Part 12/?

(Disclaimer: The characters and universe of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” all belong to Joss Whedon, Dave Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy, and LazyDave Productions who hold all rights and copyrights. This is purely a work of amusement; no profit is being asked for or received from this work. “It’s Not Unusual” copyright Tom Jones; and “Too Much to Dream” copyright The Electric Prunes.

It's not unusual to be loved by anyone,
It's not unusual to have fun with anyone,
But when I see you hanging about with anyone
It's not unusual to see me cry, I wanna die


It's not unusual to go out at any time,
But when I see you out and about it's just a crime,
If you should ever wanna be loved by anyone,
It's not unusual, it happens every day,
No matter what you say
You'll find it happens all the time


Love will never do, what you want it to
Why can't this crazy love be mine.


It's not unusual to be mad with anyone,
It's not unusual to be sad with anyone
But if I ever find that you've changed at any time
It's not unusual, to find that I'm in love with you
Woh woh woh woh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah


As the Welsh crooner finished his encore number, Cordelia found, once again much to her amazement that she was screaming and clapping along with the rest of the mostly female audience. “Wow! He is sexy!” She said aloud, not thinking anyone else could hear. “I guess I can see now why my mom…”

“Huh, Cordy?” Felicia, standing next to her roommate asked as Donny slipped an arm around each of the ladies’ waists.

“Oh…I was just lookin’ at the eye candy…” Cordy smirked as her eyes drifted towards the tight jeans worn by the Welshman who was at that moment just leaving the stage.
“Yeah.” The strawberry blonde licked her lips in agreement, her eyes also wandering in the same direction as her roomies’ as the two women and their escorts joined the other people moving towards the exits.

“So…what am I?” Donny pouted in mock outrage. Then, his voice taking on an exaggerated Texas drawl, he began to impersonate Lyndon Johnson. “I promise I will go anywhere…anytime…to negotiate an honorable settlement…with you two gorgeous chicks.”

“I’ll negotiate something with you…” Felicia purred playfully as she kissed her boyfriend.

Cordelia, snickering, teased, “So…are we talking about a…piece…with honor here?”

“Just as long as there isn’t a…premature…withdrawal…” Felicia, continuing the game, playfully jibed as she winked at Cordelia.

Turning towards the other male in their little party, Donny smirked, “So, Angel…looks like we got us a little domino theory at work here…?”

Shifting uncomfortably, the demon within the ensouled vampire cried out for release as he saw the curves of Cordelia’s luscious body visible beneath the transparent dress she was wearing. “Ummm…well…” Angel stammered as his future Seer all but glared at him, daring him to say something as she noticed that her future partner’s eyes were locked on her noticeable breasts. Taking note of the expression on the brunette’s face, he settled for a slight leer as he remarked, “Well…I think there is something to be said for…taking firm…measure…ments.”

Cordelia, somewhat surprised by Angel’s jibe, recovering quickly, quipped, “Well…get a good look at ‘em now…” She smirked as she thrust out her chest, “Cause that’s all you’re getting!”

“Ouch!” Donny exclaimed as both women giggled. “She socked it to ya, man.”

“I ain’t finished sockin’ it to you, either, Broody boy.” Cordy then flashed an evil grin. “Cause guess who’s buying dinner?”

Somewhat later, as the two couples walked towards their car, Angel pulled his date for the evening to the side. “Cordelia…” He whispered, “I…don’t think this…dinner…is such a good idea…I mean…”

“Look, Angel.” The time traveling seer whispered back, “I’m not gonna make you do anything you don’t…” Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she gave the cursed vampire a look that expressed both tenderness and exasperation. “No…scratch that…I am gonna make you do something you don’t wanna do…cause if I don’t now, no one else is gonna do it for a long time!” Tenderness finally winning out over her irritation, she continued, her voice now softer and warmer as she took her future partner’s hand, “Don’t ask me to tell you how I know this…I just do…let’s just say that someone we both know really well told me recently…right now things aren’t too bad for you…you know…I mean…I know that you’re going through hell, and I know why…believe me I do…but…things are gonna get a lot worse before they get better.” Sighing, she finished, “What I’m trying to say Angel is…take advantage of what you got now—‘kay?”

Seeing the sincere look on the face of the woman standing in front of him, the tormented vampire allowed a rare, slight smile to cross his features. “All right…I’ll…try.”

“That’s all I’m asking, Angel.” Cordelia said as she flashed her brightest smile.

“Wonder what they’re talking about?” Felicia, seeing her roommate and the tall dark man she had just meant engaged in what appeared to the strawberry blonde to be an intense conversation, asked as she allowed Donny to encircle her in his arms. “Looks pretty heavy.”

“Don’t know.” Donny answered back as he gently kissed his girlfriend, “But I’m sure they’ll straighten it out. I mean…yeah…he’s on the quiet side, but Cordy’s a together chick.”

“I know, Donny.” Felicia sighed as she rested her head on her boyfriend’s chest. “It’s just well…there’s something weird about Angel…I can’t put my finger on it, but something just doesn’t seem…right…you know?”

“Don’t sweat it, babe.” Donny said gently as he smiled down on his girl. “Okay, I haven’t talked to him that much, but I don’t get any bad vibes from him that he’d hurt Cordy or anything like that.” He then flashed a quick leer. “’Sides, you oughta be worried about what I got planned for you when we get back to your place…”

“Oh yeah?” Felicia smirked as she kissed her boyfriend. “Why don’t you just tell me…”

***********

“I’m surprised Angel cut out after dinner.” Felicia frowned as the now threesome made their way towards the apartment she shared with Cordelia.

Seeing the look of concern on her roommate’s face, Cordelia smiled reassuringly. “Oh…it’s okay. He works nights…security work…so he had to make an early night of it.”

“See…” Donny said with an amused grin, “Nothing to it…”

“All right…all right…” Felicia said with a smile of her own as the trio turned the corner. Then, seeing the man that Cordelia had introduced as her friend from England standing in front of the door to their apartment, the lovely strawberry blonde asked, “Edmund…right?”

“Ah…yes.” The diffident Englishman replied. “I’m…sorry to appear without first calling, but it’s a matter of some…urgency.” Then, fixing his eyes on Cordelia, he further clarified, “It deals with that matter we discussed this afternoon…”

“Oh…” Cordelia, momentarily taken aback by the Watcher’s appearance, exclaimed as she recovered her wits, “You mean that matter.”

“Exactly.” Edmund confirmed. “Perhaps it would be better if we talked at my hotel?”

“Definitely.” Cordelia agreed and then turned towards her roommate. “Licia? I’m gonna go with Edmund…it’s a family matter…you understand?”

“Ummm…yeah…I guess…” Felicia stammered before adding, her concern for her roommate reflecting in both her facial expression and voice tone, “You gonna be okay? You want we should go with…or you need anything from us?”

“Yeah.” Donny added. “You know if you need us…”

“I know.” The lithe brunette replied with a warm smile. “Me and Edmund got it handled…it’s just family business, you know.”

“Okay.” Felicia said reluctantly, “But if you need us…just give us a call…”

“Thanks cats.” Cordy grinned as she took the Englishman’s arm. “I need you…I’ll holler.” Then, giving her roommate a wink, the young seer added, “You two have fun, now.”

As her roomie and the Englishman disappeared around the corner, a worried frown crossed the pretty strawberry blonde’s face. “I don’t know…you sure she’s gonna be okay?”

“She’ll be fine.” Donny assured as he massaged his girlfriend’s shoulders. Then, flashing a playful grin, he added, “Don’t forget what she told us…”

“Yeah…” Felicia grinned as a part of her remained troubled still, “She did say for us to have fun…”

“And you know how Cordy gets when you don’t do what she tells you to do…” Donny teased gently as he kissed Felicia.

“I know.” Felicia said gently as she returned her boyfriend’s kiss while at the same time opening the door. “So…we better do what she says…”

***********

“So…” Cordelia said as she sipped the coffee that Edmund had thoughtfully prepared. “You’ve found out how they’re gonna bring back Sour Puss, huh?”

“Yes.” Edmund, barely repressing a grin at the irreverent expression the young woman sitting next to him used to describe the ancient vampire, replied. “It involves a complicated and dangerous magical ritual.” He explained, “With several ingredients.”

“Okay…” Cordy prompted, “What sorta ingredients are we talking about here? I’m guessin’ it’s more than your standard eye of newt and wolfsbane.”

“Most definitely.” Giles agreed. “First, they will need the Liber Arcanum and the Dagger of Agamemnon. The Liber contains the liturgy for the ceremony, and the Dagger is needed for the most important of the blood sacrifices.”

“Okay…” Cordelia said as she massaged her temples. “I remember reading in the paper that some sort of dagger was taken from the museum recently in a nighttime robbery—I think that might be our Dagger of Agamemnon.”

“That leaves just the book then.” Giles said as he shook his head.

“I think they might have that too.” Cordelia said softly as she set her coffee cup down and then explained. “He told me that he’d run into some vamps in the cemetery and that one of ‘em was carrying what looked like an old book. I’ve got a bad feeling that that might be our book.”

“I think it would be foolish to conclude otherwise.” The Watcher agreed.

“So that leaves the sacrifices then.” Cordelia said as a lump formed in her throat.

“Yes.” The Englishman nodded his head. “There is the standard sacrifice of innocents—the bloodletting of twelve youths. But that’s not the Dagger’s purpose. The Dagger is used just before that sacrifice takes place—for the sacrifice of The Child.”

“The Child?” The time traveling seer asked, confused.

“The Child.” The Watcher then explained. “You see…for the ritual to succeed, a child of the Master’s must be sacrificed. His or her blood will join that of the innocents providing the necessary mystical energies…”

“Angel.” Cordelia then said in a low voice. “He’s the Child.”

“Quite.” Edmund agreed. “Angel is in a great deal of danger as long as he remains in Sunnydale.”

***********

As Donny drove drown the lonely country road, the top down on his Mustang convertible, he smiled warmly. “I’m the luckiest cat alive.” He sighed as he turned on the radio.

“This is KDSL with the newest release by the Electric Prunes—“Too Much To Dream.”

Last night your shadow fell upon my lonely room
I touched your golden hair and tasted your perfume
Your eyes were filled with love the way they used to be
Your gentle hand reached out to comfort me
Then came the dawn
And you were gone
You were gone, gone, gone


“Far out!” Donny exclaimed as he beat time to the music with his free hand. “Perfect end to the perfect night!” He smiled as the song continued to play.

I had too much to dream last night
Too much to dream
I'm not ready to face the light
I had too much to dream
Last night


As he drove, the young man saw her standing in front of her car, its hood up, leaning over the engine. Pulling over and coming to a stop, Donny, after putting his Mustang in park, leaped out and rushed over to assist the lovely blonde whose back was at that moment turned to him. “Hey, baby.” He smiled. “Can I give you a hand?”

The room was empty as I staggered from my bed
I could not bear the image racing through my head
You were so real that I could feel your eagerness
And when you raised your lips for me to kiss


“Yeah…I think you’ll do nicely…” Darla, turning around, smiled hungrily as she eyed her prey.

Came the dawn
And you were gone
You were gone, gone, gone


Oh, too much to dream
Oh, too much to dream
Too much to dream last night
Oh, too much to dream


***********

“You understand what you are to do then?” Luke glared at Darla and her vampire henchmen. “The time for the Rising approaches. If our Master is to return before the prophesied day thirty years from now, then the ritual must be performed soon.”

“I know.” Darla flashed an evil grin as she held up a vial containing a dark potion. “The contents of this will get us Angelus without any problems—and, as for his companion…” She then leered as she crooked her finger, signaling for someone to approach. “I think we’ve found the perfect tool—right, Donny?”

Upon hearing the mention of his name, Felicia’s boyfriend, now wearing the face of a vampire, smiled hungrily, his newly acquired fangs gleaming in the dim light of the cave. “Yeah, baby.”

TBC...