| Title: Queen of the Night Author: Startlett Chapter 27 Wes sat with his feet propped up on the desk, reading a book written by a yogini from India 500 years before. His stomach growled. He glanced at his watch. They'd been at it since morning, and it was now well after two in the afternoon. I'll just finish this chapter and then we'll take a break, he thought. Probably not going to find anything useful in this book anyway. Then his gaze stumbled across a series of words that had his eyebrows arching. "Oh, my. That's interesting." "What's interesting?" Fred asked, looking up from her copy of Warriors Through the Ages. "I may have found something," he said, turning the pages rapidly as he cross-checked a paragraph he'd read earlier. "Yes, it looks like...." Gunn turned his scythe over and began sharpening the other side of the blade. The smell of honing oil permeated the office. "Yo, man, you gonna clue us in, or what?" "I don't think you're going to believe this," Wes said. "But it looks like the only way Cordy can be saved is if she has sex." Gunn shook his head. "Damn, that girl gets all the luck." Wes paused, his glasses glinting in the desklamp's light. "With Angel." Lorne walked into the office. "Hello, all," he said cheerily, jiggling Connor against his shoulder. He looked from Fred to Wes to Gunn. "Okay, at first, I thought it was just me," he said to the baby. "Now I realize that this group is the master of the awkward silence." Wes cleared his throat. "Yes. Well." "What English is trying to say is that we've had a little epiphany," Gunn replied, his voice laced with disbelief and humor. "Really." Lorne pulled a chair out with the toe of his shoe and sat down. "Do tell." Connor began to fuss. "Here, I'll take him," Fred said, leaning across the table. "I haven't gotten to hold him yet today." "There, little nipper, go see your Aunt Fred," Lorne said, passing the baby to her and settling back in his chair. "In this bunch, the word epiphany can mean many things. Not all of them good," he said, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands on his chest. "This might be good. We're not sure yet," Wes said. "Since Cordy left, we've been researching the visions." Lorne nodded. "Just a moment ago, I came across something that sounds promising. From what this says, it seems one way she can keep the visions from overpowering her system is to have sex," Wes said, tapping the page. Lorne's eyebrows raised. "Why is that surprising? She was going to have to com-shuck with Groo to get rid of them. Wouldn't she have to do the opposite in this dimension to keep them?" "It's not the deed itself, bro," Gunn said. "It's who she has to do it with." Lorne made a "give it to me" motion with his hand. "Spill it, boys." "It's Angel," Wes finished. Lorne burst out laughing. "You've got to be kidding." Wes shook his head and pushed the book toward the demon. "No, take a look." Lorne shook his head. "I'm no good with the research mojo. Explain it to me." "Cordelia's human body is being overpowered by the visions. That we already knew," Wes said. Lorne nodded in agreement. "But upon further reading," Wes continued, "it appears that, if Cordy can become demon--or part demon--the visions won't kill her. They'll likely still cause great pain, but she would be able to live with them, much like Angel's previous Seer did." "Wait. That's not what you said before," Gunn interrupted. "You said she'd have to do the nasty with Angel in order to save herself." Wes nodded. "Yes. You see, in Cordy's case, there are only two ways she can become a demon. One is simply not an option, as it would involve her being vamped." "Okay. Definitely not an option. I'm still not getting the love connection, though," Gunn said, shaking his head. Wes leaned forward, his elbows coming to rest on the open book. "Sex," he said intently. "Tantric sex. It is the fusion of souls by way of the physical." "Meaning, if they get down and dirty, their spirits are joined," Gunn said. "Exactly. By performing tantric rituals with Angel, his demon and her human would join on a higher plane." Lorne nodded thoughtfully. "So they'd do a Sting-and-Trudie, and Cordy would get to keep her visions...and her life." Wes nodded. "Exactly. Since the Seer-Warrior relationship is rather a mystical marriage of sorts, it actually makes sense." "But what if his human and her human merged, instead? We'd be back to square one," Gunn interjected. Wes shook his head. "That's the lovely thing about tantra," Wes said. "It joins the *entire* being, not just a part of it. Since Angel is both human and demon, a hybrid, as it were, everything he is would merge with Cordy--and vice versa." "Except for the part where Angel loses his soul when he gets blissed. And I gotta say, it'd be hard not to get blissed out with a babe like Cordelia," Gunn said. "So, no dice." "Angel had sex with Darla and he didn't lose his soul. And from what we saw the night Connor was born, I imagine he had some sort of relations with the Furies," Wes argued. "Darla. Hardly the kind of woman that would give a man a happy," Lorne said. "And the Furies? Please. Achieving pure bliss with them would be like trying to find nutritional value in a Twinkie." Fred, who had been rocking Connor, looked up. "Kye-rumption," she said. "Bless you," Gunn replied. Lorne leaned forward, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought about that." "What are you talking about?" Wes asked. "Kye-rumption," Lorne repeated. "It's a Pylean word. It basically means 'two warriors of equal strength meet each other on the field of battle.' I never thought about them that way, but...." "I'm still not following," Wes said, shaking his head. "It's really very simple, actually. And, like any great equation, quite elegant," Fred continued. "I noticed it a few weeks ago when I walked in on Angel and Cordy during a training session. It was like watching a pas a deux of two perfectly matched dancers. Only it was more than physical. Their souls were dancing, too." Wes blew a breath through pursed lips. "Well." "Almost like the PTBs had this planned all along, huh?" Gunn said. "Except we still have that happiness clause," Lorne commented. Wes nodded. "Yes, that's something to consider." "Well, there's that good old British understatement," Gunn snorted. Fred shifted the baby so he lay more comfortably in her lap. "I think we should tell Angel," she said quietly. "I mean, if there's a chance...." "Tell me what?" Angel asked, coming into the room with a steaming mug. He took a sip and set the mug down on the desk. "We think we may have discovered a way to keep Cordy from being killed by the visions," Wes said quietly. "Why would you not tell me that?" Angel looked from person to person, his face registering uncertainty. "Because we're not sure it will work, and we didn't want you to be disappointed," Wes replied. "Anything that will save Cordy is worth a shot," Angel said, crossing his arms. Wes nodded and opened his mouth. "You have to have sex with Cordy," Fred blurted. "Tantric sex." Angel's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, did you say I had to have...." Title: Queen of the Night Author: Starlett Chapter 28 "...sex with *Angel*?" Cordy asked, stunned. "That's how he keeps his soul?" Mr. Zhou nodded and set a stack of books in front of her. "I think you've got it backwards," Cordy said, pushing the books aside. "That's how he *loses* his soul." The sitting room was bright with noontime sunlight, though outside snow blanketed the area six inches thick. One of Ben's men had shoveled the path from the house to the clearing, and the black dirt was like a graphite line on pure, white paper. "With certain people. Not with you. You see, having sex with you actually binds his soul by way of the link. It's all right here." He patted the stack of books, then smiled happily. "Huh?" Cordy asked, obviously confused. Mr. Zhou opened the book on top. "See here?" He tapped a page he'd marked with a yellow sticky note. "The gypsies are usually quite visionary, but in this case they were blinded by their desire for revenge. Their only goal was to make Angel suffer for eternity, and in casting their spell, they didn't anticipate the Powers' plan for him." He set that book aside and reached for another. "Because he has committed his life to fighting the good fight, Angel has become more than an ensouled vampire." A portrait of Angel looked at her from across time, its classic lines surrounded by ruffles and long, beribboned hair. "Angel is now a man with a divine purpose, one that is directly linked to you. In this way, the Powers have not only created a powerful Warrior-Seer union, they have effectively bypassed the curse." Cordelia couldn't help it. She laughed. "You have *got* to be kidding. The one thing--the *one* thing--we've feared for the last three years is the thing that *saves* him?" Mr. Zhou nodded, his eyes glittering with amusement. "The irony of this situation does not escape me." "So if Angel and I get physical, then his soul is bound forever?" "Not exactly." Cordy's eyes narrowed. "But you just said...." "In order for Angel's soul to be bound, you must have sexual relations. In order for it to remain bound forever...." "We have to have sex regularly," Cordy said, catching on. Her heart gave an excited dance. "It's bound only as long as we're in a relationship." Mr. Zhou nodded. "Exactly." "But what about me? That solves Angel's problem, but it doesn't solve mine." "Oh, but it does. Binding you to each other in the physical plane saves Angel. But in the spiritual plane, it unites you with his demon, thus saving you." "Oh, man," Cordy said, wrapping her arms around her waist. The dream wasn't just a dream, after all. It could actually be real. The thrill spread from her heart to her entire body. "This is so wild." "You think this is wild? Wait until you see the texts." "You're going to show me sex manuals?" Her mouth hung open in disbelief. "Yes, but don't worry. With me, you will simply be reading and asking questions. With Angel, you will be putting your studies to use." "Whew. Because I'm *so* not into the dirty-old-man thing." Mr. Zhou laughed. "Except that your warrior is about 230 years older than you are." "Yeah, but he's always gonna be a hunk of salty goodness." Cordy stopped, an odd look crossing her face. "And I won't be." Her gaze flew to his, every ounce of joy suddenly draining out of her. "Mr. Zhou, what happens when I'm 50 and he's still 25? What happens when I die, and he stays behind?" Mr. Zhou regarded her solemnly. "That is a problem. But you know, you could die first." A shiver walked up her spine. "Are you trying to tell me something?" "No. I'm simply stating a fact." He came back to the table and sat on the stool next to hers. "None of us knows the time of our death," he said quietly. "We only know that one day we will die. It is what I am trying to teach you in meditation. You must live fully in each moment, for the one behind is past, and the one before has not come. This moment is all you have." He leaned forward, his eyes intense and direct. "If you are able to be awake to the present, then when it is your time, you will be able to take your death with dignity. And so will Angel." "But that's so...I don't know...." She waved her hand, unable to put into words the sinking feeling in her stomach. Mr. Zhou's face smile showed nothing but compassion. "The Buddhists have spent eons studying the concept of impermanence." He patted her hand warmly. "If you would like, I will loan you some books on this subject. You might find them useful." Cordy nodded, feeling slightly less frightened. "I'd like that. But, still...." "Cordelia, facing loss and death is the very nature of life. Every day when I awaken, I remind myself that I have been given 24 hours in which to live most fully. Except I also know that one day I won't live to see that 24th hour. "The pain and fear you now experience are no different than what I, or any other sentient being, felt when they realized for the first time that life was not eternal. People die. You know this in your head, you have seen it in your life. But to know it in your heart...." "But for Angel, life *is* eternal," Cordy interrupted. Mr. Zhou nodded. "It certainly has the potential to be, but whether it will or not, well that's up to some power besides Angel. He's no different than the rest of us in that respect. And, I imagine, for a man who could live to be thousands of years old, death is both more feared and more desired than it is for the rest of us." "Okay, all that aside. I'm still reeling at the idea of...you know...with Angel." "Do you know the story of the frog in the pot?" Mr. Zhou asked with a laugh. Cordy looked confused. "Talk about your basic non sequitor." "It's an old story, but one that bears retelling. If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, he will be burned by the heat and jump back out. However, if you drop a frog in cold water and gradually increase the heat, he does not notice, and he will stay in the pot until he boils to death." Cordy raised her eyebrows. "Lovely. Your point?" "You and Angel are like the second frog. You have been married on one level since you became linked. But your friendship has also evolved into a matrimonial relationship over the years, something you haven't noticed because it has happened so gradually." Cordy stared at him. "When you first met him, you found him attractive." "Sure, but I was young and stupid. Besides, he was dating Buffy." "And that didn't bother you because you didn't have feelings for him. But think back to the way you felt when you found out he had sex with Darla. It was a very different story, wasn't it?" "Well, sure." Cordy shrugged. "But he'd not only lied about it, he'd also risked his soul by doing it in the first place. Why wouldn't I feel pissed off?" Mr. Zhou nodded. "Of course, but remember a few weeks ago when you woke up in the hospital. When you looked at him, what did you see?" Cordy swallowed, but this time remained silent. "You have not allowed yourself to think of Angel as anything but your friend because of the curse. You are too practical and compassionate a woman to risk yourself or your friends by falling in love with him. But that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. We can't choose who we love, Cordelia. Especially when the Powers have chosen us for one another." "I didn't have a choice?" Well, that was hardly fair, now was it? "You did. You made it." She narrowed her eyes. "Funny, I don't remember that." "You could have gotten rid of the visions," he reminded her. "You didn't. You knowingly allowed yourself to continue receiving them, even at great risk to yourself. Not only was it an act of great self-sacrifice and courage, it allied you permanently with Angel." Cordy took a deep breath. She knew he was right. She'd felt it in her bones when she left Pylea. "Okay, fine. I chose. But I did it because I needed to feel special, not because I was in love with Angel." "Methinks the lady doth protest too much," Mr. Zhou teased gently. "You are special, but you were special--and needed--before you had the visions. Even if you had given them up, you and Angel still would have loved each other. You just would have faced a different set of circumstances." Cordy looked at him intently. "So what you're saying is that Angel is my destiny." Mr. Zhou nodded. "And you are his." Cordy stood and looked out at the woods. "I need to take a walk." |