Author: Idnac
E-mail: idnac@hotmail.com
Rating: G
Summary: Angel has an opportunity to get his soul back, but there is the inevitable loop hole.
Disclaimer: Not mine, I wish! If they were mine I'd get my 'ships, not to mention Angel and Xander in much leather. Mmm-Hmm.
Two days later Angel stared down at Cordelia through the dark cover of his welders mask as he sat perched atop the brand new cage they had installed, well, Angel installed, though Cordy did hand him the tools.
"Done," he said climbing down.
"Good, I just got off the phone, Geeana said she was performing the spell just after nightfall."
"We'll be ready," he said standing back to look at his handy work.
A large, black, rod iron cage stood bolted into one white brick wall, the stark contrast, as Cordy had said, made it not only useful but designer chic as well, Angel just smiled and continued working.
Together they brought in the only addition to the cage. A double air mattress carried in and plopped in a corner, both knew the less the better, Angelus could manipulate nearly anything as a weapon or escape device.
"Well, what do you think?" Angel said turning to Cordy.
"Why are you asking me, you gotta live here, maybe I could get you a nice hamster wheel," she replied giving him a teasing smile.
"Smart ass."
"I know," she sighed, "well, enjoy."
She made her way out of the enclosure and slammed the door, securing it with the heavy-duty, thick lock Angel had spent an hour picking out.
With nothing better to do Cordy sat on the couch and began leafing through a magazine, stopping every once in a while glance at Angel as he did exactly as she knew he would, he paced.
Three magazines and two Iced Teas later Cordy's head shot up at the excruciating cry coming from the cage. Angel dropped to his knees and he yelled as if all his internal organs were being ripped out of him. With fear in her eyes she could do nothing but sit, staring, helpless.
The cries of pain continued for another ten minutes as Angel writhed on the ground over and over until finally he just lay motionless on the hardwood floor.
Silence held the room.
"Angel?" Cordelia asked in a frightened voice as her heart pounded in her chest.
Standing on shaky legs she made her way over and stared through the bars, linking her fingers around the rod iron. Slowly, her eyes fell over his still form.
"Angel?" she whispered.
Suddenly a strong hand shot out through the enclosure and grabbed Cordy's ankle, startling her. With one quick tug she crashed to the floor. Staring up at the ceiling she heard laughter fill the room and her vision drifted in front of her
to see a smiling Angelus looking down.
"Well, hello, pretty."
"Ow." she muttered loudly to make her point as she stood.
"Sorry about that, I like to announce my arrival in anyway I can."
"Whatever," she said rubbing the back of her head.
"Well, well, well, look at you, Miss Cordelia Chase. Mmm, you're a nice one. Why don't you let me out, you and me, we can have some real fun, you know." he said, his eyes raking over her.
After a moments hesitation Cordelia turned away embarrassed, not at his comment but at her traitorous body.
"Ah, come on, why are you walking away?" He yelled as he glided his fingers along the bars while walking the cage.
"Just go to sleep," Cordy muttered, reaching up again to rub her head as she walked to her bedroom, leaving the door open in case something happened during the night.
"Aww, no fun? Don't worry, it'll happen, I have three days, it *will* happen," he called as she disappeared inside the darkened room.
The night passed slowly, Angelus roamed his cage like an animal, even though he was glad that he was back he was incredibly frustrated. Angel and Cordy had done an excellent job of making sure there was nothing that could be remotely useful anywhere near the cage, but that was just his first problem.
The predicament that had Angelus roaming the floors was Cordelia. The aroma of young blood and unwanted lust teased him as his vampiric senses easily picked up the scent wafting out from her bedroom's open door.
He felt his fangs emerge unabated while he decided what he would like to do first, bite her, sipping her blood like fine wine or take her. His thoughts surprised him, he hadn't wanted to do this in so long, not since he had first been turned and everything was so new. She made him feel like this and even
though he never wanted to admit it, she made Angel feel like this too.
Except that disgrace to darkness never acted on it, Angelus thought smiling, but she'll be mine. I'm gonna get out of this cage, I'm gonna kill that bitch Geeana and I'll make Cordelia Chase mine. That gypsy wench is powerful though, hell, even if I don't kill the bitch in time I'll make sure to use his little Cordy up so bad that even if he ever gets this body back she'll cower at the thought of him coming near her.
He let out a laugh at the thoughts running through his head as lay on the air mattress staring up at the open iron ceiling. He closed his eyes and pictured the torment Angel would go through until he once again caught scent of Cordelia. Growling in frustration he got up and began hitting the rod iron, it was going to be a long night.
