Cordelia was b-o-r-e-d. Bored!! How long was she supposed to stay in this tiny office. There wasn't even snack food in here, or a good book! There was some French book that looked old and well-French. So that was out. She stuck her fingers through the venetian blinds and opened them a small crack to peep out. Who was this woman and why was Angel in such a funk over her?

I need details!!! Cordelia's mind screamed. Angel's back was to the door but she could see the woman's face clearly. It was heart shaped and deathly pale. Her hair was a shimmering bronze that hung straight to the middle of her back. She was dressed in a dark yellow, form fitting turtle neck and black hip huggers. "Looks like a bumble bee." Cordelia snipped with annoyance and just a tad of jealously: too which she'd never admit of course. Maybe she could read her lips. Cordy concentrated but the only words she could make out were"I need your help."

"Figures" she huffed. "More closet time for the hired hands, I suppose."

She glanced around the office, her gaze landing on the phone. "Wesley." She squealed.

"Hello?" a stuffy, unmistakable British voice answered.

"Wesley! Your home! Listen."

"Who is this please?" Cordelia stared at the phone a moment. Rude and polite at the same time. Good ole' dorky Wesley. He had joined their small private eye business a couple of months ago. His presence had helped to fill the void after Doyle's passing.

But we won't go there. She told herself.

"Cordelia." She answered.

"Oh. Hello Cord.."

"Yeah ,yeah ,yeah, listen. There's this girl here. She's a fellow vamp. Offly chummy with Angel. I'm holed up in the office and there in the outer room talking..and talking."

"What' her name?"

"I'm guessing that this is Claire. Do you know who she is?"

"Claire and Gwain? Is there a man with her?"

"Angel!"

"No, another man."

"No. why? Spill it Wesley."

"There are only three recorded vampires named Claire that I know of. One was a Massachusetts Bay pilgrim who died when the slayer Samantha killed her during the witch trials. The second is reportedly in Asia, and the third is paired up with an insane vampire named Gwain who was sired by Darla."

Cordelia made an eww face. "So that would make him Angel's brother."

"Well, of sorts. Yes."

"So this would be his sister-in-law. There a lot cozier than that, Wes."

Wesley sneezed. "Oh I do beg your pardon."

"Whatever. Just what we need. A vampire family reunion free with our very own lover's triangle!"

"Do you know any of this for fact Cordelia?"

"I have eyes Wesley! I can see." Oh no! Cordelia felt the blinding pain a moment before her body collapsed to the ground.

"Cordelia?!" a tinny voice spoke from the phone into the room. "Cordelia!?"

Angel heard the thud and turned. He headed toward the room. Cordelia was on the floor, both hands on her head, eyes squinted shut.

"Cordelia!" an alarmed voice was squawking through the receiver.

Angel unceremoniously plunked the phone on it's holder. Then bent down to help Cordelia.

"Cordy?" he whispered.

She slowly opened her eyes. They looked past him and locked onto Claire. "She's not alone. There's another named..named. Gwen, Gwin, Juan?"

"Gwain?"

She nodded, winced at the motion. "Gwain. He's after her."

"Can you tell me more about this Gwain?" Angel asked as Claire settled onto the couch in his office. Cordelia stayed put. No one had specifically asked her to leave so it wasn't technically eavesdropping. Besides, she told her self, if I'm an employee and she's a potential case, then technically, I do need to be here.

"Um, I have a question" Cordelia said sharply, glaring at the lady vamp.

"Why did you attack Angel this morning at the park?"

Claire raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Angel put himself between the two women. "Cordelia sees visions. She had one this morning saying that Claire would be at the park and was in trouble. I got there and a bunch of vampires attacked me."

Claire shook her head innocently. "I was on my way to see you. I had managed to sneak away from Gwain but he caught up with me. I fought off his goons and made my way here but I was never at any park.. I would never hurt you Liam." Her eyes were moist, and her lip was starting to tremble.

Oh Please! Cordelia groaned silently. He is so Not going to fall for that.

Her eyes widened in dismay as Angel sat on the couch and put his arm around Claire. "We'll help you."

Cordelia snorted in disgust when Claire leaned her head against his shoulder.

Wesley entered the office with crucifix at the ready. The outer office was empty but he could hear voices from inside Angel's office. Shadows moved inside. Three occupants, Wesley assumed the third was Claire. The ex- watcher and current Rogue Demon Hunter had done some checking up on her before coming over. She'd had quite a colorful past, most of which, Wesley doubted Angel had been told about. Stepping down the few steps from the door into the outer office, Wesley pushed his glasses unconsciously up on his face. When, he wondered, had it become a practice to associate with vampires? Angel was a special case but what about Spike? Harmony? And now Claire? Were they to dispatch of Gwain and not Claire? Or allow both to live? Whatever the reason for Claire's sudden appearance, the fact that she was not yet a dust pile seemed to indicate she would stay that way. He quieted his troubled thoughts as the inner office door opened.

Cordelia peeked out then made a bee-line for him, pulling him back out the door into the hallway.

"This is un-real!" she huffed. "Little miss un-dead has Angel wrapped around her little finger and she's only been here an hour! Apparantly, they go way-back to Angel's less-grrr days"

Wesley chewed his lip softly. "What does she want?"

Cordelia crossed her arms and cocked her hip, huffing indignantly. "She wants Angel to 'save her'" Cordelia faked a falsetto voice, clutching her hands to her heart. "from her nasty toothed boyfriend" The last part ending a bit waspish.

"So, we're dusting Gwain but not her." Cordelia added.

Both jumped in surprise as the door opened. Angel stood there looking none too pleased. "Are you two done talking about Claire behind her back or would you like a few more minutes." Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Um, "Wesley began "Excuse me Angel, but it does seem to me that as Claire is a vampire."

But Angel just glared at him. "She needs our help."

"Dusting her vampire boyfriend!" Cordelia said with great exasperation.

Angel faltered at that for a moment then stubbornly continued. "She needs help because he is terrorizing her."

Cordelia smacked herself lightly on the forehead, struggling for kinder words then were coming to mind.

"That.that's what they..that's what vampires do Angel!!"

Angel shook his head. "Not Claire. She doesn't want any part of it. But it's Gwain."

"Are you daft man?" Wesley interjected. "I do apologize Angel but Cordelia is right. We can't in good conscious help one vampire to dust another then let her go free."

"Liam?" a voice called from the inner office. Wesley and Cordelia kept their eyes on him.

"She needs help and I'm going to help her."

"How exactly?" Wesley countered.

"I.don't know. exactly." Angel stalled. "But we'll figure something out."

Claire came out of the office. "Liam?"

Angel gave his two employees a warning glance before turning around. "Claire, This is Wesley and Cordelia. They work for me."

Claire barely even glanced at them. "But there..humans." She scoffed.

"And you're not." Cordelia said pointedly.

At that, Claire gave a feral growl that belied her beautiful appearance. But she wasn't rewarded with the unusual scent of fear. The two remained unimpressed.

"Right then." Wesley said to Angel. "My point has been made."

Claire gazed at Angel with her most alluring smile. She moved in closer and put a cold, pale but well manicured hand on his chest. "Liam, maybe we should talk some more in your office." She said quietly.

Acting more like a fool in love then Cordelia had ever seen him, even with Buffy, Angel followed Claire back into the office. That left two very confused and annoyed "humans" alone with their fears.

"Let's go" Cordelia said curtly, taking only enough steps into the room to retrieve her purse. Wesley could think of nothing to do but follow.

"Do you think Angel feels guilty? That's his whole perspective's been thrown off because he caused her making?" Cordelia asked. The L.A. heat was stifling and she stopped to grab her long thick chestnut hair, twisting it and wrapping it into a bun. It never occurred to her how odd it was that she could perform such a routine motion while simultaneously talking over a soul-laden vampire's love life like it was nothing new. Wesley's reply was halted by a petite young woman dashing out from an alleyway into their path. Grabbing Cordelia's hand with surprising strength, the girl pulled her back into the alley.

"Hey! What are you.." Cordelia protested by her ire dissipated as the girl locked her blue orbs onto Cordy's. There was something so odd about those eyes, they had no..that thought also quickly vanished, rendering Cordy mute.

"Unhand her!" Wesley demanded, lunging toward their surprise attacker. But the girl had an iron grip on Cordy's wrist. With another quick but hard glare at Cordy, she began pulling her down the alleyway. To Wesley's great surprise, Cordelia allowed herself to be directed to a doorway.

Once more, Wesley reached out to pull the elfin girl away but she merely glared at him. Those eyes, Wesley noticed platonically. No iris, just solid midnight blue. As her eyes bored into his, Wesley felt his body go numb. Deep blue swirled all around him; the sound of rushing water filled his ears as if he was drowning in the ocean. Down he sank, down, ever downward, deep blue was all he could see not matter which way he turned inside his mind. Saying nothing, the girl continued to stare. Only when the man had fallen limply to the ground, did the girl break her contact. Then she proceeded to lead Cordelia through a series of passageways that led deep into the underground where no light reached.
Dust and damp was all a vampire could get these says it seemed. Gwain spat in disgust. Where were the good ole days where they had lived liked the kings rampaging through Europe? Hehad doubts about Claire's little plan. He needed to make sure Angel had the proper incentive, in case Claire forgot which team she was on. An old lover might make her question her true loyalties. He hoped Angelus would staye clear-headed.

"Aaah, so you've brought her already. That was quick."

The blonde bowed and gave Cordelia a soft nudge forward.

"Still under your.ahh..unique.effects I see." Gwain rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Excellent! How long will she stay this way?"

The blonde shrugged, looking deeply into Gwain's eyes. He pouted a bit. "Don't do that to me. I don't like it"

The blonde looked away. "For days unless I wish it other" The blonde whispered harshly. Her tone was soft but her vocal chords were unaccustomed to making sounds. Telepathy was much easier and more effective.

"Well, I wish it other." Gwain said succinctly, his tone ice. "So undo it."

Giving him a sullen glance that needed no telepathy to interpret, the blonde turned Cordelia around and gazed into her eyes.

"Good, good. Now leave us." Gwain said abruptly.