AU: I wrote this a year ago and decided that I better work on it with a few changes so here it is again. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: The normal ones... Angel show and all characters not mine... Cordy's "true" character is from Laurell K. Hamilton's book... only own my new character, Cordy's cousin.
SUMMARY: This story will take place EXACTLY after the episode where Faith and Willow left... "Orpheus," I believe. At the beginning of this story, Cordy's true self is revealed to the gang in a cruel twist of fate and a newcomer enters the scene in a burst of flames. There is a strange connection between this newcomer and Connor that slowly reveals itself throughout the story. The story takes a strange turn in the weirdest places and it goes on....(I hope).
A Taste of Moonlight
Part One- You're Not Cordy
Angel's face scrunched up in shock and pain as he looked up at a vary pregnant Cordy. "How... who..." he stuttered. The hurt lay like an open book in his eyes.
Connor walked up to stand beside Cordy, letting a sly grin cross his face, "It was me... father. I will be a better father than you ever were... I'll never let anyone hurt them."
An evil sneer crept across Cordy's face, "Yes... Connor is my sweet baby's father. How fast it grows. You'll never get near me, Angel, so stop thinking about it."
The look in Angel's eyes became betrayed as two words hit home. "My Sweet was an unusual phrase for an evil master. You've been playing us for fools."
Her sneer turned into a smile and broadened.
It was Fred who spoke next. "What happened to you? Why are you doing this?" Her voice still rung with the slight Texan accent.
Cordy turned her gaze towards Fred and laughed. The laughter seemed to echo and a gasp escaped Fred's mouth as Cordy's eyes glazed over in white. "You'll never live to find out."
She started speaking softly, the feel of magic filled the room. Flecks of fire started to form in her outstretched hands. As they increased in size, they swirled together, forming a large orb of flames between her hands.
"Don't worry Angel," she laughed, "Your son will live to protect his family."
In the blink of an eye, her face became serious. Everything was replaced by a burning rage that matched the licking flames between her hands. "Goodbye Angel."
She pulled her arms closer to her and then pushed out with what seemed to be a large amount of force. None of the others could move as the air thickened with the power of the magic. The orb exploded above them, releasing the flames.
As if they had a mind of their own, the flames started to encircle the group while Cordy laughed. The laugh seemed cold and dead, it didn't sound like her own glorious, lively one.
Connor looked around him in shock as the fire avoided him, but then Fred let out a scream that was cut short as the fire engulfed them.
The room was silent but it was thick, thick enough to choke on, from the fire spell.
Suddenly, the fire rose above them and started to swirl back into an orb. Angel looked at himself and the others in amazement. None of them were dead... well, as dead as they could be. They didn't even have any burn marks.
Cordy's eyes narrowed in suspicion and confusion, "What did you do?"
Lorne looked at her, "Not a thing, baby doll."
A voice came from the door, rich with an Irish accent, "It was me." All eyes turned to the hotel entrance. Standing there, was a girl.
She looked about 5'8 and to be about Connor's age. Her skin was tanned and her eyes a dull green. The hair was a plain, light orange and her clothes were the only unique thing about her. Her pants were tight, blood red jeans, with bare feet, while her shirt was pitch black and shimmering.
The shirt was sleeveless with a low v-neck and it ended an inch above her bellybutton. Her hair had no shine or even any highlights but it did have a nice wave to it. She may have looked dull but she was still pretty.
Cordy's eyes widened in shock as her mouth opened, "You have very powerful glamour if you can hide your true self from me. How did you control my spell?"
The girl gave a half smile and raised her left hand up towards the flames. The orb had finally reformed and shot towards her.
Angel started to run towards her but Cordy stopped him with another spell. He hit an invisible wall that tinted red when he made contact.
Angel pounded it with his fists, "Alex! Get away from there! You'll get burned alive!"
Everyone looked at him in confusion. That is, all except Lorne.
Cordy finally realized who the girl was, as the fire absorbed into her hand. A grin spread across her's face, "The Hand of Fire... so that's how you ruined my spell. There is only one fey who has the power to conceal themselves from me and has the hand of fire. So, Princess, you've returned. How was your trip to see your friend?"
Alex, as Angel had revealed, looked at Cordy with a blank face, "It was cut short before I even arrived... but you would know all about that, wouldn't you? I believe it was your walking mountain that tried to kill me in order to stop my arrival."
Cordy's grin disappeared, "He said you were dead... should have done it myself."
"But my life would have cost you yours. My father left me a very special gift. It will kill anyone who physically kills me... but you already knew that. Father made sure of it and thanks to him, noone has dared challenge me to a duel. Why else would you send someone as dumb as a rock to do your dirty work."
Cordy looked like she was about to explode. Alex turned away from her and towards the others, "You guys okay?"
Gunn was the one who answered, "Yeah... uh, thanks. What are you?"
Alex smiled sweetly, "Tell you later... well, someone will."
"You little bitch! How dare you ignore me!" It was Cordy again.
Cordy raised her hands up to reveal a glowing dagger and she held her palms up with it resting lightly on top. Her whispers started to carry as an unnatural wind started to pick up.
It continued to speed up and strengthen until it was similar to a small tornado. The wind sent everyone flying into the air and hitting things. The only ones who remained standing were Cordy, Connor and Alex.
Alex started to walk towards Cordy, determination in her eyes, and a small ball of fire forming at her side within her left hand.
Connor charged towards her with the same look of determination. "I won't let you hurt Cordy!" he yelled over the howling wind.
Before she had a chance to respond, his fist went flying into her face. Alex was sent sprawling backwards only a few feet. He had surprised her and she had lost her concentration because of it. She stood up and all her well placed glamour was gone.
Connor looked on in amazement as her appearance changed before his eyes. Her skin began to glow like moonlight, her hair went ember in a wave like the ocean's, and most amazing, was her eyes.
They were no longer the dull green but a dazzling emerald with vibrant yellow and silver. Her hair flew around her face like a wild tiger attacking its prey. Alex glared at him through tri-coloured eyes. Only cats have eyes like that, in the 'normal' world.
"Why the hell would I hurt my own cousin!" she screamed back.
Connor looked at her in that cute, confused way, so Alex decided that it was best to take advantage of his confusion.
She grabbed a hold of the front of his shirt and threw him across the room. He landed on the couch and it collapsed underneath him. Alex looked at him sadly, replaced the fire in her left hand and turned around.
A wall of water slammed into her, sending her to her knees.
She slowly stood up, drenched and dripping. Anyone who knew about sidhe magic would know that she had difficulties creating fire when she was covered in water.
She walked towards Cordy, standing tall, proud and defiant. You could see the look in her eyes. It was the look of a predator.
Cordy's face changed and she looked scared. "Little cuz... it's me... Cordy. Can't you see?"
For a moment, Alex stood in front of her calmly and then, in the blink of an eye, her fist connected with Cordy's face, "You're not my cousin."
Cordy was on the ground as Alex walked over to her. She was only two steps away when Cordy was suddenly standing before her. Alex tried to jump back but it was too late.
Cordy's hand squizzed around her neck like a vise, "Remember my hand of power, Princess? I can just use magic to kill you."
A look of pure terror crossed Alex's face as she started to struggle.
"Cordy! What are you doing!" Connor yelled from the couch.
Their hair started to fly around wildly but the wind was gone. Cordy's eyes never left Alex's face, "We must protect our child, Connor. We're special."
Alex squeezed her eyes shut as tears slowly flowed down her face. Her hands frantically tried to tare Cordy's from her neck. As she did this, Cordy's hand started to glow a deep purple while her grin widened.
Alex's attempts became weaker and weaker, until she stopped struggling all together.
Cordy laughed but it was cut short when a beam of light came from out of nowhere and hit her arm. The two were sent flying in opposite directions.
Alex lay on her back as her breathing slowed. Cordy had been sent to the opposite side, but what stood up was no longer Cordy.
A different woman stood in front of them. She was definitely a sidhe, with her white and silvery grey hair, like spider webs. Her skin was a pale, dull white and her eyes were a dull grey, filmed over like blind eyes of a dead fish.
She wore black armour, like she always did. She still looked pregnant though. Where it had hit, the light remained.
"Cordy?" Lorne asked as he looked into the mix of purple, pink and blue light.
The real Cordy floated inside the light as she glared at the woman who had stolen her form, "I will not let you kill any of my friends. The Powers have finally granted me the permission to stop you from killing my cousin. Your power is pure evil and I will never let you hurt any of them while I can you."
The woman was encased in a glow of light. It imploded into itself and both the light and the women were gone.
Cordy turned to Connor, who was now sitting on the floor in shock. "I am truly sorry Connor. I never wanted any of you to be hurt. I love you like a son Connor.... like I love Angel as your father. That fake.... even though she has some good fashion sense... is evil and you must stop her from killing anyone. I only stopped her for now but she'll be back. Love you guys. Take care of Alex for me, she's your last hope."
With that, she moved towards Connor and touched his forehead. A glow seemed to go from her to him. She did the same with Alex and then she disappeared in a blinding light.
Everyone was stunned for a few seconds, then Angel ran over to Alex's body.
She was shaking uncontrollably as he held her in his arms. Wes walked over to them, "She's going into shock. We need to get her dry and warm, or she may die. Fred, go upstairs and get a room ready, Angel will follow you up there. Gunn, you and I shall make sure nothing more can happen down here. Lorne, help Fred."
None of them argued, and they started to walk off. Connor stood up, a look of hurt and anger mixed on his face, "What about me?"
They all stopped, turned around and looked at him. Wes opened his mouth but no words came out. It was Fred who answered him, "Well...."
She looked at him, then at Alex and back to him, "They may be baggy but your clothes would fit her the best. Could you find some clothes that she could wear?"
He only agreed because she had asked instead of demanded and he needed to get away. Connor rushed up the stairs without saying a thing.
The others looked at each other. "Can we go now?" Gunn asked.
Angel looked at him and then he looked at the girl limp in his arms, "Uh, bye." Before anyone could say a word, he was up the stairs.
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