*~*~*

The phone rang again. Cordelia felt hot tears run down her cheek and soak into the gag around her face. She stared at the wall, not even wanting to look at the face of her best friend, her love, distorted into pure evil. The night before just played over and over in her head. His gentleness of the night made the harshness of today's actions all the more brutal.

Angelus sat on her sofa watching her stare at the wall in amusement. She glanced at him once in a while, but that only made her cry even more, and he was ok with that. He looked down the length of her naked body. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet were tied as well. A cord connected her hands and her feet, pulling her into a very taunt, very sexy position, and making it impossible for her to turn so he couldn't get the full view. There were a few bruises and red marks from resisting. He had plans to add more.

The phone stopped ringing. Cordelia wondered who it was. Probably Wesley. She hoped they didn't come over. Her head ached from the vision. Her mind screamed for her to get it out and do something about it. Every few minutes her vision would replay causing more pain and taking her away from her thoughts of Angel and last night, where she retreated.

Angelus getting up made her eyes travel to him suddenly. Her forehead crinkled in pain. Angelus kneeled down next to her and smoothed his cool hands over her head. Cordelia shut her eyes and flinched. He chuckled.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Cordelia." She looked at him in disbelief. He continued to run cool fingers over her head, soothing her headache. "You and your friends have misunderstood a lot about me. I am evil, that's true. I do kill and hurt people and I don't particularly care one way or another about it. But I wouldn't hurt you. You're my prize. My trophy for putting up with your friends' senseless shit. You are what I get to keep. And I plan to keep you. Because I love you. Strange as it is, I do. Of course, me loving you would be a lot easier for you if I still had my soul. Now you have to deal with my love...and all the brutality that goes with it." He ran a finger down her collarbone and over her breast making her whimper and making her nipple harden. "Something tells me you'll enjoy that, in time. After your broken."

She bit her lip and kept her moan silent. She had to get out of here, and fast. But as each minute ticked by, her fate was clear.

*~*~*

Gunn strolled into the Hyperian. "Anybody home?" he called.

Wesley emerged from his office with a sour look on his face. "I can't reach Cordelia or Angel. He took her home last night and neither of them have checked in since then."

Gunn frowned. "So what are we waiting for? Let's try her place."

*~*~*

Angelus sat her up and licked at her neck, his vampire face apparent. "You taste so sweet." He smiled as she whimpered behind the gag. "Maybe... just a taste...." He licked at her skin again before slowly sliding his fangs into her neck. She screamed behind the gag and started to cry. But he pulled back after a moment. "Mmm." He licked his lips. "Can't take too much." His hand began to caress her breast. "All that hot, fresh blood kinda makes a man..." He chuckled. "Well, you know."

Her eyes had gone blank. She was staring at nothing and hardly made a noise.

He scowled. "Don't you dare leave." He slapped her, but she didn't react. "Come back you bitch!"

*~*~*

Gunn pulled his truck up. "There's Angel's car. Maybe they just slept in."

"Together?" Wesley raised an eyebrow.

Gunn shrugged. "Why not? They're hot for each other. Always have been."

"Angel and Cordelia? Are you mad?"

"No...and I'm also not blind. English, you mean to tell me all the time we hang with them and you haven't notice them with the puppy eyes and the stolen looks shit?"

Wesley shook his head.

"I think you need a new set of glasses to clean." Gunn smirked.

Wesley and Gunn got out of Gunn's truck and headed for the apartment.

**~**

Angelus looked toward the door and knew they were coming before they even managed to knock. He looked at Cordelia, currently catatonic, and hauled her into the bathroom. He turned the shower on and left her lying on the floor.

"I'll be back, darling." He smiled at the mocking tone he used and closed the door.

He looked down at his boxers and shrugged, going to the door at the second, more frantic, knock.

Wesley and Gunn seemed relieved when he opened the door, careful not to let the sun hit him. It almost made him smile in a telling way.

"Oh I'm glad to see you! Come in!" He ushered them in, looking worried.

"Angel, what's wrong?"

"Yeah, what's up, Angel?"

"Cordelia and I were woke up by the phone and when she got up to get it, she had a vision. After I got the information from her, I couldn't get a hold of you two." He looked relieved to be telling them.

"Where is she now?"

"She's really suffering from these headaches. She's taking a shower."

Gunn looked him up and down. "So you...and she..." He left the sentence dangling hoping Angel would fill in the gaps.

"What? No. No, I was helping her in the shower and I got my clothes wet. They're drying now. Ok, there is a demon in the sewers. It's getting out and killing people. When Cordy got her vision she saw it about to come out over near St. Peters Catholic School."

"St. Peters? That's all the way across town!"

"Yeah, I know. So you better hurry!"

"What kind of demon is it?"

"She just said slimy. I couldn't get more."

"What about you, man?"

"Daylight. Besides, I should stay to take care of Cordelia."

Suddenly something slammed against the bathroom door.

"What was that?" Wesley started for the shower.

"Nothing." Angelus stepped in front of him. "I'll get her. You save all those innocent kids!"

"Wesley, man, he's right. Let's go."

Wesley narrowed his eyes briefly and nodded. "Right then." He turned to the door. "We'll be back."

As the door closed behind them, Angelus smiled and opened up the bathroom door. Cordelia's catatonia had obliviated and she was thrashing around on the floor, struggling to loosen her bonds. He laughed. "You really think that someone's going to help you?" He pulled her up against him. "You're all mine."

Her eyes widened and almost smiled. Angelus furrowed his brow. "What?" He turned into the blunt end of a crossbow and passed out.

Wesley scowled down at him. "Told you we'd be back." He handed the bow to Gunn and quickly untied a shaky Cordelia who clung to him tightly. "It's alright," he assured her. "We're here." He grabbed a robe and wrapped it around her before carrying her into the living room and setting her on the couch. "Are you alright?"

She nodded a little and swallowed. "Get him tied up. Hurry."

Wesley nodded and went to help Gunn.

*~*~*

Tied to the bed and held in by a trap of spring-loaded crossbows, Angelus awoke with a growl and stayed where he was.

Cordelia sipped her water gently and rubbed her head. She'd showered and bandaged the bite mark on her neck. "We have to bring him back."

Wesley looked down. "What happened?"

She couldn't face them. "We... made love."

He took a deep breath. "I won't judge you, Cordelia. You knew the consequences of those actions though. Why risk it?"

"Angel... he wanted to take the visions. And I love him..."

Gunn furrowed his brow. "So doing the horizontal mambo was the first thing that popped into your head?" He shook his head.

Cordelia didn't even react.

"Hey! Cordelia, baby! Come here and let me fuck you raw! You know you want it!" Angelus chuckled as he yelled at her from the next room. That Cordelia reacted too. She threw the plastic cup of water and stood up, grabbing a stake that was lying beside her. She had murder in her eyes.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Gunn nodded approvingly and started to follow her. Wesley stepped in front of her, his hands up.

"Cordelia. Don't let him get to you."

"Come on baby! I've got a seat reserved just for you! Come sit on me!" Angelus chuckled again. Cordelia's body was ridged but she looked right at Wesley and nodded her head slowly, deliberately. Gunn shook his head.

"Hey, Delia? Want me to take care of it?"

"Gunn, don't encourage her. She's just angry. She'll regret it later. Now, lets figure out a way to get his soul back."

"We could call Willow and ask her what we need for a soul restoration."

Wesley nodded. "I'll take care of that." He walked to Cordelia's phone and made the phone call.

"I love you, Cordelia, darling." Angelus mocked from the bedroom.

She hung her head and began to cry softly. Her tears made him laugh, as if he knew she was shedding them. Cordelia looked up, her eyes widening as the vision hit her, hard. She grabbed her head and lunged forward.

Gunn grabbed her around the waist to steady her and led her to a chair. "What is it? What do you see?"

*~*~*

Wesley hung up the phone after talking with Willow and getting the spell from her. She had offered to come up, but he assured her that now was not the time. He read over the spell and sighed. Was he really doing the right thing? Was this really going to keep Angelus out of their lives for good?

He knew that answer. And the answer was no. Angelus would always be a part of their lives. He would always be there, taunting and killing and torturing Angel's mind at least. And he couldn't stand to see the pain in Cordelia's eyes. Her love for him was genuine. And she was willing to sacrifice her life to share a moment of passion with him.

Wesley removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Finding the orb might be a problem.

*~*~*

Angelus tried to listen in. But the hushed voices had moved farther away. Damn that fucking watcher, messing up his plans. Cordelia was his. Body and soul. Especially body. He smiled at the thought of her blood and how sweet she had tasted.

*~*~*

Gunn handed Cordelia some pain pills. "Tell me what you saw."

"A man surrounded by smoke...he breaths in the smoke...and the guy...oh my God...he's killing his family!" She looked up at Gunn. "We got to go help them!"

"English! Let's go!"

Wesley came in looking confused. Cordelia repeated her vision for him, grabbing some pain pills and swallowing them down quickly.

Wesley furrows his brow. "Mahara's Mist," he whispered.

"Ma-who's what?" Gunn said, looking confused.

"Mahara's Mist." Wesley looked kind of excited. "Once while reading on ways to keep Angelus in check I read about Mahara's Mist. It's a mystical force that removes the soul if breathed in. It was my theory that for Angel, it would restore his soul while he was Angelus. Not only restore it, but also restore it for good. When we perform these spells to reattach his soul we are replacing his curse. This would be independent of the curse, and so would likely return his soul for good."

"Well then lets get going."

"Quickly!" Cordelia sat down, her head pounding. "I'll watch Angelus."

Wesley frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Wesley, get out of here...now!"

Wesley looked at her a moment and then nodded and lead the way out, Gunn in tow.

*~*~*

Cordelia sat on the couch and turned on the TV, curling up tight.

"Cordelia, my love!" Angelus hollered.

She swallowed and shut her eyes tightly.

He continued. "Baby, I'm sorry! Let me make it up to you? How about eternal life. Together with me. Never having to worry about anything every again."

She uncoiled herself slowly and stood, his words oddly enticing.

*~*~*

Gunn ducked as Wesley swung his axe and chopped into the cord that held up a chandelier. It crashed down onto the soulless man, successfully knocking him out. As the smoke started to move from him, it entered the box that Wesley had picked up along the way. Both men looked at each other, catching their breath.

"We got it." Gunn smiled.

"Now pray that we're not too late."

*~*~*

She was standing in the doorway of the bedroom, watching him.

He smiled to her. "You are so damn hot." His face was tender. "I want to be able to look at you for eternity."

She swallowed. "You do?"

"Yes. I wasn't lying when I told you that I love you."

She stepped closer. "I love you too."

He turned a little. "Just untie me and we can spend forever together."

Cordelia walked to him slowly, moving around the crossbows that were rigged around the room, aimed at Angelus.

"If I let you go...what do you plan to do?"

Angelus lay flat again and looked up at her, his eyes searching her face. "First I'll knock you down to the ground and fuck you into the floor and while I'm making your body sing I'll drain you of all your blood. After that you have a choice...drink, or not. But if you do, I promise you, you'll be mine...forever."

Cordelia swallowed and a hand reached out slowly to undo the ties that bound Angelus. "Forever?"

"Oh yeah, baby. Forever."

Cordelia rested her hand on the rope that held him. She thought about all the times she'd been alone. Now was her chance to have the man she loved, forever. And not only that, but there would be no repercussions to him being Angelus, because she wouldn't have a soul either. Maybe this was the only way she'd ever be able to have him.

Angelus rolled his eyes but stayed very still. He knew she was having a hard time making up her mind. Typical of women. Offer them forever and they ask if you can wait a moment. But he'd wait. Not only would he now be free, but he'd have his girl on his arm, on his terms. He'd wait for that.

He was rewarded when he felt his binds slip off as Cordelia untied him. Angelus sat up quickly, facing Cordelia. Suddenly there was a thwap! Cordelia's eyes went wide as she lunged forward and fell onto Angelus, an arrow imbedded deeply in her back.

"No!" Angelus moved off of the bed and helped her away from the crossbows, careful of the others. Cordelia made a choked sound, and blood started to coat her mouth. Angelus looked at her a moment and then decided. "I'm not letting you leave me!" His change came quickly and he took little pleasure in the blood he drank quickly, his purpose was to turn her as quickly as possible. When the time came for her to drink from him, she didn't hesitate even a little bit. He yanked the arrow out of her, making her cry out, but he knew that his blood would heal her.

He looked outside at the dimming light and hoped it would get dark before tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum came back.

**~**

Wesley carried the box in gingerly.

"Man I'm telling you, we shouldn't be bringing this here."

"We need it. I think it will make Angelus, Angel...for good."

"What about Cordy? What if this shit gets loose?"

"We hold our breaths."

"Great."

Wesley looked around and frowned at the quiet of the apartment. "Cordelia?"

Gunn frowned and started for the back room. "NO!"

Wesley ran up behind him to see a crossbow had been discharged, there was blood on the floor, no Angelus, and no Cordelia.

"Oh dear Lord."

**~**

Angelus dusted the dirt off of his hands and leaned on the shovel. She was buried. She would make a suitable replacement for Darla. Not as commanding. And she wasn't as loony as Dru, not as rebellious as Spike. A little mouthy though, but in time that would change.

*~*~*

Wesley paced in the hotel lobby, the box sitting on the floor nearby. He'd had Gunn do a sweep but hadn't heard any good news yet. He was at least thankful that there was no body. Cordelia could still be alive.

He stopped pacing abruptly as Fred walked in with a bag from the local Mexican restaurant. "You hungry, Wesley?" She set the bag down and looked at the box. "What's that?"

He swallowed. "Have you seen Cordelia around?"

She shook her head. "Not since earlier. Why?"

"Angelus has returned."

Fred furrowed her brow. "So we take care of it. Nothing to get your briefs in a bundle over." She smiled. "Don't worry."

*~*~*

Close to sunset, Angelus smiled as the ground stirred and Cordelia's hand shot up through the ground. He grabbed on and helped pull her out. Her eyes were wide and searching. "Angelus?"

He smiled. "Right here, baby."

She smiled and vamped. "Better than chocolate."

**~**

Fred looked at the box that Wesley was guarding. She wondered what was inside, and Wesley wasn't giving her any hints. She sighed.

"What's wrong, Fred?"

"I'm afraid of the dark."

Wesley frowned. "But the lights are on."

"But I'm in the dark."

"Fred, the lights are on."

"She means's she doesn't understand, Wes." Gunn piped up as he walked in. Fred nodded with a smile.

"What did you find?"

"Not a thing. It's like they disappeared off of the face of the Earth!"

"Not quite."

Everyone turned when they heard Angelus' voice. Fred frowned and stood up. Wesley and Gunn each grabbed a crossbow and brought them up, aiming them at a smiling Angelus. Then Cordelia stepped in and in front of him.

"No."

"Cordelia!" Wesley sounded relieved. "Come here."

Cordelia looked up at Angelus and then started toward the guys and Fred. They kept their crossbows trained on Angelus. Cordelia nearly got to them when Gunn noticed a small drop of blood on the corner of her mouth. His crossbow went directly to her heart. Her eyes widened.

"Gunn?"

"Get the fuck back, before I dust you."

"Gunn!" Wesley admonished. "What the hell are you doing?"

"He turned her."

Wesley's eyes widened in shock. "No."

"Yes." Cordelia smiled. "But he did it to save my life. An arrow in the back hurts like hell, you know."

Wesley's crossbow lowered and finally he put it down. Angelus smiled when he saw the defeat in Wesley's eyes. Wesley went to the bar and grabbed the white box.

"Everyone hold your breath." He opened the box.

The smoke began to billow upwards, almost forming a snake-like creature. Everyone watched in awe as the serpent like cloud began to almost slither towards Cordelia. She vamped and hissed at it. Its response was invading her first. Her amber eyes widened and she growled as it tore through her. When it was finished, she collapsed to the floor.

Angelus turned for the door but it reached him too, tearing through him like it had Cordelia until he too collapsed to the floor.

Wesley stared in awe as the serpent like image looked to the three remaining people. It seemed to examine each one briefly before retreating back into the box, shutting it.

*~*~*

When Cordelia awoke, she was in Angel's bed. He was next to her, eyes open, caressing her face. When he saw her eyes he frowned. "I'm so sorry."

She paused to think of what he meant when it all came back to her. "Hey, I asked you to." She paused. "My soul... I still have it?"

"The smoke that Wes and Gunn found. It gave us back our souls." He grinned a little. "For good."

She smiled. "Forever." Leaning in, she closed her eyes and kissed him softly. He returned the gesture, slipping his tongue into it and pulled her closer.

"Oh my!"

Angel and Cordy both turned to see Fred standing in the doorway, her hand over her mouth.

Cordelia could smell the girl's blood pumping through her body. It was like she could see each vein close to the skin and hear the heart that pumped that delicious blood through Fred's body.

Angel put a hand on her arm and she tore her eyes away from Fred and looked at Angel with an anguished look.

"It'll get better. I promise."

**~**

Cordelia walked into the lobby wearing a clinging pink skirt a matching tank top and a billowy orange shirt tucked in around the waist, showing off her trim figure. Her tan sandals clanked with every step.

"Come on, Angel."

"No."

Gunn and Wesley looked up to see Cordelia and looked for Angel, but couldn't see him. Cordelia stopped and turned, her hands on her hips.

"Angel. Come here."

"I don't want to."

"Angel, being a vampire is no excuse for bad fashion, now come here."

Wesley and Gunn smiled in amusement and waited for Angel to emerge.

Angel grumbled as he walked out into the line of sight of the guys. Gunn laughed aloud, not at the bright pink shirt and black tie that Angel was wearing to match Cordelia's skirt, but at the look of embarrassment on his face. Wesley grinned.

"I feel stupid."

"You look great." Cordelia smiled. Angel smiled at her. It was nice to see her smiling at him. He walked over and kissed her gently.

The guys looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. It was hard to get used to Cordelia being a vampire. It was hard to get used to the two of them together. But Cordelia never seemed happier and her visions were easier for her to handle. Being a demon did have some advantages.

"You look bright." Fred quipped from the entrance of the lobby.

Angel looked at her with a grimace that made her giggle.

"You'll get used to it." Cordelia said cryptically as she went to her desk.

"The hell I will."

Gunn and Wesley broke into laughter making Angel glare at their backs.

"Good luck, Cordelia. Some things never change. Classic Coke will always be better than New Coke, the sun will always rise in the East and set in the West, and Angel will always wear black." Gunn smiled.

Fred giggled. Cordelia smirked. Angel glared. Wesley and Gunn laughed again, making everyone start to laugh. Even Angel chuckled a little.

Angel looked at his little group. The hoped things never did change. His eyes met Cordelia's and they shared a private look.

Ever.