A ‘Double or Nothing’ Bonus Fic
Angel obsesses about Cordelia and Angelus’ relationship
while observing far more than he should.
Getting caught presents him with a surprising invitation.
He will do whatever he must even if this opportunity
comes tangled up in red tape and explicit rules.

CONTENTS: A/C/Aus
RATING: NC-17
LENGTH: Short Story / 14,000 Words
CHALLENGE CREDIT: Scorch / Original story ‘Double or Nothing’
FICPIC CREDIT: Lysa
WARNINGS: Explicit Sexual Content, Voyeurism, Threesome

Breaking the Rules

Angelus’ relationship with Cordelia Chase grated on Angel’s nerves. Bad enough that his evil alter ego was rewarded with his own existence; the Fates’ intervention being the only way to avoid of the dangerous loophole in the gypsy curse binding him to his soul. Keeping Angelus in line and forestalling any nefarious plots had been his primary concerns, so he had ignored the seemingly casual flirtations with their favorite cheerleader. Cordy knew how dangerous Angelus could be, so it never registered that either of them would take those flirtations to another level. By seductive, manipulative means Angelus managed to win her over, and she let him get away with it.

There were plenty reasons to hate the idea. Angel blamed himself for the personal distractions that kept him from noticing that Cordy no longer rebuffed Angelus’ advances. Her abhorrence of vampires made it seem impossible even if the idea had occurred to him. It had taken rebar and an escape from hell for them to begin to know one another. She was surprisingly easy to listen to, and he often found himself saying far more than he should. He hadn’t even been aware of the depths of their multifaceted friendship until Angelus announced he planned to claim her as his own.

Deadly serious, he detailed his slow seduction, increasingly intimate encounters, and his need for her. Angelus had never truly needed anyone, not even Darla. He might obsess, but to say that he needed Cordelia felt surprising and spoke to something inside Angel that melted his resolve just enough to ruminate over it. By rights, she belonged to him, after all. Cordelia was his even if that ownership came through the platonic bonds of friendship. Why the hell did he even consider letting Angelus interfere with that?

A matter of principle, wrong on so many levels, the idea of Cordelia being with Angelus poked at something possessive inside him. He didn’t want to acknowledge it, and so he had let them take that final step. Cordy insisted it was none of his business. Vampiric first dibs wasn’t a real thing according to her. Free will dictated she deserved to choose her own lover, but—Angelus? Knowing both of them would defy his wishes and warnings on the matter, Angel figured he had no option except to provide the consent Angelus required. 

One night in Angelus’ bed might have been enough to shock Cordelia into changing her mind. No such luck. Living dangerously obviously held some appeal. He should have known the risks wouldn’t stop her when she wanted something. Having decided that she wanted Angelus, he knew it wasn’t just based on a whim. Angel had always been impressed—and occasionally overwhelmed— by her passionate spirit. Her schoolgirl crush made for some awkwardness right up to the point that she learned he was a vampire. Angel had felt relieved that her overt flirtations had stopped, but the sudden rejection still managed to stab like a stake that had left a nagging splinter behind.

Maybe that had been Cordelia’s excuse to accept that he was with someone else because it certainly wasn’t a lack of chemistry. She couldn’t hide her responses even when making an effort to keep her distance. This thing with Angelus had to be a remnant of that crush. His evil alter ego had the same face, the same body as he did; Angel thought he had it all worked out. Motives didn’t really matter. It was the fact that Cordelia imagined herself to be in love with Angelus. Love? Like hell. Infatuation he might believe. Few women could resist that seductive charm when Angelus decided that he wanted them, and he must have made quite an effort.

The stunningly beautiful Cordelia Chase had not been an easy target, so Angelus had told him when negotiating his rights to take her as a lover. Any relationship, platonic or otherwise, gave him the power to decide if Angelus could take his seduction of Cordelia any further than the kind of foreplay in which they had already indulged. He said no. Hell, no, he had said it more than once and in far less verbal ways involving his fists. The fact that Angelus took the beating only demonstrated the seriousness of his official request to claim possession of Cordelia.

Angelus’ evil behavior had been curbed by the mystic power the Fates used to create him, even though his instincts and needs remained intact. They had freed Angel from the darker side of himself, but in doing so had given Angelus his own existence. Ordered to get involved in the Slayer’s mission to protect the Hellmouth, Angelus made an impressive ally. Sometimes too impressive as if the effort was a ploy to get them off his back. Keeping tabs on him had become habitual, yet Angel had been too distracted by Buffy to put a stop to Angelus’ pursuit of Cordelia before things got too serious.

True, he had no trouble seeing Angelus’ many reasons for seducing her. Never in his wildest imaginings had he considered that Cordy would develop feelings for the bastard. Even if the sex was phenomenal, how could she give herself over to him so completely? Now it was easy to realize he had made a huge mistake by letting Angelus out of his sight at all. By the time he discovered their intentions, they were already far past the point of no return. Cordelia claimed to be in love with Angelus—beneath it all still a sociopathic killer once touted for having no humanity within him. 

Oddly, the vampire now openly displayed emotions and behavior his demon once eschewed. He had feelings for her, too, professing a love equal to her own. Angel reluctantly admitted they brought out the best in each other in ways that kept surprising him. He did not want to believe that any good could come of Cordelia giving herself to Angelus, and yet now their relationship seemed more complex and intimate than his and Buffy’s in ways that had nothing to do with sex, although there was certainly plenty of that. 

They enjoyed things that extended far beyond a busy patrol schedule, which had made Angel curious about how to improve his own relationship, but Buffy wasn’t impressed by anything that mimicked Angelus’ methods of romancing Cordelia. His efforts backfired, which meant spending less time with Buffy and more time back home where there was no way to avoid Cordelia and Angelus. Neither one of them could control their lust. It was all new to Cordy, an irresistible hunger for a lover she couldn’t wait to sate. Having demanded that they limit their lovemaking to the privacy of their own room, Angel had hoped the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ adage would work for him, but it was useless to expect their passion to be contained. It only took a tiny spark to set them off, and he was often around to witness it. 

Equally volatile, Angel’s once restrained attraction for Cordelia smoldered hotter each passing day. All it took was a look to feel the burn that threatened to consume them both if he let it. Seeing his brother—as Cordy insisted he refer to Angelus— touching her dredged up unbidden fantasies. By vampiric tradition, she essentially belonged to Angelus now. The claim was official, and so it was understood that Angel had to keep his hands to himself, something that he took quite literally just to stay sane.

Worse than having to experience their passion for each other with his own eyes, he had to live with Cordelia, too. She wasn’t just a part of his brother’s existence, a convenient lover that left after the sex was over. Angelus had moved her into the mansion permanently, and treated her as his mate. Cordy remained unaware of the unbreakable ties she was bound by, and clueless as to what becoming kindred to vampires entailed.

Irritatingly, she was under the impression that he had brotherly feelings toward her despite the obvious evidence to the contrary. Blind to it, Cordelia treated him with sisterly affection, plying Angel with casual hugs, and including him in her plans for family entertainment. She had even convinced Buffy they should all go out on a double date, which ended up exactly how Angel predicted—disastrously. Buffy still had it out for Angelus despite his do-gooding at the Fates’ command. She claimed Angelus didn’t deserve to live. Maybe she was right, but that was the deal even if she couldn’t process it. Angel knew she had issues with Cordelia and Angelus, too. Not for the same reason, he suspected, but enough to keep her at odds with both of them.

After Buffy nearly staked Angelus that night, Cordelia hadn’t suggested another double date, which relieved Angel because it was stressful enough to handle the three of them individually much less in public all at one time. Solitude and quiet introspection were things of the past thanks to curious questions, countless interruptions, and endless distractions. Most of the time he could ignore the little annoyances Cordelia caused. It wasn’t just a matter of getting used to a few inconveniences. A permanent fixture in Angelus’ existence, Cordy had also invaded his life with equal measures of endearment and irritation becoming ingrained there. Anything she did held his attention, and whenever those activities involved his brother, Angel found it all too easy to picture himself in his place.

Those two were perpetually locked at the lips. Anytime of day or night, anywhere, around any corner he found them caught up in sweet seductions, passionate clenches, in various states of undress, leaving him to try to scrub the vivid memories from his mind and tame his unwanted arousal. Angel could not forget what he had seen, nor did he really want to. For someone with a beautiful girlfriend of his own, overtly sexual fantasies starring Cordelia Chase came far too frequently.

Every day he found it more difficult to tune her out. His own vampiric abilities kept him keenly aware of Angelus and Cordelia’s lovemaking, and her natural enthusiasm for it. Kissing was the least intimate thing he had walked in on, accidentally at first, reluctantly. The initial shock wore off quickly. Discovering them in some passionate clinch now felt more like an opportunity than a mishap. Catching a glimpse of ecstasy on her beautiful face was worth the brooding self-derision Angel felt after his voyeuristic gambits.

Lost in their own little world they rarely noticed his observations. The passionate kisses they shared drew his gaze like a magnet. He imagined he was seeing a mirror image with Cordelia entwined in his arms, watching himself as he tasted her lips and caressed her flawless curves. Eager and responsive, the passion she put into those kisses stirred his needs, but they were not for him as they might have been at one time. When they first met, her schoolgirl crush had been distracting, and terrifying in a way because he did not know how to handle Cordelia. She stirred temptations he barely held in check—human desire and demonic lust. Hunger for things he could not have at a time his interests were supposed to be focused elsewhere. Now he felt it more acutely than ever. 

Scornful, he didn’t always stick around to see more. Yet, when he felt masochistic enough to drive the proverbial stake just a little deeper, he watched everything unable to drag himself away. Cordelia belonged to Angelus and it was his own stupid fault. It shouldn’t matter that Cordelia had a lover, yet it twisted his insides with a possessiveness he couldn’t fathom. She called herself his friend, and so Angel allowed himself to hold onto that connection no matter what inadequate label she put upon it. 

He had Buffy. He loved Buffy, didn’t he? She was the reason for this deal in the first place. Why was he drawn to Cordy this way? He enjoyed her in his life far more than he thought possible. More and more he was convinced that she belonged there, and not in a platonic way.

Angel wanted to be the one plying her with kisses, peeling off her clothes, making her moan at his touch, hearing his name on her lips as she came wildly at the thrust of his cock deep inside her. Fleeting images became full on fantasies that left him hard and unfulfilled. Jerking off only left him wanting more. Only one thing truly ramped up the guilt—Buffy. Using his girlfriend as an outlet for his sexual frustrations left its mark. Ignorance was bliss in her case. Feeling guilty about it afterward should have had some impact on him. Maybe it did.

The need to experience Cordelia’s passionate nature kept him coming back for more. He was less cautious about staying in the shadows to observe them from a distance. Leaving after a cursory glance was no longer an option. Getting caught? He didn’t care. Cordelia did—at first, anyway—until the shock and embarrassment faded enough for her to realize that having him there actually turned her on. After that it was just false outrage and Angelus saw right through it. 

Every sense revealed the truth she couldn’t hide. There was just a little bit of an exhibitionist in her, and whatever still sparked between them made it more irresistible. Angelus just got off on it. His possession of Cordelia put him a place of power. He was in full control of anything that happened. All Angel could do was watch, rampantly aroused by it all, as Angelus gleefully supplied him with a means of self-torture. 

Cordelia’s sexual curiosity quickly altered her perceptions, especially with Angelus reminding her that he was not just an interloper, but family. That might have ended it for human relations, but this wasn’t the Smith family down the road with their white picket fence. Vampires had a whole different perspective on family values.

An argument flared up between them when Angel had left them alone that first night. Whatever was said remained a secret between them, but afterward it became evident he was no longer an uninvited observer. Whether it was a power play, a performance, or just uninhibited passion, he gave into the thrill, the yearning he felt that drew him to her. He no longer bothered to make a casual exit.

If Cordelia and Angelus were in their bedroom he left them alone. Anywhere else was fair game even when walking in on them was obviously no accident. Just last night Angel had discovered them down in the basement. Not because he had a reason to go there for a training session, but because he could not stop himself. Having overheard the sounds of boisterous sex, he deliberately detoured in that direction. He paused at the door gripping the handle, but their intermittent wails drew him closer.

Angelus often boasted that his mate was a quick study in all manner of physical challenges, and never hesitated to provide a few details, whether or not Cordy was around to protest at the over-sharing of intimate details. If the implicit descriptions were intended to annoy or make him jealous, Angelus’ plan worked. Christ! Yes, it annoyed him to know that his brother was the beneficiary of Cordelia’s wild curiosity when it came to sex. Would he care if Angelus was boning anyone else? No, but the thought of some random guy touching Cordelia made his skin crawl. Jealousy wasn’t a strong enough word. 

Despite getting everything he wanted out of this deal—freedom from Angelus, a secure soul, and Buffy—he did not want Cordelia to love Angelus. He didn’t. He just didn’t—period. Deep down, the reason was all too obvious. Understanding why was not the issue. Angel stopped asking why. Far more interested in how he could sate this impossible need, he had already crossed one uncrossable line by intruding on their privacy time and again to watch from the periphery until his presence there grew familiar, and they started to enjoy the thrill of being watched, adding to their pleasure, and his. 

One step at a time, he had decided as he silently descended the basement stairs watching Angelus braced above her. Cordelia made a sudden move that gave cheerleader flexibility a new meaning. They fucked at a frenetic pace banging together wildly. As eloquent as always, Angelus told her to, “Take it, baby.”

Cordelia managed a snort before losing it. “Ooh! Mister Smooth Ta—ah…ah…ah!”

Making a good impression of a twisted pretzel with a knee hooked over his shoulder to deepen the penetration, her head and shoulders dug into the floor mat beneath them as she countered every move practically contorting to get at the most pleasurable angle. “Omigod, yes!” Seemed like it was working out for them.

Clothes were strewn everywhere, half ripped away, and sweat-slicked flesh exposed enough to make it happen. This wasn’t one of their sweeter moments. Cordelia writhed with every thrust talking her way through it. Incoherent moans and pleas mixed with wanton demands. “Uhngh! Don’t stop. Just like that.” With one foot planted on the floor, she rolled her hips up to meet his, the contact making her whimper. 

Not exactly shy about getting what she wanted—well, with anything—Cordelia never hesitated to initiate their little games, Angel had noticed. Which one of them had instigated this romp? It would be difficult in the days ahead to conduct any training without thinking about it. Angelus’ name sprung to her lips demanding even more of him. “All of it. Now.”

Being identical in every physical way to his ‘brother’ he knew precisely what Cordy wanted. He had started to get hard the moment he heard them. Right now his groin throbbed as if blood still pulsed inside his veins, a deep ache holding his balls in a tight grip. He approached silently, barely more than a shadow along the stairs, brown eyes dilated to obsidian watching them, missing nothing.

Angelus grunted, “Can’t get enough?” as he surged forward thrusting in a rhythm that teetered on rough.

Cordelia’s enthusiasm was obvious as she tried to respond, “Morrrrrrrr-ahHH!,” but ended in a keening cry at the sensations building up inside her.

Normally, Angel knew Angelus might tease her a little longer, but he seemed just as desperate to finish. Considering the state of their clothes, this happened too fast for either one of them to consider prolonging their pleasure. Cordelia’s wanton cries stopped on a gasp, her beautiful body tensing the moment before orgasm. A heady jolt struck Angel as he imagined what Angelus was feeling inside her at that moment. Tight heat, quivering flesh, the intense intimate connection they shared making them one. It was an amazing sight that made him throb at the idea of being the one to render her speechless with ecstasy.

Angel was curious to see if his brother would manage to hold off his own orgasm in a feat of sheer determination. Not this time, apparently. Angelus didn’t let up, his hips driving forward, the tight muscles in his back and buttocks flexing with every thrust. The little growls building up in his throat getting deeper as his strokes shortened, picking up the pace a notch, and giving Cordy one last burst of pleasure before surrendering to his own on a roar.

Critiquing both the technique and appearance of his alter-ego in the flesh, Angel figured that he could do better even if it had been a spectacular fuck. They certainly thought so as they shifted around on the mat nuzzling, sipping at each other’s lips, murmuring praise and words of love to each other that twisted his stomach into knots.

Unobserved until now, something gave him away. What? The grind of his teeth. A barely-there growl rumbling low in his chest. Maybe just the scent of jealousy and arousal clinging to his skin. Angelus’ head twitched with a tiny movement that signaled his awareness, but he didn’t bother to cover Cordelia up leaving the temptation of bare skin peeking at him from across the room. He simply revealed, “We’re not alone.”

A little hitch sounded. “A-Angel?” Propping herself up on her elbows, Cordy glanced over her shoulder to find him standing by the stairs. “You’re home. I was worried.” 

Right. So concerned. Practically pacing the floor waiting for him to return from patrol. Angel’s mouth twisted wryly as he let his gaze sweep over them. “I can see that.” He walked up to the edge of the mat.

Cordelia’s eyes widened as she looked up at him, not because he was seeing her half naked, but the bruises and cuts that marred his face from a recent fight. It was nothing. The injuries were minor and were already in some stage of healing. They ached, but nothing like the throb of his cock begging for attention. She held out her hand, but not for the reason Angel wanted. He slid his palm across hers momentarily enjoying the warmth of it before threading his fingers through hers. The temptation was there to place her hand directly over the all too obvious bulge in his pants, but touching her this way was already pushing the limits of what Angelus allowed.

A tug signaled her wish to have him closer, so he sank to his knees on the mat next to them, denying her nothing. Angelus didn’t care for the attention he was getting. “He’s fine,” a protest sounded before Cordelia got around to asking for details. 

“I am.” Angel gave her the truth not wanting sympathy.

His assurances brought a relieved sigh to her lips. “How long have you been home?”

Angelus guessed, “Long enough,” sounding more amused than mad at being spied on. He tugged his sweat pants back up and looked around for his discarded shirt.

Still exposed, Cordelia drew her legs together shifting into a more demure position on her hip. “You were watching us again.” It wasn’t a question, nor did he deny it, especially with the way her heart picked up the beat just a little faster. Excitement showed in her eyes, in the way she bit her lower lip, teeth digging in to tug on it. “Was it hot?”

As evidenced by his sizeable hard-on, “Definitely.” Maybe he should have kept that to himself even if it was obvious that he was aroused by watching them. “You’re mesmerizing, Cordy. I can’t take my eyes off you even when you’re with Angelus, especially, then.”

Spy, much? He could practically hear the question rolling around in her head, but all he got was a garbled murmur that might have meant anything. 

Stunned, Cordelia apparently hadn’t expected him to answer so honestly, yet that wasn’t her only response. Having him there was a turn-on for her, too. Breathing a little raggedly, she unintentionally drew his gaze down to her exposed breasts peeking at him from beneath her shredded top where Angelus had ripped away the Lycra. He wanted his hands there caressing her curves, followed by his mouth—but he couldn’t touch her in any of those ways. Staring at her obvious charms caused Cordelia to tug on the stretchy fabric until she was mostly covered.

“Slayer not scratching your itch, Soul?”

Angel jerked his gaze to meet his brother’s. “Leave Buffy out of this,” he growled rising to his feet and pulling Cordelia to hers right along with him. “What happens here is not her concern.”

Letting out a grumbled, “Pretty sure she’d disagree,” Cordelia tried to pull her hand free, but Angel stubbornly held onto it. “Last time I checked, you two were still an item.” That obviously bothered her, but he couldn’t tell if it was because she thought whatever was happening here betrayed Buffy, or if she felt jealous that he was still making an effort to fix what lately seemed like a doomed relationship.

His unrelenting need to be with Cordelia had a lot to do with it, Angel admitted inwardly. That was something he would deal with later if it came to it. “No one else needs to know about us.”

Angel meant the two of them, but Angelus wasn’t about to be left out of the conversation or any part of the action. “Baby, he’s right.” Stroking a hand across her flank in a soothing motion, he pressed his lips to her temple. “I thought we settled this. You like having his eyes on you. It excites you just as much as it does him.”

Avoiding his gaze for a few seconds, Cordelia finally faced him again, the truth apparent even before she admitted, “Yes, I like Angel being around. I shouldn’t, but I do.”

The revelation made Angel reach up to stroke her cheek. Touching her wasn’t an indulgence he often allowed himself. He tried to avoid it knowing the temptations it would bring. Like now, with the fullness of her lips just inches away. He had tasted those lips just once all too briefly the night he gave her over to Angelus. The memory of it tormented him. He wanted more.

Angelus shifted his stance just enough to catch Angel’s attention. Saying nothing to warn him off, his glare was enough to convey his wishes. “Hands off?” Reluctantly, he released Cordelia and took a step back. Telling her, “Touching you is still out of the question.”

Either Cordelia didn’t see anything wrong with what had almost happened or had no idea of his desire to kiss her until she melted in his arms. “Why not? I touch you all of the time.”

A snort sounded from Angelus. “That’s just you being you, a reflex you can’t control. Trust me when I say he’d like your hands somewhere else.”

Cordelia’s jaw dropped a little as she pictured it. “Oh?”

Angel scowled at him, but that only spurred his brother on, “I used to be in that head. There are no secrets to hide, certainly not when it comes to you.”

Seemingly confused by the news that he had wanted her in some way since before his split from Angelus, she leaned toward her mate. “You can tell me more about that later.” Facing him again, Cordelia propped her hands on her hips, challenging Angel to explain the reason for his usual hands-off approach. “Since when do you let Angelus call the shots? Like never.”

Cutting in again, Angelus explained, “Angel thinks the Fates put him in charge,” in a tone that said otherwise. “Things are different when it comes to you, Cor. You’re mine. Angel is lucky I let him within ten feet of you, much less get off on watching us.”

“There are rules, Cordelia. Lines I can’t cross.” 

Angelus smirked, “Not without my permission,” as if those lines might be a negotiable.

Conforming to whatever conditions Angelus set in order to remain close to Cordelia was akin to torture and that had always been the other vampire’s wheelhouse. Understanding him equally, Angel knew it was precisely why these voyeuristic exploits were allowed to continue. Angelus enjoyed reminding him that Cordelia belonged to him.

Cordelia shared her opinion. “No touching—that’s a stupid rule. I’m the one who gives the permission for that by the way.”

Somehow, Angel believed Cordelia had an influence over his brother’s decisions. He doubted that she fully understood the instincts behind the stipulations. “If you offered me your blood,” he said watching ridges appear and Angelus’ eyes turn ochre at the mere suggestion, “there would be no question of accepting it. That belongs solely to him unless he deems otherwise.”

Not that Angelus could partake of it even if he wanted. The Fates’ controls prevented him from using his fangs on a human, even Cordelia. He was almost sorry for him on that account. Being unable to taste her that way as they made love took something away from the experience for both of them. The desire for it surprised Angel. It was never an issue with Buffy, something he knew she would never want, but the thought of tasting Cordelia left him craving her.

“Vampires can be very possessive about things and people they desire.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Glancing at Angelus again, whose vampiric features had morphed back to human form, Angel took note of the subtle nod that encouraged him to get to the point. “Having a mate doesn’t prevent you from experiencing pleasure within the circle of your own family. It’s the way of things. All we need is his okay.”

“Sounds convenient and kinda skeezy to me.” Cordelia snipped at him before adding on a little something for Angelus, “Just like the first time I heard it.” 

Guessing it must have been a hot topic during their argument, Angel focused on the fact that she had allowed it to continue. Despite her reservations, she wanted him there. “Is that why your heart is racing?”

No sign of the truth in her quip or evasive eyes, “Yup!”

Angel needed to hear her say it. “Do you want me, Cordelia?”

Faltering before she could even purse her lips to say no, she looked nervously toward Angelus.

He calmly instructed her to respond. “Tell him what you told me.”

“I’m not gonna tell him that! Are you crazy? That was just a stupid fantasy—an old one! From way back. Before you were, y’know, you.”

“Sounds like a yes.”

Angelus concurred with a wry laugh. “Cor definitely wants to screw your brains out. No chance I’ll ever let that happen, by the way, but she does seem to get a low down tickle whenever you enter the room. Surely you’ve noticed.”

Oversharing was definitely going to put Angelus in the doghouse. Answering might be just as dangerous. He admitted to picking up on Cordelia’s arousal. “I’ve tried to ignore it.” Since there wasn’t anything to be done about it.

“Tough, but you’ll have to keep working on that,” Cordelia poked a finger into his chest. “You don’t get to tease me over my old crush. It’s hard to let it go completely when Angelus keeps telling me he’s okay with it.”

“Doesn’t change her feelings for me,” Angelus explained. “The way you two sniff around each other pisses me off, but it also gets me hard. Fucking in front of you only makes her hotter, and trust me when I tell you Cordelia is already a dynamo in the sack.”

Elbowing him, she grumbled, “Crude, much?” even if it was true.

“There’s nothing wrong about wanting me, Cordy. Angelus is right. I want you, too. That much should be crystal clear by now. How many times have you caught me watching?”

“A few.”

“Plenty more that you didn’t.”

Angelus wasn’t surprised. Family pride sounded clear, “You’re such a stalker. Wonder where you get that?”

Choosing to ignore him, Angel focused on Cordelia. “I’ll leave it up to you,” he said taking a big risk. “This doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s just us spending time together doing things that we all enjoy.” A massive understatement, but necessary.

“Is that really what you want—watching us from across the room like that?”

“That’s not everything I want,” Angel confirmed she was right. “Angelus already shot down the idea of me fulfilling that fantasy of yours. Mine is similar.”

Scoffing at him, “Like you only have one?” Angelus pointed out that he knew there were many. He leaned in close to Cordelia, his voice lowering to a whisper. “Who says Angel is the only one who gets to watch? Maybe you’d like to play voyeur. I would.”

Temptation caused her eyes to go blurry. She had played masturbation games with Angelus before, but the idea of watching Angel get himself off made her squeeze her thighs together as a rush of heat bloomed at her core. Excitement quickly replaced her doubts. “Can I?”

“That’s the point, babe,” Angelus gave her a little smooch. “You can have anything you want—within reason.”

Cordelia arched an eyebrow at his irreverent tone. “Then I guess you won’t mind if I change the no touching rule.”

Suffice it to say that Angel’s thoughts descended directly into his pants. She seemed intrigued at the idea of watching him while he handled his cock, but suddenly his head was filled with the image of her hand sliding up and down his engorged shaft instead. The no touching rule had always been for him, he reminded himself, and had covered the simplest of touches rather than overtly sexual ones. She probably meant something completely innocent.

Surprisingly, Angelus conceded to her stipulation. “I’ll allow it. Enjoy any form of touch that you can’t curb when you’re alone. Just the routine stuff, Angel. The kind of things you already do and think I don’t notice.” That was actually a relief even if he wanted something more intimate. “I wouldn’t want you to get carried away when I’m not around to watch.”

“What if you are?”

Then Angelus added, “If I’m with you, we can kick it up a notch or two—or ten. Let me watch for a change while you two play a bit. Sexy, but I wouldn’t want to make it too easy on you. My rules apply. Only one of you gets to touch the other. Never at the same time.”

“How much touching?” Cordelia asked curiously making Angel realize that he had been right. It had not been her intention to suggest something sexual, or at least not to the extent his own imagination had taken it.

Angel needed some clarification wondering where his brother was drawing the line because he knew there was going to be a hard stop in this somewhere. Asking, “Does that include kisses?” caused Cordelia to gasp his name, yet another sign that he was pushing for something she had not fully considered.

He could tell she was thinking back to their kiss in the foyer, wild and all too brief. The memory stirred her in the same way it did him. Hesitating a moment, she had a question for him. “What kind of kisses?” If she was picturing him limiting it to a sweet peck on the cheek every day, he would fix that misperception soon enough. 

Angelus was ready with an answer being completely unsurprised by his question or Cordelia’s reaction. “The kind that will probably make you weak in the knees, babe. Would you like that?” A simple question, it was a trap she was already caught up in. The temptation of it built up so fast it gleamed in her eyes as she held his gaze.

Denying it would be the only way to maintain the status quo. It was one thing to barge in on them uninvited, another not to be turned away, but Angelus was openly arranging something Angel would never have contemplated if Cordelia was his mate. Knowing that Angelus had no moral compass—except Cordy herself trying to keep him on the straight and narrow—this was probably just a diversion to him. Angelus’ only previous experience with emotions was how to manipulate them, which left Angel suspicious of his true motives, but he was far too invested in the immediate benefits to refuse any of it.

Neither could Cordelia, who suddenly didn’t want to wait for a demonstration. The urge to kiss him was apparently too powerful to ignore. “Can we? Now.” Both of them took a step forward. Angel reached for her only to be pushed back by his brother.

“Not so fast. I’m not finished,” Angelus announced insidiously. “As exciting as this is going to be for all of us, it’s important that you follow the rules. You can touch her however you want, but she can’t touch you at the same time. Works the other way, too. If Cor is touching you, then it’s hands off.”

Angel didn’t like letting his brother call the shots about anything much less limit his interactions with Cordelia, but he had no choice. Just minutes ago he technically wasn’t allowed to put his hands on her at all. He had broken that rule a hundred times, albeit platonically. Now he was being given the right to share in their most intimate moments and potentially create some of his own that did not require Angelus’ presence. 

“Another stupid rule.” Cordelia pointed out the gaping hole in his scheme. “Locking lips kinda requires mutual touching.”

“Who said anything about him kissing you on the mouth? Shared kisses are definitely off limits. Those are mine.”

Crestfallen, Cordelia looked like Angelus had just snatched away something vital only to feel guilty about wanting it in the first place. “Right. Sure. Gotcha.” After a little pause, she asked, whining a little. “Really? I like being kissed.”

“We’re all going to get something out of this, so enjoy what you get,” he counseled her as if it should be easy to comply. Maybe for him it was that simple. “You might not like the rules, but it’s important you both understand that anything that happens between you is because I allow it.”

That was what bothered him. Angel cut to the chase. He needed to know. “Why, Angelus?”

“Control. Some things are inevitable. I saw that the night you let me claim her. You fought it even then.” He didn’t bother to hide his motives. “You’ve been watching us from the shadows long enough. I’m tired of you lurking. We might as well enjoy it, too.”

Cordelia pressed a hand to Angelus’ chest rubbing a circle against the soft white tank. “You’re sure? I can’t pretend that I haven’t thought about it, fantasized. Angel is still as hot as ever, but I don’t think I can do this for real.” A plea in the form of her name sounded on Angel’s lips before he could stop it momentarily distracting her. Finally, “Not without my feelings getting in the way,” she explained it would be more than just a game to her.

There was nothing Cordelia did that was half-hearted. She threw herself into every cause and challenge that came her way whether it involved organizing a bake sale at school or learning how to defend herself with something other than a spatula. Angel didn’t know exactly what she felt for him. The attraction was there. It always had been. He knew that for a fact without any need to question it. After his return from Acathla’s hell dimension, she had made an effort to befriend him. Now that might beg for some answers, but he had simply accepted her efforts to draw him into conversation or include him in the group’s activities. 

Angel never realized just how much he felt for her as a consequence of that friendship until he saw her with Angelus. Watching her interactions with Xander Harris had never caused him to become so obsessed with her every move. The boy was hardly a rival. Things between them had never gotten past the groping stage as far as he had been able to tell. Still, she had cared for him enough to be cut deeply by his betrayal, and possessed enough grace to rise above it. There were plenty of reasons Angel found Cordelia attractive, her beauty not withstanding, but lately he felt an irresistible pull.

“Don’t shy away from your feelings,” Angelus told her. “You love me. That’s what matters. The feelings you have for Angel are better explored with my consent. Anything else might lead to my needing to beat the hell out of him.”

Sharply reminding him, “This was your idea,” Angel’s hands curled into tight fists at his side suddenly feeling the urge to remind his alter ego that he would not be such an easy target. “I want to make things clear. There’s no changing your mind. Don’t get jealous of attention that comes my way. Never take it out on her if I forget one of your rules.”

“Planning to break them already?”

“Maybe,” Angel decided to stick with the truth. “Not being able to kiss Cordy the way I want to sounds like torture.”

With a smirk, Angelus simply said, “I know. We’ll see. Earn it with good behavior.” It was a dig for telling him the same thing when he first arrived. Behave and you’ll earn our trust. 

Angel was tempted to throw a punch. The bastard deserved it for manipulating both of them this way. Yet, he couldn’t because Angelus might put a stop to this here and now, or Cordelia would decide he was taking things far too seriously. Fortunately, she was too distracted by what he said to notice his anger toward her mate. 

Eyeing him steadily as if trying to understand his motives her sense of curiosity filled her face with wonderment. A little hitch sounded as she asked, “How exactly do you want to kiss me?”

Showing her would be far preferable to forcing words to his lips. He had never been one for describing what he wanted when taking it was the easier approach. This was Cordelia, so he made an effort to give her an answer. Angel lifted a hand to her face, his thumb tracing the curve of her bottom lip, and lingering long enough to say, “One kiss wasn’t enough the first time I had you in my arms.”

Cordelia blithely reminded him, ”You’re the one who stopped.”

Only because he had to. Taking that kiss from her had been a flagrant act of defiance, a protest against Angelus’ seduction of Cordelia. It happened in an instant driven into being by a need he couldn’t quite explain, conflicted by emotions and instincts too basic to ignore. Ending it far too quickly, Angel had let her go because he realized the volatility of it, but he had relived that kiss in countless tormenting little flashes ever since.

“I want to feel your lips opening beneath mine again, pliant and soft and desperate for more of me, intoxicating for both of us.”

The little moan accompanying her, “Oh,” wasn’t the only sign that Cordelia found the notion of kissing him again to be arousing. He half expected her to deny that she had felt anything, or tell him the memory of it had faded after so many nights of passion shared with Angelus. She’d be lying. She hadn’t forgotten either.

Caught up by Cordelia’s hungry little stare, he nearly leaned in again stopped only by Angelus’ quick reminder. “Show some restraint, bro. Where’s that vaunted control of yours? Guess you might be out of practice denying yourself.”

True, Angel was now able to indulge his sexual appetites whenever Buffy wasn’t shutting him out. It wasn’t enough, he forced himself to acknowledge. Stalking and spying on Cordelia with Angelus was evidence of that, but it barely touched the surface of needs that all seemed to center on her.

The memory of that kiss would have to suffice, Angel realized as an ache centered in his chest. If he wanted this to work there were rules to follow. Thinking of it as a challenge seemed the way to go, but it was going to be difficult avoiding the temptation of her lips. “Let’s go upstairs; somewhere more comfortable.” He didn’t want to wait another minute. Angel wanted her now, anything he was permitted within the scope of the rules, and unless he had misunderstood his brother’s intentions, it sounded as if Angelus had provided him with plenty of freedom—or at least a very long leash. Cordelia would learn to enjoy his creativity.

Yelping, “Now?” Cordelia suddenly looked nervous. Kissing him was one thing, but wanting anything more left her conflicted.

Before Angel could say anything else, his brother stepped between them. “Not tonight. You’ve already had more than enough contact today.”

Angel tried to calm the sudden storm that raged inside him at being denied. He considered this might be moving too quickly for Cordy. Rushing her would only give her cause to rethink their arrangement before he could convince her that she couldn’t live without it. “Tomorrow, then. We can take it slow.”

Even after the demon fight he had gotten into earlier Angel wasn’t remotely tired. The long shower he had taken helped with the usual muscular aches, but not the unflagging erection that seemed to have a life of its own. Its persistent throb forced his hand. He took care of it in the usual way, but didn’t bother trying to focus on Buffy’s image. His girlfriend wasn’t the one who had gotten him hard, so it was up to Cordy to handle the situation even if it was just the fantasy version.

Deciding that he needed a strategy, Angel wanted to ensure that his interest wouldn’t spook Cordelia into calling things off before they got started. He did not want to wait to collect on the countless caresses and kisses he had missed out on knowing that he could have had Cordy from the beginning if he hadn’t been otherwise distracted. Angel knew from his time as Angelus that patience paid off when it came to seducing one’s prey. Not that Cordelia fell into that kind of category, but she did require careful handling if he was going to turn her sexual curiosity into something more meaningful for both of them.

No matter how much he wanted Cordelia it was best not to rush into it. He needed to wait for an opportunity. Be patient. Join them, but remain hands off. Let her initiate contact. Make her crave his touch. Do whatever was necessary to convince Angelus that his intentions were all about pleasurable family fun. The kisses denied him would be the first of many goals.

Late arriving downstairs, he had missed their early Sunday afternoon routine of gathering at the kitchen table, making scrambled eggs and toast, drinking something hot and potentially spiced with cinnamon, and reading the paper together. Angel enjoyed the experience rarely missing a chance to let Cordelia help him in the kitchen when it was his turn to do the cooking. The fact that Cordy was a disaster waiting to happen only made the experience more diverting, and her more endearing.

Sounds from the new television emanated from the direction of the living room. Cordelia and Angelus had gone a little overboard on making the mansion more habitable for her and their human friends. Apparently that included turning the place into their personal entertainment center with a surround sound television, stereo system, and pool table included. There was also a salt water aquarium lining one wall. Although Angel technically controlled the finances of the House of Aurelius, he had given Angelus a stipend. He was unused to the lavish spending his brother’s new mate took for granted.

One other thing would take some getting used to—Angelus watching football. They had gone to one of the Razorback’s night games, which despite some issues with fans of the opposing team, had been a hit. Watching the professional version of the game each week gave Angelus something to do that did not involve plotting the end of the world or tormenting Buffy about whatever topic conveniently came to mind. Angel kept up with the headlines, but wasn’t a big fan of the game. He preferred hockey to football.

Still, volunteering to watch the game with them would provide a good opportunity to get Cordy comfortable with the idea of being around him without last night’s sexual tension getting in the way. The television announcers were calling a play, the crowd cheered, and he heard Angelus enthusiastic shout, “Brilliant! Damn, you’re good.” One of the defensive lineman had probably sacked the quarterback, he figured, having learned some of the rules. Angelus seemed to enjoy the big hits, the more violent the better, and that had surprised no one. Admittedly, his evil alter ego cheering on a sports team remained a shocking example of how much had changed since the Fates separated them. 

Closer, Angel realized there was more going on than just a football game. Angelus’ praises continued, but it became obvious from his tone they were intended for Cordelia in a far more intimate way. “Damn, that feels fantastic.” His low moan that caused Angel to shudder as he realized what was happening. “Love that mouth. Such pretty lips.”

Angel stopped in his tracks hesitating to move forward because he knew precisely what was happening in the next room. He burned with the need to watch it, but he had spent the night coming up with a brilliant plan that required the utmost patience. Barging in on them now was not the way to go. He did not want to push Cordelia too fast, or make Angelus realize just how much he needed her. This might be casual fun for his brother, but not for him. Like Cordelia, his feelings were already far too tangled up to pretend he wasn’t fully invested.

Knowing that he should walk away gave him a moment’s pause. He should stick with the plan. Wait until later to approach them. How was he supposed to convince them this wasn’t a big deal when he couldn’t let even one opportunity go? Who was he kidding? With his senses in tune, he could already hear the subtler sounds coming from Cordelia’s throat, an eager hum signaling her delight at his obvious enjoyment. The fragrant scent of lust grew more prominent with every step forward, as did the tightening sensation along his groin.

The football game ongoing in the background wasn’t completely ignored as Angelus noticed the latest play. “Another interception,” he growled. “What’s wrong with your aim, asshole?”

“Maybe he wasn’t paying enough attention,” Angel said walking in as if it wasn’t a big deal to interrupt them. He couldn’t resist taking a verbal stab at his brother who should have been focused on his lover rather than the game.

Angelus sat on the couch, pants open, and erection fully exposed. Cordelia knelt between his open thighs holding his distended cock in a snug grip, working it up and down near the base, her beautiful mouth stretched across the tip actively swallowing as much as she could manage.

He got hard so fast it hurt, but he welcomed the pain needing a reminder that it was his idea to torture himself this way.

“Don’t stop on my account,” he growled when Cordelia released Angelus’ cock from her mouth with a soft popping sound. She licked the fullness of her lips, ruby red and swollen from her sexy task. A flash of color brightened her cheeks as if she was either embarrassed or excited at being caught. He suspected that it was the latter.

Sitting down in the corner of the couch instead of leaving was a stubborn reminder that this was supposed to be their ‘family time’ together. If they wanted to turn that into a sexual romp, Angel would adjust his plans.

“We’re a little busy,” Cordelia pointed out while keeping up her tantalizing actions. “I don’t think we asked for an audience.”

Normally, he would just go up to his bedroom to brood about the fact that Buffy hated giving blowjobs. Not this time. Stubbornly, he refused to move. “Last night you admitted that you like having me here, watching you.” 

“Yeah, I do.”

There was a spark in her eyes as Cordelia returned her attention to her lover’s thick cock, one identical to his own. She teased the crown with her tongue, flicking, licking and swirling around it, all the while flitting glances his way until Angelus grabbed a fistful of her silky hair and directed her to get serious about sucking him off. Cordelia grinned wickedly, but did just that.

Angel sat angled in the corner of the couch planning to remain as unobtrusive and outwardly unmoved by the flagrant display. Those soft lips—the ones he had kissed in a heated moment of passion—closed around the bulbous tip sliding down and around and up and down again. He wanted to feel the suction of that mouth and its heat surrounding him as she worked his shaft just a little deeper each time. Watching was torture, yet he couldn’t look away when her eyes lifted in his direction, hiding nothing, brimming with mischief and lust.

Whatever had instigated this encounter had left Cordelia tousled and unbuttoned giving him a tantalizing glimpse of a lacy bra and rounded cleavage. She was utterly enticing. Also far too much like he had been as a youth back in Ireland. Used to getting his own way when it came to the opposite sex. All it took was the crook of a finger. Yeah, he was definitely hooked, but oddly unaware of how he had fallen for her.

Every sensual glance felt like a personal invitation to fulfill every fantasy that stirred inside him. Like this one when he felt alive with lust, his sex throbbing for contact, and Cordelia only a few inches away. Angel had never deliberately exposed himself to her, keeping things civil despite the obvious state of his arousal, but he also never bothered to hide it now that she was living under his roof. 

Angel’s hand brushed across his bulging erection enjoying the friction of his silk boxers against his swollen flesh. Tempted to continue, he repeated the action several times until the outline of his hard cock pulled at the material of his pants. 

The urge to unzip and jerk off to the rhythm Cordelia was setting felt nearly overpowering, but somehow he managed to control it until Angelus cracked open his eyes in time to witness his struggle. “Planning to sit there all afternoon?”

Assuming that he was being kicked out before getting a chance to break those new rules, Angel swallowed down a biting retort. His outward calm belied his simmering anger. “This was your idea.”

He was way off base. “You’re late.” Angelus’ complaint was actually about his absence. “We started without you.”

Cordelia paused long enough to ask, “Are you avoiding me?” She was usually awake before anyone else, still not quite on the same hours as the vampires. Angel normally woke a short time before Angelus, which gave him coveted time alone with Cordelia at the start of their day. Having stayed awake longer than usual, he had deliberately slept in.

If he had come downstairs at the usual time Angel knew he would have been tempted to kiss her good morning, and not chastely on the cheek. She had a built-in bullshit detector when it came to him, Angel realized. It was no use trying to keep anything from Cordelia because she would wheedle it out somehow. “Only because you might need some time to think about this.” 

A sarcastic gruff sounded from Angelus, “So noble!” just before he moaned at the sensation of Cordelia’s fingers absently flittering down his shaft. “Try that on Angel, babe. See how long he can last. The real deal’s a lot hotter than you can handle,” his brother warned him.

“What about you?” Cordelia looked disappointed that he wasn’t letting her finish him off. It was perfectly fine with Angel if there weren’t any distractions.

Missing nothing, Angelus gave him a side-eyed glance before answering. “No worries, kitten. We’re just getting started. Focus on him for now.”

“So it’s your turn to watch?”

“Absolutely.” Angelus got comfortable at a better angle on the couch. “Not only is this going to be hot as hell, but I get to be the referee. Both of you accepted the rules because you want this badly enough to play my little game. Just how far are you going to bend those rules, I wonder? Break them if you dare. Try it. I can enjoy punishing you just as easily as I can watching you get each other off.”

Surprisingly, Cordelia did not censure her mate for his twisted motives. Maybe hers were just as self-serving. Angel certainly couldn’t claim otherwise. Despite the risks, it was impossible to walk away from it. Being close to her in an intimate way felt like something he needed, not just wanted. It wasn’t fear he saw brightening those brown eyes as she told him to stand up. 

Shyness was never an issue with Cordy, but this situation might have caused some jitters even for her. Kneeling on their new Persian rug, Cordelia perused him head to toe before giving him a saucy little grin. “Come closer,” she beckoned.

Daring to take the lead was definitely a surprise. Amused, he stepped closer as ordered. “Does this mean you’re in charge?” He reached down to crook a finger under her chin guiding her to rise to her feet with just a subtle hint of pressure. Wanting something more intimate than just the basic blowjob his brother suggested, Angel was in no rush despite that his body ached for contact.

Not exactly the patient kind, Cordelia automatically placed her hands on his chest, but Angel was still touching her albeit in a very small way. It still earned them a loud ‘harrumph’. Moving his hand away, Angel already felt annoyed by the limitations being placed upon them. The soft feminine hands sliding across his shirt teased as much as her words. “Kinda the natural order of things. I say, you do.”

Provoking him was likely to result in a lesson he wasn’t sure she was ready for. He let her get away with so damned much. Ever since Angel’s return to Sunnydale, Cordelia had been telling him how to improve his broody, boring existence whether or not he welcomed the advice or her opinion. If she had a thought on a subject, she shared it. Ordering him around would just be an extension of her daily routine—not that he complained about the attention even if some of her ideas were disruptive to the quiet lifestyle he usually preferred. “We’ll see about that.”

Angelus growled impatiently, “Get on with it. We’re missing the game.”

“Decide which game you’re going to referee, Bad Boy,” Cordelia snipped back. “Wouldn’t want you to miss my lips landing in the wrong place. Do accidental kisses draw a penalty if the ref is too busy staring at the T.V.?”

Anyone else would probably regret mouthing off to Angelus, but Cordy seemed know exactly how far to push it. He kept his response to a playful threat rather than a real one. “Try it, babe. I’ll enjoy devising your punishment.” 

“You wish.”

Wishes were plentiful in Angel’s mind starting with making Angelus disappear with the snap of his fingers. It would be a lot easier to make the rest come true with his brother out of the way. Since he couldn’t transport him to Siberia or out of existence, he was stuck holding back the powerful urge to stop playing games, take Cordelia into his arms, and kiss her until she forgot Angelus was watching.

“Done arguing?” His query brought her attention back to him.

“For now,” Cordelia let out a frustrated sigh. “He’s such a control freak. Rules, rules, rules. Oh, but you know all about that Mister Put My Stuff Back Where You Found It.”

Only half teasing, it was one of those topics they frequently clashed over. Yeah, it was a thing. “Common courtesy,” he pointed out, “shouldn’t need a house rule.”

The irreverent little snort that followed told him precisely what Cordelia felt about the ground  rules he had laid out for both of them. “Too bad,” she told him while unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m gonna break the Don’t Leave Clothes on the Floor rule right now.”

Their annoying habit of leaving discarded clothes all over the house whenever their lovemaking started downstairs and ended up in their bedroom had less to do with keeping things in their proper order than it did with making him seethe with jealousy. It was hard to defend his point about tidiness when Cordelia finished with the last button and leaned forward to press her soft, warm lips against his bared chest.

Angel couldn’t take his shirt off fast enough dropping it onto the rug without a second thought. He thought he could be patient with this. Take it slow. Savor every second. Now he wasn’t sure composure was even possible as Cordelia’s hands explored the contours of his chest no doubt finding his solid frame all too familiar. The sensation was still new to him. She had always been able tell them apart even when there was nothing obvious to give it away.

Standing close and winding her arms around his neck, she tip-toed higher, her cheek brushing against his chest and up to his throat. She breathed him in and then sighed softly. “Mmm, you smell so good.”

So did she, but it wasn’t just her rose-scented skin. A deeper, feminine fragrance accompanied her spiraling need, potent and dizzying to his senses. Excitement heated her blood causing it to rush through her veins at a tantalizing pace with every thump of her heart, forbidden treasure he could only dream about tasting. The twinge of guilt that normally accompanied that errant need never surfaced. 

Those tantalizing lips and soft hands were at his throat, and so were her teeth. Christ! That felt fantastic. She nibbled at his Adam’s apple and other places that set him on fire. He didn’t give a damn if Cordelia had learned about those spots from Angelus. He wanted to feel the sharp little nips followed by the soothing slash of her tongue or the tender press of her lips. The raw moan rumbling down to his chest couldn’t be contained.

It was impossible to remain still while Cordelia slowly drove him insane. Sticking to the hands-off rule, he shifted even closer causing her to press her breasts against his chest giving him an even better view of her tantalizing cleavage peeking from her already half-unbuttoned blouse. He swiped his tongue across his lips thinking about what remained hidden from view eager to peel the rest of her clothing away and tease her in the same way. 

Cordelia tugged that luscious lower lip between her teeth as she lifted her mouth toward his making him think of doing the same. Kissing her, taking the soft curve of her lip between his teeth, and leaving it swollen from the attention. For a few torturous seconds, Angel hovered his mouth millimeters above hers daring to defy the warning growl beside them.

Not the only one daring to misbehave, Cordy mischievously planted a tiny little smooch on his lips before moving on to more dangerous territory. “I saw that!” Angelus called her out on it. “Strike one, babe. You’ll end up in my penalty box if you keep that up.” 

Angelus might be mixing his sports terms up, but he was obviously watching them instead of the game, which meant that Angel would have to be careful if he was going to steal any kisses in return. Strategizing anything might be out considering the southerly path her fingers were taking as they descended the ladder of his ribs. She easily managed the buckle of his belt, but fumbled trying to open the button on his trousers. Distracted, her hips swayed against the evidence of his need drawing a raw sound from both of them. 

A little ‘mmm’ preceded the exploration of her discovery, “Look what I found.”

“Cordy,” a rough plea sounded against her ear as her fingertips coasted down the length of his sex.

“Can I touch you this way?” Cordelia queried as if worried they might be going too far. “You’re so gonna lose it,” she predicted with a naughty quirk of an eyebrow.

Angelus let out a low groan in anticipation of watching the action. “Say anything other than yes and you’re an idiot.” He starting pulling off his clothing and tossing it on the floor without either of them noticing. 

Maybe it was foolish to speak at all, but he wanted to be clear that it was her idea. “As long as Angelus isn’t pushing you into this, anything you want from me is yours, Cordelia.” Silently, he hoped this wouldn’t cause her to stop because those teasing caresses promised much more, and he needed that desperately.

“Nice to know because I want everything.” She was used to having it all, and Angel wondered if that alone might be the reason. Was there something more than the friendship she claimed, and the magnetic attraction that kept growing stronger? No matter their mutual desires, he knew that his brother was only going to allow them to take this experience so far. “Tell me you want it, Angel. I need to touch you.” 

The sizzling image of Cordelia wrapping her fingers around his thick shaft nearly short-circuited Angel’s brain. He wanted to answer, but there seemed to be a disconnect where the words got stuck. Her hot confession, “I want to make you explode on my tongue,” suddenly snapped him out of it.

Rumbling out on a husky note, he said, “You first,” as he swiftly took control. Yes, he wanted to slide into her, fuck that perfect mouth, and watch as she tried to swallow him whole. How many times had he gotten lost in that fantasy? Too many, but that would wait until he sated her every other need. Perhaps it was selfish of him to take over, but he couldn’t wait any longer. 

Gently grasping her wrist, he pulled her hand away from its sensual exploration, and then did the same to the other restraining them behind her back because he sensed it would be difficult for her to stop touching him. “That was mine,” she groused at the loss of her new toy. 

Angel flashed a grin and pressed just close enough to make them both feel the friction. Shifting his hold on her wrists to free up a hand taking his time tracing the curve of her spine spreading his fingers out to feel the shift of her body against his. He wanted to savor every second— but his patience had already been stretched to a thin thread ready to snap.

The soft fabric of her blouse bunched in his fingers when he tugged it off her shoulder. Eyeing the pristine path of her elegant throat, he followed it with his lips and felt her catch her breath before releasing a shaky sigh. Each little kiss was a warm morsel tracing higher toward her bounding pulse. It called to him like a siren song. As much as he wanted to use his teeth to nibble that spot, Angel resisted.

Releasing her wrists, he meant to strip off her clothes and enjoy every revealing moment, but Cordelia reached for him the second she was free, arms wrapping around his neck, urging him closer. The swell of her lips drew him forward and there was no stopping him this time as they crashed into that forbidden kiss. He pulled her closer, and up onto her tiptoes, as he let himself get lost in taking what he could before the inevitable interruption. 

It edged on desperation, the need he had to meld his lips to hers; devouring her mouth as if he was tasting salvation. A startled little sound invited him in as Cordelia’s urgency matched his own, her mouth sliding over his, tongue probing back as their kisses deepened. More, that’s what he needed, taking it as his hungry mouth roved over hers, hands sweeping beneath the loosened layers of clothing. Warm golden skin beneath his fingertips teasing him with the need to fill his palms. He slid a hand behind her sloping up her spine to unhook the enclosure of her delicate silk bra. It was a beautiful thing artfully embracing her breasts; displaying yet hiding them from view, and from his touch. The bra popped open, loosening, and his hands shifted forward as she bounced free into his grasp.

The sound he made might have been her name, an expletive, or incoherent grunt that escaped his throat as he touched her there for the first time. Oh, he had seen those beautiful breasts before thanks to his recent habits, and memorized every curve, yet his imagination hadn’t done justice to the delicate skin, the substance of them plumping in his palms as he fondled gently, or her response as her nipples tightened beneath the subtle brush of his thumbs.

Making fun of him, “Find something you like?” Cordelia laughed softly against his mouth before sighing and pressing closer into his grasp.

Obviously, yes, but Angel wasn’t in the mood to talk. He let go with his right hand, tangled it in her hair before pulling her close again for another intense kiss that left her a little dizzy and speechless. Finding the zipper of her miniskirt, Angel gave it a quick tug opening it easily, and pushing the no-doubt designer skirt to the floor. Cordelia kicked it out of the way dragging her blouse off at the same time and flinging it aside. The bra started to slide off on its own, but clung to her curves long enough to let Angel capture one strap with his fingertips.

It took an iron will not to yank it away, and to linger at those perfect breasts with his hands and mouth. He felt urges he shouldn’t, a yearning hunger that went beyond basic lust. Things that had nothing to do with the all too human feelings that still managed to confuse him. He needed so much from her, and he was going to take as much as he could.

Cordelia was about to tug off her panties when he let out a little growl to stop her. “I’ll do that.” 

Cutting in, Angelus urged him on, “Preferably with your teeth.” 

Having momentarily forgotten his presence, both of them turned to stare. Angel noted it with a kernel of trepidation. He wasn’t certain how he would handle it if Angelus decided to put a stop to this. There was a hint of shock on Cordelia’s face when she remembered they were far from alone, but Angelus seemed to be enjoying the show openly encouraging them to continue.

“Sounds hot,” Cordelia said turning her attention back to Angel, “but you’re overdressed right now.”

Angel dealt with that in about 5 seconds, and the efficiency and speed with which he removed his pants, shoes, and socks made her snort, “I hope you’re not that fast with everything.”

“Damn,” Angelus had to comment after giving Angel a head to toe stare, “no wonder everyone wants to fuck me.”

Spread out comfortably, he gripped his towering cock in one hand and the back of the couch with the other, watching them with a combination of lust and jealousy burning in his dark gaze. He enjoyed the way those feelings ripped at his insides making it even hotter to watch. The movement of his hand on his shaft was slow and steady, his grip snug, building his pleasure up at a pace that allowed him to draw it out.

Angel didn’t care if his brother was using him as his own personal measuring stick or mirror as long as he shut up long enough to let him forget he was there. He had done the same thing, after all, while watching Angelus with Cordelia, pretending that he was the one in her arms. What Angelus had said might be crude, but it was true enough. In the past, both as a human and a vampire, he had used his good looks to his advantage. 

What did it matter if other women fell at his feet as long as Cordy wanted him, too? He knew that she did. That it wasn’t just a matter of him having the same face and body as her lover. Cordelia had always been able to sense the difference between them. She knew him in a way that even Buffy did not, and whatever reason was behind his girlfriend’s consistent failure to differentiate them had slowly been driving them apart. This would be the end of it, the death knell of their relationship. His desire to be with Cordelia had been a slowly evolving, irresistible need that would only grow now that he had been invited to play these intimate games.

They collapsed onto the couch in a tangle of arms and legs. Angel kissed her again even as his brother watched them daringly breaking the rules because he hadn’t stopped them the last time. There might be reprisals later, but the risk was worth it. He had no idea if Cordelia was worried about the punishment Angelus had promised. She kissed him eagerly, her body writhing beneath his touch. Those feminine hands grasped at his shoulders as he moved his mouth along her jaw, sucked softly at the sensitive skin on her throat, and followed the line of her collar bone one kiss at a time.

Angel played with her breasts far too long until her pleasurable little mewls turned to pleas for something more. Moving on, he rimmed the dip of her navel with his tongue, rubbed his lips across a hipbone, and nipped at the soft flesh between. “God, you’re driving me crazy.” His touch had set her on fire, she felt as if she was going up in flames with every caress stoking her anticipation.

This was all kinds of crazy, Cordelia thought fleetingly. A wild, forbidden thing that might have come from a torrid fantasy. Make that the plural kind because she had imagined this more than once. Never with Angelus lounging beside them, hugely aroused, and getting off on watching his identical souled self making love to her. That was definitely new. As shocking as it was, there was no guilt, just overwhelming excitement. This had been Angelus’ idea, after all, and Cordy couldn’t deny that she wanted Angel this way. Every way, really, but if this was the deal, she was so ready to take it.

His touch set her on fire making her burn for the relief only his tongue could bring. An empty ache built up, a deep throbbing that begged for fulfillment, a slickness softening her insides and making her panties cling. She wanted them gone. She wanted his mouth on her. She wanted to feel his tongue and fingers sliding inside. “Please, Angel,” she begged him to turn his attention where she really wanted it. 

Angelus might have just ripped them away. Gotten down to business. Not Angel who had to eke out every delicious torturous second. Tiny little kisses danced across the lacy trim of her silk panties making the skin beneath tingle. She curled her toes as his fingers brushed against the band slipping under to rub at the skin there. The soft rasp of silk felt electrifying as Angel slowly removed her panties sliding them down her legs until he held them in his hand.

The lust that simmered in his gaze might have been a reflection of her own. This might have started out as a game of some sort, a naughty exploration of forbidden fantasies, but it was more than that. There was nothing casual in Angel’s expression, or the way his thick length sprang out from his groin straining forward as he knelt before her. 

The thought of taking him into her mouth made her lick at her lips, but Angel distracted her away from her lurid plans by tossing her silk panties toward Angelus. “You might need those.” Was that a tease or a dig? Cordelia twisted just enough to see him bunch the silk in his hand, lifting them up and taking in her scent. Angelus looked intensely turned on rather than irritated.

He stared down at her with a leer that made her shudder with need.

“I’m just a spectator this round, babe,” Angelus reminded her when she asked him to touch her, too. “No worries. I plan to get plenty of action later on.”

“Oh?” Her imagination filled in a salacious scenario. “Oh! M’kay.” Whatever Angelus wanted was definitely all right with Cordelia. He hadn’t led her astray yet—unless of course persuading her to have sex with his brother while he watched counted. Yeah, that probably wouldn’t earn her the Saint of the Year award. Oh, well.

By the time Angel settled back between her open thighs Cordelia felt as though she had never needed anything as much in her entire life—not even that one of a kind designer original that had been the envy of everyone who was anyone—as having his mouth on her down where she throbbed for attention. Angel spread her open with his thumbs and lowered his mouth to feast on her. He moaned at the first taste stroking across places she was already wet with arousal. Cordelia whimpered at the pleasure streaking through every nerve as he dipped inside her. Every lick made her tingle. She wanted it, the swirl of his talented tongue over her sex. Right there where it was almost too much to take darting deliciously across her swollen flesh. 

A wail built up inside her, but her breath caught in her throat desperate to cry out. So insanely good, the carnal slide of his lips across her folds, and the length of his tongue dipping inside. Angel was going to make her come, and just the thought of him doing it was enough to make her shatter into a million pieces right then and there. Cordelia jolted with pleasure, her body seizing up at the intensity of her sudden orgasm. She screamed his name and a litany of wild praises she could not control. 

Quivering, she reached for him grabbing onto his wide shoulders and arms, finding leverage to rock her hips. His hands slid beneath her clasping her bare buttocks, holding her steady as his tongue took her over the edge. Still in a fog with a little smile on her lips, Cordelia met Angel’s gaze as he lifted his head. He looked hungry, and knowing that his raging erection remained untouched, the reason was all too obvious.

“My turn.” She started to shift around only to be tossed back against the couch and Angelus.

“Not even close.”

More? Oh, yes, since he insisted. Fine. Who needed explanations when his tongue had other superlative uses. Cordelia squealed at the electric sensation as he flicked over her sensitized clit. She grabbed for his head and fisted the short strands in her fingers as his tongue delved past her outer lips feeling conflicted because she wanted more, but wasn’t certain she could take it so soon.

Somehow, it got even better. How was that possible? That fluttering tongue making her insides clench and her knees tremble as she opened her thighs at a wider angle. She wanted to hump his tongue it felt so good. Damn. Her hips bucked up uncontrollably only to be pinned by one hand as he fucked her with his tongue. Cordelia panted with every little moan bordering close on another orgasm until Angel deliberately slowed the pace as his fingers dipped knuckle deep inside her.

The shallow penetration teased with its first gentle thrusts, but Angel could read the hunger in her stare as he lifted his gaze momentarily. Yeah, she wanted more of him, but she’d settle for those fingers stroking faster, deeper, and the magical mouth that found her so delectable. He gave it to her in increasing measures making her whimper at the velvet lash of his tongue. A flare of heat curled up inside, nectar coating his fingers with each long thrust, pumping into her as if it was his cock along for the ride. 

Cordelia writhed with every thrust moaning at the contact of his hand. The suction of his mouth made her thrash her head side to side trying to hold off the inevitable. She didn’t want it to end, but it was impossible to resist those feelings. That hot lick bloomed inside her like a supernova, pleasure expanding rapidly across every nerve to consume her whole.

For a second she thought she might pass out, but there was too much to see. Angel rising up between her thighs, cupping her ass to lift her up to the right angle, fisting his engorged cock and sliding it along her wet creases. The tip bumped at her sensitized clit setting off sparklers in the wake of her orgasm. So close. A different angle, one thrust of his hips, and he would be inside her.

As much as she ached for that feeling, Cordelia was happy to take what she got, and watching Angel like this was an incredible sight. His eyes ate her up just as hungrily as when he feasted on her, the raw want in his gaze making her needy again. “C’mon, Angel, give it to me. C’mon, yeah, right now. I wanna see it.” He let out a low grunt, his grip tighter, strokes faster.

Angelus let out a rumble of his own as he fisted his cock at the same pace riding the length of his shaft with the thin layer of Cordelia’s silky panties sliding between fingers and flesh. “Fuck, that’s hot.” His other hand slipped down to fondle her left breast, thumb strumming playfully at her distended nipple. 

Wanting a connection between them as they shared this moment with Angel, Cordelia’s hand swept over his threading their fingers together. He was right. This was hot. Watching Angel get himself off—this time—and Angelus climbing that same cliff right beside her. Encouraging him to keep up, she panted, “You, too, Bad Boy,” her breathing coming heavily as she curled her hips upward to make contact with Angel.

He was right there, sliding between her legs, touching her every time they moved, so close. His taut abdomen and thighs tensed up just as he reached his release. Ragged sounds preceded her name being torn from his throat “Cordy!” husky and full of a desperation she knew all too well.

As titillating as those silk panties felt running up and down his shaft, Angelus had no intention of spending himself in them. “My turn, kitten. Tell me you want my cock.”

Cordelia felt a little wobbly as she rose to her knees facing Angel. Even so, she needed more, and knew her lover was about it give it to her. “Yes, Angelus,” she whimpered in anticipation of having him inside her for a hard, wild ride. “I want it.” All while she had Angel in her arms. 

It was just that—fast and furious, phenomenal. He was far too close to tease her further, and Cordelia responded just as uninhibitedly as she always did to the sensations he created. “Now, yes!” Telling him exactly what she wanted, her words shifted from praise, “Ooh! You’re so hard. Like rebar only in a feels so good inside me kinda way!” to baser pleas that were once simple expletives, dirty little curses expressing nothing more than disdain, anger, or impatience. The latter might still apply.

Angel’s hands wandered between erogenous zones setting off sparklers, but his eyes were fixed at the sight of Angelus’ hands on her narrow hips, as he slammed his thick length inside her making her taut buttocks bounce with the force of his thrusts. “I want you,” he moaned into her ear. “I want you, Cordy.”

As if in response, she came suddenly gasping an ecstatic, “Yes!” which seemed to say it all. If it was intended for his brother or just an uncontrollable shout, Angel preferred to ignore those possibilities. His version had the right ring to it.

“You want this?” Angelus grunted the question. “You can have everything but this. Cordelia is mine.” He laid out his possession of her as he saw it before the ability to speak spiraled down into unintelligible sounds. More caveman and demon in that moment, he pounded out his need in vigorous, short thrusts again and again until it came thundering from the depths of him.

Clinging to Angel’s shoulders like a rag doll, Cordelia let out a long sigh before murmuring to her mate, “Love sex, and you, too.”

One day those words would be for him, Angel promised himself. Whatever Cordelia felt for his brother was just a temporary escape from her true feelings. That awkward crush had been all for him. Cordelia belonged to him under the guise of friendship before Angelus schemed his way into her affections. He had seduced her. Stolen her away from him albeit with his consent. Playtime was over. Angel wasn’t going to worry about breaking Angelus’ ridiculous rules. He would simply remind him they did not apply to the master of the House of Aurelius.

~  The End  ~

What are your thoughts about ‘Breaking the Rules?‘
Kudos and Critiques are welcome.

Home                    FanFiction               Kudos & Critiques