from the silvery white flesh and he gentled momentarily. But she quickly drew his attention back to the act their bodies were aching for.

At the culmination, the only word Angel could speak was, "mine!" He growled it in her ear, increasing her pleasure over and over as she gave in to the declaration. She was his in every way that mattered. Her primal self recognized it as such and she reveled in it. But for a moment only. As the lust eased, she realized that there was something else that she needed to focus on.

Angel came back to himself, the haze of lust lifting enough to see the enormity of what they'd done. Her blood was smeared all over her body. Welts across her chest. But worse, the absence of movement. Angel reached out a shaking hand, hovering slightly over her still form. "Max?" he whimpered. There was no response. "Oh God!"

*****

Angel's eyes shot open. He panicked for a moment, before realizing where he was. He glanced down at Max's still sleeping form. But was she? He pulled his arm out from underneath her and sat up carefully. He moved to kneel on the bed beside her and watched. Her chest slowly rose, then fell. He leaned in closely, relieved beyond measure as her warm breath blew against his cheek. He sat back, tears of gratitude forming in his eyes. But she turned her head then, seeking him and his eyes fell on the obvious bite marks. He scrambled off the bed as the entire night with her played again tortuously in his brain. "Oh God!" he whimpered softly. And for the second time that night, he ran.