HELL HATH NO FURY PT2











Lilith chuckled to herself as sh thought, how interesting. So the seer wanted to be a vampire. Those two pets would provide her with some much needed excitement. Especially that little imp that Angeles was panting over. If only he knew what was in that little head of hers, my wouldn't he be surprised.



Be careful what you wish for, my pet she thought as she went to find her dark prince, you might just get it.





****





Buffy walked down the steps, listening to the heated argument as she descended.



"That doesn't explain anything, poofster." Spike snarled.



"I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Spike. I can see now that it was a mistake." Angel shot back.



"You're damn right it was. We're leaving, as soon as Buffy comes down."



"Fine. I'll send Cordy with you.""



"Oh, bleedin' Christ. Why? So the bitch can follow us? I don't bloody think so."



Angel stalked towards Spike, his demon coming out as he advanced. He grabbed Spike by the front of the shirt, pulling the younger vampire as inch from his face.



"Yes, you will."



The younger vampire let his own demon out, grabbing Angel back.



"No, I 'm not."



"This is gonna be messy." Gunn said, watching the vampiric power struggle.



Buffy walked in on the scene, taking in the game faces and glares. The group was just standing around, looking on with unease.



"Looks like two little boys I know need a time out." She quipped as she muscled her way in between the two. When they tried to advance upon each other again, she took action. Shoving Angel first, sending him into the couch, then turning towards Spike and pushing him into the chair.



"I thought I told you to play nice." She said pointedly to Spike.



"We're leaving, Slayer. NOW!" Spike said, as he stood grabbing her wrist. Buffy could hear the fear in his voice.



Buffy kicked Spike's feet out from under him, sending him crashing back into the chair.



"Oh, honey, that's so cute. But you promised you'd save the caveman routine for the bedroom."



"I mean. We're out of here." He growled.



"So do I." She said, straddling his lap, pinning him to the chair. "I know you're scared. But I'm staying to help my friend Cordelia." Spike opened his mouth to object. "And", she said quickly before he could get a word out, " You're staying because I'm not letting you out of my sight with Lilith running around."



Buffy slowly got up. "Stay." Spike started to get up. "No. Stay." She said, giving him a warning look.



Then, Buffy turned her attention to Angel.



"And you. Big trouble, mister." Angel opened his mouth to protest. "Shut up. I don't want to hear it. Cordy and I are going to patrol." She held both her hands out when both men went to object. "Hush. Not listening. You two are going to stay here until you can work this macho thing out or else." She looked at each of them, driving her point home. "I'll make dust bunnies out of you myself and save Bitch Queen the trouble."



"And I'll help." Cordy said, coming down the steps.



"Ready." Buffy said, walking towards her and picking up her slayer bag.



"Absolutely." Cordy agreed, with a look of determination on her face.



"You boys play nice." They chimed together as they walked towards the door. Never once looking back, knowing their words would be heeded.



"Do we have far to go?" Buffy asked as she looked over at Cordelia.



"It's okay." Cordy answered with a smile as she held up a set of keys. "I've got Angel's car keys. And mine."



Buffy let out a snort of laughter. "I guess if they are going to follow, their going to have to get cozy on Spike's bike."



"It'll be good for them." Cordy giggled, feeling better than she had in days.



The two women hopped in the car and peeled off into the night, neither knowing what they were in for.





****





"Well, nancy boy. You sit here if you want to, but I'm going after them." Spike snapped as he got up, pulling on his duster.



"I'm going with you. Let me go get my keys." Angel replied, heading up the stairs. A few minutes later he returned, irritation written across his face.



"What?" Spike asked.



"She took my keys."



Spike snorted. "You're gonna have to do better keepin' that one in line, Peaches."



"Yeah, like you keep Buffy in line, caveboy?" Angel snapped as he headed for the door.



Spike's eyes shot daggers at his back, then a thought struck him and he smirked. "Well, dad, it looks like you'll be riding bitch." Spike laughed as he walked out the door.



This is going to be a long night, Angel thought to himself.





****



Cordy and Buffy walked side by side through the cemetery, each with a stake in their hand.



"What do you think she wants, Buff?" Cordelia asked, scanning the area with her eyes.



"I don't know. She seemed to be playing her own sick version of the dating game with me and Spike." Buffy said, a feeling of unease washing over her. "The problem is with her, you're just not gonna know until she wants you too. Cordy, do you have. . ."



"The feeling we're being watched?" the dark haired girl finished, as she turned around quickly. She saw a dark shadow move behind them.



"Yeah." Buffy agreed quietly, her slayer sense going into overdrive.



The two girls continued to walk, searching their perimeter with their eyes.



"Do you think maybe it's Angel and Spike?" Cordy' asked hopefully.



"No. I know when Laurel and Hardy are around. It's definitely not them." Buffy brought her stake up closer, preparing to use it.



Cordy kept catching a glimpse of movement, but it was too dark to see.



"Buffy, I think we're being surrounded." Cordy stated as she saw the first vampire step into the moonlight.



"Funny, this isn't what I had in mind when I imagined being surrounded by men." Buffy said dryly. "Are you ready, there gonna move.?"



"Yeah."



The first vampire lunged at Cordy. She waited until he was close, the stuck her foot out to trip him. Three more came out and advanced on her.



Buffy sent a roundhouse kick to the first. The second leapt towards her. She caught him in mid air, tossing him to the ground, plunging her stake into his heart before moving onto the next.



Buffy sent kicks, punches and stakes, but more kept coming. She briefly thought of her and Spike's fight outside the Bronze not to long ago, and frantically started to search for Cordy. She saw the brunette quickly running from two. She turned and staked one and kicked the other before starting to run again.



Spike and Angel were walking through the cemetery glaring at each other. "Ya know, you coulda' killed me if I'd needed to breathe." Spike complained.



"Well, you took the corner like that on purpose. You were trying to throw me off." Angel spat back.



"I don't see what that girl sees in you? You whine to much." Spike said. "And, another thing. ." but Spike was cut off by Angels' hand covering his mouth.



"Sh. Listen." Angel stopped, so Spike stopped, knocking Angel's hand down.



"Oh, bloody hell." Spike muttered as he took off towards the sound of the scream.



"Cordy!" Angel cried as he took off in hot pursuit after the blonde vampire.



They are going to die, thought Buffy as she threw another vampire over her head and staked it. She was still looking for Cordy when she noticed a path being cleared through the hordes of vamps. She saw Angel and Spike fighting their way over to her. 'Bout damned time. She thought as she got knocked to the ground, hitting her head on a gravestone.



Cordy was throwing jabs at on of the vampires. Dodging the ones getting thrown back. God, she was glad she had sparred with Angel, she thought as she dodged another swing. Then she was grabbed from behind. She struggled to get away, putting her feet up to stop the vampire advancing towards her, pushing him across the ground. The one that held her lost it's footing and she managed to free herself.



"Cordelia!" She looked up at the sound of her name, never seeing the blow that came slicing through her side. Cordy clutched her side and dropped to her knees.



"Cordy." Angel started knocking the vampires away in earnest now. His rage surfacing as did his demon. He was sending vampires flying with simply a touch. As he reached Cordelia, he picked her up. She let out a sharp yelp of pain.



"Can you run?' he asked.



"Yeah."



"Good. Run."



They took off, Angel clearing the way, half dragging her.



"Where's Buffy?"



"Spike's got her."



Buffy lay on the ground, dazed for a minute, her head spinning. She looked up to see Spike reaching down for her.



"Get up, Slayer." Spike said as he threw another punch at the vampire charging them. Buffy grabbed for his hand and he pulled her up.



"Run!" he yelled, as he tossed another vampire away from them, breaking it's neck in the process.



Buffy took off with Spike hot on her heels. They ran into Angel and Cordy on their way to the motorcycle. Angel was carrying Cordy.



"What happened." Buffy yelled, seeing her friend's blood stained shirt.



"Later." Angel said as he placed Cordy in the car. He leapt over her and behind the steering wheel.



Spike hopped on the bike, gunning the engine as Buffy climbed on behind him. As they sped away, Buffy heard



"Let them go." More in her head then out loud. She turned to glance back, seeing Lilith. A shiver ran down her spine as she watched a dark familiar figure come to stand next to the vampiress.





****



Why did you let them go?" the dark figure asked.



"Because, darling. What you fail to realize is that William and Angeles are willing to gladly lay down their lives for them." Lilith answered. She turned away from the retreating figures, preparing to leave.



"I grow impatient with your games, Lilith. Why didn't you tell me the Slayer was here?' Dracula snapped, starting to lose his patience.



"What does it matter? She's here now, and now you know. We'll have another opportunity to grab them, Vlad. Be patient." Lilith replied, ice in her voice.



Vlad stormed over to her, grabbing her by her throat, pulling her off the ground. "I need the Slayer."



"I'm not fond of your obsession with the girl." Lilith replied, shoving him away from her.



"I need a woman who will actually inflict pain when it's meant to." Vlad said haughtily as he glared down at Lilith.



Lilith lost her temper, anger that men had feared since the beginning of time flashed through her glittering green eyes. She glided over to Dracula, gripping his shirt and putting him over her head..



"Need I remind you again who you are dealing with, Vlad?" she asked icily, her eyes boring into him. Vlad felt the heat start to rise, feeling as if he would combust at any moment. "No harm has been done to you because no harm was intended. A situation easily remedied if you ever are to be so bold as to try and replace me." And with that, she dropped him top the ground. Lilith turned and glided gracefully to the waiting limo.

"Come, Pet." She crooned. Her smiling face met his icy glare. "Sunrise is coming." She added as she climbed into the car.



****





Angel burst through the front door, Cordy in tow. Buffy and Spike right behind them.



"Oh my God, Cordelia." Wesley said, jumping up from his desk.



Angel placed her gently on the couch. He tried to lift her shirt to look at the wound but she smacked his hand away.



"Cordy, I have to look at it." Angel said in frustration. He went for her again. Her answer this time was a punch in the face. Angel let out a growl of frustration as the others filed into the room.



"Buffy, Spike grab her hands and ankles."



Buffy grabbed Cordy's wrists as Spike gripped the girls ankles. Angel straddled her waist to stop her bucking.



Wesley rushed out of the room and reentered with a needle. Cordelia had been screaming and when she Wesley, she screamed louder, trying to shove Angel off with her hips.



"What's that for?" Angel asked uneasily as Wesley walked over and slipped the needle into Cordelia's arm.



"It will calm her. Put her to sleep." Wesley replied as the girls fighting slowed. Spike and Buffy let go of her cautiously. Cordelia looked at Angel and smiled pleasantly. Her gaze slipped over his shoulder and she frowned. "Hey, loser," she said before drifting off to sleep.



Everyone turned in the direction she had frowned.



"Hey guys. What's up?" Xander asked, grinning sheepishly.



Angel dismissed him with a glare and got off of Cordy. Spike rolled his eyes and walked over to examine the wound with Angel.



"What are you doing here? Never mind, I don't want to know yet. How is she?" Buffy said as she walked over to the other side of Spike.



"Looks like just a surface wound." Angel said with a sigh of relief, lightly running his fingers over the gashes on her otherwise flawless skin.



"All that for some scratches?" Buffy asked



"Well, luv," Spike started as he wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist, "you see, vampire scratches burn like the dickens on humans. Lotsa blood too."



"Not true. I get them all the time and they don't bother me." Buffy replied.



"You're not exactly human, are you?" Spike said as he smirked down at her. Buffy shot him a look. "I mean you being the Slayer and all." Spike quickly finished, putting his hands in his pockets, whistling as he walked away. Buffy glared after him.



"I'm going to take her upstairs." Angel started as he gingerly lifted her off the couch. "Fred, can you bring some disinfectant, please?"



"Yeah," Fred answered quickly, running off the grab the bottle.



The rest of the group watched them go.



"Dead boy and her Royal Bitchiness. Now there's a match made in hell." Xander said offhandedly.



"Shut up, Xander." Buffy said as she turned to look at him. "Why are you here, and what happened to your face?" She finished as she took notice of the bruises.



"Willow." Xander said, sadly. All thoughts turned to their broken friend. "She wigged out, again. You know, the fact that both my best friends are girls I'm okay with. The fact that they can both toss me around like a rag doll? So not liking that." He finished.



"Why?" Buffy asked, concern crossing her face. She looked tired, so Spike pulled her into his lap in the chair where he had been sitting.



"She tried to make this thing a permanent part of my body." He said, producing a disk from his pocket. "She said that if I didn't bring the disk to L. A. and give it to Wes-man, she'd find a way to debug Captain Peroxide there," he said as he nodded towards Spike, "And lock me in a room with him."



A big grin spread across Spike's face. "Always did have a fondness for Red." He said slowly as he eyeballed Xander.



"Hey, hey, Buff. Make junior stop sizing me up for a happymeal." Xander cried, indignantly.



"Spike. Stop intimidating Xander." She said, trying to sound cross.



"Thanks, that was believable. I was scared for him." Xander said dryly.



"Uhm, Xander. What's on this disk?" Wesley asked, coming up and taking it.



"Dunno. But Wills was pretty pressed for you to have." He said, shrugging.



"Well, I'll go take a look at it." Wesley finished, going to the computer, disk in hand.



"Well, I'm going to bed. My head still hurts." Buffy said, rising. Buffy started for the stair, dragging Spike by the arm.



Xander watched them go. "I have just one word for that. Eeew."



"I know what you mean." Gunn replied.





****



Angel had changed Cordelia's bloody clothes and put her in another one of his t-shirts. He'd cleaned up her wound, ad now was getting ready for sleep himself. He slipped on a pair of sweat pants, and climbed into bed next to her.



Angel propped his head up on is hand and watched her. She looked so peaceful, he thought as he ran a finger down her cheek. What was he going to do? He loved her. He couldn't deny it anymore, but he couldn't make her pay for it. And either way you looked at it, she would pay. Angel laid his head down and pulled her closer. His eyes drifted closed as Dawn approached.



****



Spike flopped on the bed. He was tired, but he wasn't going to be allowed to sleep. A fight was coming, he felt it.



Buffy walked up behind Spike and yanked her jacket off. She'd been thinking all the way back. She knew who that figure had been and so did Spike.



"Come on, luv. Let's get this over with." Spike said, as he laid back on the bed, watching her move around the room. Yeah she was good and mad, he thought when she pulled off her shirt and ripped it in the process.



"Nothing. It's nothing." she said. Spike held up his hand and started counting off. When he got to the last finger, he pointed at Buffy. On cue, she exploded.



"You knew, didn't you?"



"What part was it that I knew? The part that he's still around and not a pile of dust, or the part that he's here?"



Buffy turned to glare at him. Spike just rolled his eyes. "You know I'm getting tired of that look."



"You've known he was alive since Sunnydale." she accused. "In the dream, when I said I killed him. You made a face. I didn't get it then, but oh boy. I do now." She advanced towards the bed, her face flushed with anger.



Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her down on top of him. He stared into her beautiful face, tenderly brushing the hair away.



"Buffy, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to go off half-cocked after him. He's hard to kill with all that Lilith blood running through him. He's not crazy because she 'wills' it that way."



"You should have told me." She persisted, pouting.



"And ruin my chance of hearing those three little words fall from your lips. Not bloody likely." He said as he began tickling her.



She giggled and pushed on him.



"I'm still mad at you." She said, her pout returning.



"Give us a kiss and I'll make it up to you." Spike leaned in to do just that.



****



Angel was lost in a blissful dream involving Cordy, him and a moonlit beach. They had just tumbled onto the sand when he heard a creak. He lifted his head, game face on when Wesley entered.



"Angel. Are you awake?' Wesley whispered. He took a step back when he saw the glittering gold eyes.



Angel caught Wesley's scent, and slipped back into his human mask.

"You shouldn't sneak in when one of us is sleeping, Wes. It could get you killed."



"I think you should come downstair." Wesley said, as his fear subsided. "There's something I think you need to hear."



Angel glanced down at the peacefully sleeping Cordelia, then hesitantly got out of bed. He followed Wesley out of the room and down the steps.



"This better be good." Angel muttered, casting a backwards glance at the stairs. "What?" Angel said as he walked over to Wesley's desk.



"I think I know what Willow so desperately wanted us to see." Angel just stared at the former watcher, waiting for him to continue. "This disk contains the curse that gave you your soul. The full one and the revised one."



"That's what was so important. . .wait. What do you mean revised one?" Angel asked.



"I called Willow, and apparently she used the second one because she couldn't translate some of the original. If my translations are correct, basically the 'perfect happiness' clause was removed." Wesley paused, waiting for the news to sink in.



"So, what does this mean?"



"It means, that you can't lose your soul. At least not that way."



Angel stood in stony silence for a minute. Then, a slow smile started to spread across his face. He grabbed Wesley's face between his hands and laid a big, smacking kiss on him, then turned to rush upstairs.



Spike was coming down the stairs, disoriented from sleep. He glared at Angel as he bounded up the stairs, a big stupid grin on his face.



"What the hell do you have to be so hap. . ." Spike started, only to be interrupted by another loud kiss Angel gave out. Spike stared in stunned silence after his sire, and Angel continued up the stairs.



"What the bloody hell is wrong with him." Spike growled. Buffy giggled from behind him.



"What can I say, honey. You just inspire warm and fuzzy feelings." she laughed as she continued down the stairs.



"Ha, bloody, ha." Spike called out after her.



Angel opened the door to his room slowly. He peeked in, waiting to see Cordy's beautiful face in sleep. He entered the room to see an empty bed. He walked towards the bathroom.



"Cordy?' Angel called, softly. No answer, and no light shining from under the door. Angel looked around the room, a puzzled from crossing his face. That's when he noticed the open window. He started towards it, when a piece of paper on her pillow caught his attention. Silently, he unfolded it and read it.



You're safe now. I'm sorry.

Love C-----





Angel reread the letter slowly, shaking his head." No he thought.



"NO! DAMMIT!"



Buffy, Spike and Wesley looked up at the roar. Wesley had been updating them on the recent events. They all started towards the stairs when Angel came flying down.



"She's gone." He stated flatly, handing the note to Buffy. She scanned it quickly.



"Well, we'll have to go get her." Buffy turned to head back upstairs to dress.



"You know this is what Lilith wants. Do I always have to be the voice of reason?"



"Spike. I can't leave her." Angel looked at his childe, torment swimming in his dark eyes.



Spike saw the anguish and understood the need to protect. "Oh, bloody hell. Give me five minutes." He sighed. They were going to regret this, he thought as he went to go change.



Five minutes later, the trio returned to the downstairs. Looks of determination set on their faces. Xander rounded the corner, preparing to share his finds from his outing with Gunn, when he stopped in his tracks, looking at the three.



"Okay, let me just say. So glad I'm on your side." Xander quipped.



"What, Xander?" Buffy asked as she started inserting stakes into her jacket.



"We know where she is." Xander stated proudly.



"Where?" the two vampires said together.



"There's and old house, er, more like mansion really. It's a few mile from here."



"The one on the hill?"



"Yeah."



"Let's go." Buffy said, as she started for the door.





******





Cordelia entered the candlelit room and looked around. She opened her mouth to call out, but quickly shut it when Lilith came in.



The two women sized each other up, Lilith intently watching the dark haired girl.



"I must admit, you and the slayer are stunning creatures. I give my boys a lot of credit." Lilith said as she glided towards Cordelia.



"They're not 'your' boys. You just don't seem to inspire the warm and fuzzies." Cordy snipped.



"And arrogant, the both of you."



Dracula entered the room. "They have arrived."



Cordy's head snapped up and she turned to glare at Lilith. "You said you would leave them alone."



"No, I said they wouldn't be harmed." Lilith corrected as she grabbed Cordy by the hair. "Much." She whispered in Cordy's ear, dragging her off to another room.





Buffy, Angel and Spike walked up the winding staircase towards the front door.



"Okay. I'll look for Cordy. You two see if you can find out what Lilith is up to. This all can't just be her playing cupid." Angel said, as he opened the door.



Cordelia's scent assailed him as he walked in. He smelled her fear and her blood. Panic rose in his undead heart as he let his demon surface to follow the trail.



"Angel!" Spike whispered as he watched his sire take off. "Great. He catches a faint whiff of the girl and takes off half cocked. Spike snarled.



"Spike." Buffy said, as she glanced around the room.



"He's gonna get us killed, you know. Then I'm gonna kill him." Spike mumbled on.



"SPIKE!" Buffy shouted.



"WHAT!?" Spike growled as he turned to look at her.



"We're not alone." She stated, her eyes wide with dread.



"Wha. . Oh, bloody HELL!" w as all Spike managed to say before the hordes of undead advanced on them.



Angel followed the trail of Cordy's scent all the way to the bottom of the house. All the while taking into account the fact that he was never attacked. He entered the dimly lit room, and stopped when he heard the familiar chuckle.



"Angeles, you made it." Lilith purred.



Angel looked in the direction of the voice. There stood Lilith, holding Cordy against her, the long column of her neck exposed. Cordy's frightened eyes met Angel's, apology written in their depths. Her side was bleeding again and she was fighting back tears.



"Angel, leave. Take Buffy and Spike and go." She pleaded.



"He can't. He won't leave you. Besides, it's too late. My dark prince probably has the Slayer already." Lilith stated, sounding annoyed at the last part.



"Let her go, Lilith. This is between me and you."



Lilith laughed. "You silly, childe. No it's not. It never had anything o do with you. You and princess here were a kind of amusement for me. Now, play times over."



With that, Lilith yanked Cordy's head to the side, exposing Cordy's neck more fully. Cordy let out a yelp of pain.



"Time to see how much you love her. Do you love her enough to let the beast out?"



"That part of me is gone." Angel said as he took a step forward.



"We'll see." Suddenly, Lilith sunk her teeth deep into Cordelia's neck. Cordy's scream pierced the room. Angel let his rage go, and launched at Lilith.



She immediately dropped Cordy, laughing as she watched his approach.





****



Spike and Buffy were fighting their way through the sea of the undead. Staking, beheading, and running, only to have to stop and do it all over again.



"We've got to get out of here, luv." Spike shouted as he turned another vampire into a pile of dust.



"We can't just leave them." Buffy grunted, as she threw another vamp over her head.



"We have to. We're no use to them de. . ." Spike let out a scream and dropped to his knees as his sire's voice filled his head.



"Come for her. I'm dead."



"NOOOOOO!" Spike growled as he jumped up, destroying any vampire entering his path.



"Spike. A little help." Buffy said, trying to fight off five of them.



As quickly as she said it, they were gone and Spike was grabbing her wrist, dragging her towards the center of the house.



****





Buffy just stared at the scene before her. Angel was being thrown into every wall in the room, and Cordy was lying in the middle of the floor. Unconscious and bleeding.



She ran over to Cordy, carefully picking the girl up. Spike went to help Angel, stopping when his sire's eyes bore into him.



"No," he said," I'm already dead." Echoing Spike's own words to him. Spike turned, taking Cordy from Buffy.



"Let's go."



"But, Angel." Buffy started.



Spike turned to her, tears glistening in his eyes. "NOW!"



With that, they made a hast retreat.





EPILOGUE



Cordelia slowly opened her eyes, hissing at the pain on her neck. She looked around the room. Everyone was there except one person. She sat up slowly, saw Spike sitting with his head in his hands. Buffy was quietly rubbing his back, her head laying on his shoulder.



"Where's Angel?" She croaked. No one answered her or even looked up. "Where's Angel." She tried again, more insistently.



Spike looked up, tears pouring down his face.



Cordy slowly shook her head as realization sank in. "No." she said quietly.



Spike's face contorted with grief, and he dropped his head back down.



Cordy looked at everyone's stony faces.



"NOOOOOOO!" She screamed into the night.





















TBC~~~But only if you're nice.