Title: Spellbound 2/8
Author: Hayley
email: Lamb@traverse.com
Summary: Giles' visit to Los Angeles has interesting consequences.
Rating: R-some naughty language, and some nudity. . . .all the good things in life.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the toys you see before you have been borrowed from the all mighty Joss.I just take them out and play with them. *yay me* Don't sue.
Feedback: Oh pretty please? Have you hugged your author today?
Distribution: You may put it wherever you desire and I'll be thrilled about it. Just let me know where so I can send all my friends there to check it out.
Spoilers: Most of Angel, and some of Buffy. . . . nothing too specific or earth shattering.
*~*~*~*~*
"How in the name of the Gods did I let you talk me into this?" Giles scowled at Ethan.
"Because you were drunk, bored, and you lost at poker." Ehtan replied smoothly. "And I couldn't let you come to my new home away from home without letting you experience the splendor that is my new way of life."
"Good God Ethan. You're a movie producer. I hardly think that's a way of life worth experiencing." Giles rolled his eyes.
"Play nice." Ethan admonished. "Come on old friend. I've got a huge mansion, truckloads of money, and a house full of beautiful women looking to be made into the next Meryl Streep. If those aren't enough reasons to celebrate, then I don't know what is!" Ethan gestured to the party that was in full swing.
"You're a degenerate." Giles silently had to admit that degenerate or no, Ethan Ryane certainly had taste. The house was a sprawling mansion filled with beautiful people making boring, polite, nonsensical, malicious chit-chat. And as soon as Ethan turned his bloody head he was going to grab a bottle of champagne and remove himself from the premises.
"But I am a hospitable degenerate." Ethan gestured expansively. "You Ripper my boy, may have your pick. I'd wager you haven't gotten any in Sunnydale in recent memory. Abstinence always made you cranky Ripper."
"Which part of 'Don't call me that you slow witted ass' don't you seem to grasp?" Out of the corner of his eye Giles caught sight of a lovely pair of long legs encased in silk stockings. In sharp contrast to the other girls who seemed to be locked in silent combat to see who could reveal the most flesh, her soft skirt fell just past her knees. The skirt was a rainbow in various shades of blue with matching high heels.
She was in the middle of a group of other young women, but she stood out because of her modest dress. He had to hand it to her. She knew how to market herself. To show less, and make the drooling producers and casting cretins want more.
He didn't know what made him accept an invitation to one of Ethan's debauches, except for a case of what the French would surely call 'ennui'. It certainly had a nicer ring to it than being bored out of his skull.
He *was* away from home. And he *was* surrounded by beautiful women. He would have to be some kind of simpleton not to take advantage of some of the *amenities* Ethan was offering.
The woman he'd been watching with such avid interest tilted her head and laughed, revealing her face from behind the cascade of dark hair.
"Cordelia."
"You do know her don't you?" Ethan's eyebrow shot up. "She is a delicious little morsel Ripper." The two men watched as Cordelia was ushered away from the rest of the group by a man in his late 60's. "Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks so . . ."
"A man would have to be dead not to want. . . ." Before the words were out of his mouth, Giles checked himself, and then the slightly smug expression on Ethan's face. His own thoughts shocked Giles so much that he looked down to his second glass of champagne.
"*BASTARD!*" His fingers clutched the delicate stem of the crystal flute so tightly that it snapped like a dry twig. "What kind of spell?"
"A small get to know you incantation." Ethan grinned. "It's a lot more fun as an icebreaker than say, charades." He could feel the outrage and indignation rolling off his old friend in waves. "Come on old boy. Let Ripper out to play. If you don't you're going to crack up."
"Damn it Ethan you're mixing powerful sex magic with expensive champagne and girls barely out of the school room!" Giles hissed.
"Nothing here smacks of coercion Giles. It's not very powerful magic. It only loosens inhibitions. A kinder, gentler version of the band candy incident."
"That incident regressed the entire adult population to teenagers. If you regress any of these actresses you'll be dating pre-schoolers!"
"Well then. I had best go brush up on playing 'Doctor'." Ethan smirked showing all of his teeth in a predatory smile. "Oh, and Ripper. I wouldn't reccomend leaving the party until it's over. My friends would take a dim view of it."
"I'm sure of it." Giles gritted out before following in the direction Cordelia and her 'admirer' had gone.
hr
He found her alone in the garden inspecting a rose bush intently. "Cordelia."
"Giles! What are you doing here?" Cordelia demanded before whacking him with the back of her hand on his chest. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Is this what happens to old watchers? You get frisky with teenage girls?"
Flushing under her verbal assault, Giles found himself inexpliably on the defense. "I am not getting frisky."
"They make a pill for that." Cordelia retorted.
"Ethan Rayne invited me to his home. I had no idea that he was using the mansion as the site for a Roman orgy with barely legal would be actresses."
"Ethan Rayne?" Cordelia frowned. "Every time he shows up something awful happens!"
Giles removed the glass of champagne from her fingertips. "You don't have to tell me Cordelia. The last time I saw Ethan he turned me into a rather horrible demon."
Cordelia seated herself on the edge of the goldfish pond. "Then why are you here?"
"Because, try to extricate myself from him as I might, Ethan and I go a long way back. I know that I will never be bored in his presence." Giles sighed and set aside the glass. "Boredom has been a problem for me lately. I don't suppose you can relate."
"To what? Empty nest syndrome?" Cordelia laughed. "You're not the only one." At Giles' surprised expression, she shrugged. "When I was in Sunnydale there was a group. And whether we all liked each other, or hated each other, we were together." She toyed with the drawstring on her skirt. "It must be worse for you. . . .I mean for so long you had all of us practically camped out on your doorstep . . .and now we're not."
"Has anyone ever told you Miss Chase that you are a good deal too perceptive?"
"Only Wesley and Angel when-" Cordelia clamped her hand over her mouth. "Anyway. . . .I think you're looking at this whole empty nest thing wrong. You should be going out and meeting women and making up for lost time while you still have time left to enjoy them!"
"Cordelia. . . ."
"I know, I know, I wouldn't recognize tact if it bit me on the backside." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Tact is overrated."
"How would you know if you've never tried it?"
"All the tactful people I know never have any fun." She declared staunchly. "So what sort of voo doo that he do do so well is Ethan up to?"
"Very poetic. And honestly I don't know."
Cordelia reached into her small hand bag and pulled out a cell phone. "Then I'll just give Angel a little ring and let him know that something's up."
"Splendid idea."
"I'm known for them."
"And your modesty as well I imagine."
Cordelia responded by eloquently sticking out her tongue. "Angel! Hey It's me! Guess what? The party I cut out of work early for? It's being thrown by Ethan Rayne, no no no no no. I'm fine. I've got a big strong Watcher here to point out the painfully obvious. Yes, Giles. How many other Watchers do you know with a firm grasp of the obvious do you know. . .oh, good point. Tell Wesley I said hi!"
Plucking the phone from Cordelia's hand, Giles spoke to Angel. "Ethan had got some powerful magic going on here Angel, I've counted at least five of the most powerful sorcerers in the country so far."
"Hello there Miss Chase. I trust you're enjoying yourself?" Ethan emerged from behind a rose bush.
"Not really. Cheap champagne and dry horsdouvers don't do much for me." Cordelia responded frostily. "In fact, Giles and I were just leaving."
"Oh, I'm afraid we can't have that. Ripper has a tendancy to want to spoil my fun. . . ."
"Ethan, you are really beginning to piss me off." Giles snarled as a heft guard pulled Cordelia's cell phone out of his hand.
"You know my dear. . .you really should consider keeping more civilized company." Ethan remarked to Cordelia.
"Like you? No thanks. I'd rather find myself a nice whino on the street." Cordelia answered sharply as Ethan and his thugs escorted them through the garden and into the mansion. "I mean does anyone ever buy this smarmy act of yours? You're about as charming as a snake, and just as warm. By the way you owe me for the cell phone!"
"Oh Ripper. I approve of this one. She's adorable."
"She's also more likely to kick your ass than your friend." Cordelia dug in her heels dragging Ethan to a halt. "Take your hand off me."
hr
Guest House
"I can't believe this!"
"He might have been more willing to be reasonable had you not kneed him so visciously." Giles supressed his smile at the memory of Ethan's anguished moan.
"He felt me up." Cordelia huffed, perching on the edge of the bed. They'd been locked in the small guest house for, as Ethan called it, 'safekeeping'. "You know Giles, I hate to sound rude, but in the future do you think you could take your vacations someplace other than Los Angeles?"
"For someone who claims to hate sounding rude, you do a lovely job of it Cordelia." Giles returned. "Perhaps you might reconsider attending parties thrown by people you don't know where you are on the menu for salivating old men."
"Present company included?"
Giles clenched his teeth, determined to put an end to the verbal sparring before he strangled the girl with her own tongue.
Instead of continuing the pointless argument Cordelia paced the small guest house looking for a way out. "I don't know how I can get myself into these stupid situations! Why does everything lousy have to happen to me? Is there some sort of law that says I've got to have bad things happen to me?"
Listening to the continuing monologue Giles rolled his eyes. "Oh yes. Because this isn't inconvenient for anyone but you."
"I never said that." Cordelia turned on him suddenly very serious. "But I can only whine for myself. If *you* want to whine you're just going to have to do it yourself."
"Very well then." Giles reached for one of the books on the night table and groaned when he read the title. Trust Ethan to leave copies of the Kama Sutra in the guest rooms. A degenerate from beginning to end.
Finally having exhausted most of her excess energy Cordelia flopped down on the bed gracefully propping her chin on her hands. "So what do we do now oh Mighty Watcher?"
"Wait. And attempt not to get on one another's nerves." Giles suggested.
"I'm not good at waiting."
"If it makes you feel better I could break down the door and get shot for my trouble. . . ."
"Oh would you? I love blood. You really lack people skills, maybe you've had too much time in High School libraries."
hr
Listening to the incessent bickering in the guesthouse, Ethan chuckled, and picked up the telephone next to his favorite chair. "Hello? Yes. Things have been set in motion. Oh no. I don't forsee any problems." He shook his head. "The spell will begin to take effect soon, and they are confined to small quarters."
Ethan silently patted himself on the back for leaving the copy of the Kama Sutra. Given the boring style of life that Rupert was becoming used to, he would probably be appreciative of the refresher course.
Glancing at the television monitor and seeing his old friend's expression Ethan shrugged. Or not.
hr
"Ooh! Here we go!" Cordelia emerged from one corner of the room with an ornately carved chess set. "Do you play?"
"Yes." Giles hefted one of the pieces. Ethan Rayne had a great many failings, but taste was not one of them. "Do you?"
"Well duh. . . . .otherwise why would I ask you? Devon taught me when we were going together. . ."
"That young man who sings for Oz's band?"
"The one and only. Devon's a lot smarter than he lets on. Anyway, Dev taught me, and Angel and Wesley are both excellent chess players. Angel beat me so many times that I just got angry and now he still beats me, but I make him work for it."
"And here I thought that you were busy saving the world."
"Yeah, well I like to break up the monotony in Angel's life. At least this way he can rotate brooding with chess playing." Cordelia shrugged one shoulder and made her opening move.
"You worry about him a great deal." Giles commented. "I dare say that Angel is capable of caring for himself."
Cordelia frowned. "I understand that you hate him Giles, but since I've been in L.A Angel has been my family. The only reason he gave me a job in the first place was because he knew I was broke and hungry. Not in the 'I'm feeling hungry' way either. More like the 'Gee! I hope that I can get enough at the pawnshop for this little bracelet so I can eat tonight' hungry." She watched as Giles' hand hovered over the board. "And now we're friends and he looks out for me."
"That's all well and good Cordelia. . . .but don't place too much faith in him. Angel's loyalty is a fickle thing."
Face flushed with anger, Cordelia glared at him. "Just shut up and move already." She muttered grimly.
hr
"Ripper. . . .Ripper. . . . alone in a decadent love nest with a beautiful and intelligent young woman and you want to play chess?" Ethan waved his hand towards the monitor. "You're hopeless."
hr
By the time Giles had Cordelia in checkmate, he was forced to admit that she was indeed a worthy opponent. Especially when she was angered. "Another game?"
"No thank you, I try and limit myself to one loss a day." Cordelia answered stiffly before rising to her feet and putting away the chess board. "Is it just me, or is it getting warmer in here?" She'd kicked off her shoes when they'd begun to play, and Giles loosened two buttons on his shirt. Her face felt flushed. Almost feverish. "I can't be getting sick! I've got an audition next week!"
"It's not just you. I feel it too." Giles replied reassuringly. In fact he was feeling something more than just the heat of the room. He was concerned that Cordelia would be able to hear the loud pounding of his heart, or the increase in his breathing.
Walking to the bathroom on unsteady legs, Giles turned on the sink and ran the water until it was ice cold. Reaching into the cabinet next to the sink he retrieved two wash cloths, dousing them with water. After ringing them out, Giles emerged from the bathroom and crossed to the bed where Cordelia lay looking like hot and uncomfortable.
Cordelia jumped at the feel of the cool cloth against her brow, and the rough texture as it traveled down over her forehead, slightly dampening the hairs right along her hair line, offering sweet comfort.
Giles' breath caught in his throat as small goosebumps appeared on her arms, and her entire body shivered. "Good?"
"Oohh, perfect!" Cordelia's arm lifted and her fingers settled over Giles' hand to guide the washcloth over her face, down her throat, and just between her breasts. Eyes still closed, Cordelia protested when his hand moved away from her skin. "Don't stop."
Closing his eyes, Giles groaned, his body having a disgustingly predictable reaction to hearing a throaty voice call out those words. He had a very good idea what was happening to them. "Ethan."
"Excuse me?" Cordelia rolled onto her side, and found Giles' face inches away from her own.
"I think that Ethan put a spell on us."
"Oh." Cordelia frowned, and remembering their kiss from the night before, she slid her hand around the back of his neck, and pulled his head closer. "Then that might explain why I want to do this so badly." She whispered before pressing her full lips against his.
Pulling away slightly, Giles shook his head. "Cordelia. This is just Ethan's magic. . ."
"So?"
The word was spoken quietly, but echoed in the room with the force of a gunshot. Giles shook her slightly. "I am not going to take advantage of you."
"Who says that I'm not trying to take advantage of you?" Cordelia lifted her hands and began to unbutton his shirt. "What if I want you?"
"It's the spell Cordelia. Nothing more." Giles caught her busy fingers as they unfastened the last button. "Under normal circumstances you would never. . . ."
"What? Find you attractive? Sexy?" Cordelia laughed softly. "Then what was my excuse last night? I never had you pegged for low self-esteem Mr. Giles." She tugged her hands out of his grip and stripped off her peasent style blouse.
Confronted with her almost bare torso, Giles groaned and began to lose track of all coherent thought. Her skin had the color and consistancy of cream, the heavy swell of her breasts contained in a sky blue lace bra. The only imperfection being a jagged, bright pink scar starting just below her breasts and extending halfway down her stomach.
"Go ahead. Tell me you don't want me." Cordelia demanded. "But you really should look me in the eyes when you do."
"What I want is irrelavent." Giles reluctantly turned away from her and began to refasten the buttons of his shirt. The last thing he'd imagined in planning this trip was being locked up by Ethan with a lovely half naked Cordelia.
His entire body stiffened at the feel of warm, soft breasts mounded against his back as Cordelia draped her arms over his shoulders. "Cordelia."
"Why are you making this so hard?" Cordelia pouted. "I want you. Is it so unbelievable that I might want someone intelligent, someone strong, someone who won't hurt me, someone that I'd trust with my life?"
Giles shuddered at her warm breath brushed over his earlobe, and one hand slipped inside his shirt to caress his chest. "Your trust is why I can't."
"I'm trusting you to be with me. I'm trusting you to want me as much as I want you. I'm trusting you to show me what sex can be like with someone who actually gives a damn about me." Cordelia planted persuasive kisses up his neck.
Driven to distraction, Giles turned and quickly pinned Cordelia beneath him on the bed. His body held down her slighter frame as they lay chest to chest in the warm candlelit glow.
Pinning both Cordelia's hands over her head, Giles drew in a deep breath surrendering to the magic swirling inside of him, and quickly released it as one of Cordelia's legs bent, fitting him neatly between her thighs. And then she spoke the words that very nearly undid him.
"Rupert, please." Her voice was low, sultry and oh so inviting. Cordelia lifted her head off the pillows as far as possible, exposing the entire length of her graceful, swan-like throat.
With a deep groan, Giles lowered his mouth and covered her parted lips.
It was perfection. Cordelia nibbled softly and captured his lower lip between her teeth before stroking her tongue over the small wound. She loved the taste of him, warm, dark, faintly bitter like whiskey mixed with champange.
When they finally parted for air Cordelia shivered. "I've never gone hot all over from a kiss before. . . ." Her voice was seductive.
When his eyes flashed, Cordelia was certain she'd said something wrong, and that he would leave her alone and unfulfilled.
Instead Giles bent eagerly to her lips and slid one muscular arm under her back and released her hands, gathering her close to him. His mouth brushed, caressed and lifted as he teased her with ruthless precision.
When her lips followed and began to cling to his, Giles brushed her hair back from her face. "What do you want?"
"Kiss me." She demanded. No matter how strong the desire was, she wasn't going to beg.
"Isn't that what I'm doing?" He ran just the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip.
Cordelia caught her fingers in Giles' hair and forced him to stay still as she plundered his mouth with all the barely contained desire she had.
Feeling the flames lick hotter and higher against his control, Giles' hands cupped Cordelia's face, pulling her back so hi could watch her. Her beautiful hazel eyes were dark with a combination of lust and magic, her lips swollen and parted with the force of his kisses, and a bright pink flush stole over her skin from her cheeks to her chest.
Tugging his shirt out of his pants, Cordelia arched her body so that her breasts brushed back anf forth against Giles' thick chest hair.
His large body shivered with arousal under her desperate assault. Giles' lips began to soft exploration of every plane of her lovely face, down her throat, offering a small nip at her wildly throbbing pulse, to lick delicately at her collarbone.
Cordelia's fingers twined in his hair, tugging slightly. She wanted to feel his mouth on her aching breasts. There was something burning inside of her, and she didn't care if Ethan Rayne *did* light the match as long as Rupert was the one to put it out.
Giles' lips and nose nuzzled against the full curve of Cordelia's breasts. First one and then the other until her grip in his hair tightened demandingly. A small smile crossed his lips as he heard the change in her breathing.
Her body was a feast of colors, tastes, textures and scents. Her hair carried the scent of roses after a spring rain, heady, exotic, and enticing beyond his wildest imaginings. Her mouth cool from the champagne and sweet from strawberries. And the skin of her breasts tasted like. . . "Honey?"
Cordelia's laughter when it came was husky. "It's a natural dusting powder." A small sound of protest worked its way out of her throat when Giles continued to avoid the tight peaks of her breasts. "Giles! Stop teasing!"
A soft chuckle was his response. "I'm not teasing. Let me do this Cordelia. You should want this, need it, crave it more than anything. . . ."
After endless minutes, when she was shivering from head to toe, straining against his lips. "I won't beg you you bastard." Cordelia hissed passionately, her anger replaced by shocking satisfaction as Giles' mouth finally settled over one tight nipple, sucking it deeply into his mouth. "Giles!"
Slowly he pulled back, a feral grin playing about his lips. "Gods Cordelia. . . "
Before she could form a coherent reply there was banging on the guesthouse door. "Cordelia? Are you in there?"
"Wesley!" Groaning, Cordelia buried her face in her hands. Of all the timing in all the world, Wesley Wyndham-Price had to have the worst.
Giles quickly helped her into her blouse, before buttoning his own shirt. "We're in here Wesley!"
By the time Angel broke through the door, Cordelia and Giles were on opposite sides of the room, studiously ignoring one another.
hr