Title: The Gorgon Touch
Author: SLMurphy
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG13. language. Woo-hoo.
Spoilers: Up into season three.
Classification: A/C as it should be. Angst-It's not just a 5 letter word.
Disclaimed. Nope, not mine. If I had my way the PTB would require Angel to be naked while saving mankind.
Author's note: this is a continuation to 'Bittersweet', my first a/c story. If you haven't read it, I would recommend you take the time before reading this rubbish- uh, labor of love. 'Bittersweet' was a fluffy piece, written on a dare. This is not fluffy. If you would like a copy of either story emailed to you, just drop me a line.
Constructive criticism welcome. Flames ignored. "I loved it!" treasured :)
The Gorgon Touch
*"I am not in love with Buffy now, Cora. I did love her, and I still do, but it's not the same."*
Cordelia Chase laid quietly in the darkness.
"...she's not my reason for being any longer. Now, knowing what I do, I wonder if she ever was."
Silent, motionless; the only sign of life the erratic rise and fall of her chest.
*"She knows about my soul. I told her last night."*
And the tears.
*"I had intended on telling you first, right after I told you I loved you."*
She closed her eyes.
*"I love you, Cora"*
Oh God, what did I do?
<><><><><><><><><><>
Angel Investigations opened it's door at a punctual 9am, every single day. Every day, that was, as long as Cordelia was there to unlock the door and start the coffee.
For the past three she hadn't been.
Wesley, his usual cup of tea in hand, fired up the computer hoping to catalog the latest string of demons. He lifted his head as Cordelia walked into the hotel lobby over an hour late, her coat half off her shoulders.
"Morning, Cordelia. You look lovely as usual today." He failed to mention the dark circles under her eyes, and the pall to her normally vibrant complexion.
"Hello, Wes." She glanced around. "Angel is...?"
"Sleeping. I haven't heard a sound yet this morning."
She breathed a sigh of relief, then blushed as Wesley gave her a strange look.
"That's it!" His hands hit the desk with a smack. "Cordy, I don't mean to pry... but will you please tell me what is going on? Angel just growls and sulks, you seem to be avoiding this place, us, and Angel in particular." His tone grew in irritation. "Fred, Gunn, nor I can make heads nor tails of this problem. And, frankly, the tension is thick enough around here without your two adding to it."
Feeling chastened Cordelia lower her gaze. "Um... well, Angel and I... we, had a bit of a fight."
"Ah."
She turned dark, pleading, tear filled eyes to Wesley, "I am really sorry, Wes. I didn't mean to make you and Fred and Gunn anxious, or angry. I am so sorry. I am not avoiding you! Things will go back to normal, okay? I will try really hard to make it normal again-"
Wesley smiled gently to ease her distress, "Cordy, stop." He stood and walked around the desk to take her hands in his. "I'm worried about *you*, Cordelia. You don't look as if you've been sleeping, nor eating properly. It's beginning to show through your numerous efforts, you know."
She blinked rapidly as the tears spilled over her dark lashes.
His voice quieted, "Do you want to talk about it, Cordy? We are family, I am a good listener, and you know I love you."
"I- Yes... No! Oh Wes-" She started shaking her head, arms wrapped around herself as her tears turned to sobs. Trembling threatened to overtake her slender frame.
Wesley pulled her into his arms, frightened at her uncharacteristic reaction, holding as she cried against his chest. Gently, as one would a young child, he stroked her hair and rocked slowly, making comforting noises in the back of his throat.
A slight scuffing sound and Wesley looked up from her dark hair. Angel stood in the doorframe, the anguish in his eyes was painful to see. He took a step forward as Cordelia's cries quieted into hiccups.
She leaned back slightly, still unaware of Angel's presence.
Wesley met her eyes as she gently touched his face. "Thank you, Wesley. I love you too."
He looked back towards the door.
Angel was gone.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Gunn walked into the lobby at dusk, a video in hand. "Hey Wes! Fred! Barbie!" He waggled the video, "I have 'Love and Basketball' right here. Who wants to watch?" He walked towards the TV at the far end of the lobby.
Fred grinned, nodded, and plopped herself on the couch.
Wesley, at his desk, waved a hand.
Cordelia shrugged and stood from hers. "Nothing else to do. I'll make popcorn, if there's any left."
She made it part way across she lobby when the vision hit. Mid-stride, she fell to the floor and curled into a ball, whimpering and clutching at her head.
"Angel!" Wesley yelled as he ran to her. Gunn and Fred went for the pills and water she would need.
Angel reached Cordelia's side a second after Wesley. He picked her up from the floor and carried her shaking, crying form to the couch. Gently he laid her down, knelt, and stroked her damp hair away from her face until the tremors subsided.
Wesley perched over the back of the couch, pen and paper in hand.
Angel handed his seer the pills and water from Gunn, holding the glass for her to drink, his other hand supporting her neck.
"I am so going to slug those oracles one of these days." She leaned back into Angel's hand and smiled slightly at him in thanks.
He set down the glass and laid her back as his fingers stroked slowly, soothingly over her forehead, leaving cool trails of relief in their wake. She sighed.
"What did you see, Cordy?" Wesley asked quietly, loath to disturb the scene his two best friends made, yet unable not to.
Her brows drew together in confusion. "I didn't see anything. No, not darkness, just a grey misty thing. Then a guy, his eyes all bugged out, falling backwards. Dead. I never saw the demon, or what happened." She looked at Angel, then Wesley, her eyes haunted and frightened. "He felt a moment of pure fear, it was so very strong even I felt it." Her voice became panicked. "But I don't know what he was looking at! I-I can't see it! It's all grey! Like mist or smoke! I don't even know where this happened!" She struggled to sit up.
"Shhh, Cordelia, it's alright." Angel spoke, his hands pressing her back into the couch cushion. "We'll find whatever did this."
She nodded, relaxed back to the cushions and slid her eyes closed, allowing the odd, heavy sensation to chase away the pain and confusion.
Angel gestured for Fred to get Cordelia a blanket, Gunn to gather weapons and Wesley to start researching this ghost-like demon. He waited until they were out of sight before bending over and pressing a gentle kiss to Cordelia's sleep-softened lips.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
They scoured the city, to the last moment before sunrise. No demon, or body, matching the description of Cordelia's vision was found.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
She dreamed.
"Cora, I love you. Please believe that."
"Oh Angel, I do! I believe you love me! I know I love you!"
He grinned.
"But it's wrong, oh god, so wrong!" She sobbed.
His smile fell as he slowly walked towards her.
She stepped back, until she was against the door, no where else to run.
"Cora, why... why do you feel it's wrong for us to love one another. It's not wrong, it can't be..."
She shook her head. "It's unfair! It's not right! Angel listen to me!" Tears streaming, "I love you so much it hurts! Now! As it is it's tearing me apart! And now that I know you feel the same for me it's only worse!"
"What?!?" He stopped an arms length away, eyes flashing in the darkness.
"It's worse because we can never be together." She waved her hand before he could interrupt. "You have your soul, I know. So we could physically be together. That's not what I'm talking about! This is more than that!" Cordelia took a gulping breath before continuing. "Angel, this is too 'Peter Pan' and it didn't work for them anymore than it will work for us."
"What?", he tipped his head, not sure if he actually heard her correctly.
She threw her hands in the air. "'Peter Pan!' you know, the tale of the boy who lived in Never-Never Land?" Confusion clouded his gaze. "He could never die, Angel... Like you! He met Wendy and took her to Never-Never Land, then brought her home. Year after year he did this! He never aged, but she did! She became ever so much more than 30 and he didn't want her after that! She died, lonely, old and alone, while he stayed young! She, it-it had to have been awful for her! I don't want that for me!"
Angel smiled, very softly, and reached for his crying seer, carefully drawing her into his arms. "Cora, I love you... even when you are 'ever so much more than 30', I will still love you. I will love you for the rest of your life, and the rest of mine. I will not leave you, ever."
She hesitated for the mearest second, then put her hands on his chest and shoved with surprising strength. Angel fell backwards, startled.
"That's just it, Angel! You love me now. I'm young and pretty, and healthy! 50 years from now I won't be! You'll still be handsome and young. What would people think? I'd just die if someone mistook me for your mother!"
Angel laughed, not seeing the fury building in Cordelia's tear soaked eyes.
"Cordelia, I hardly think THAT will ever happen."
"Your right!" She shouted. "It won't ever happen! Chances are I'll either be dead or you will have moved on!"
He growled at her words. "You will *not* die! I won't allow it!"
Cordelia snorted, "Yeah, like Mr Undead here has any say in a human's natural lifespan. But your right, Angel. No one will mistake me for your mother, or Grandmother, or Sugar-momma, or anything of the like. Because *nothing* is going to happen. I am going to walk out that door and we're both going to forget this happened. I can not, *ever*, play Wendy to your Peter Pan!"
Cordelia woke, her pillow soaked with the latest tears, Angel's name on her lips.
<><><><><><><><><><>
8:40pm
Angel and Wesley and Gunn were pouring over the collection of dusty, musty, cracking old books when the vision hit again.
Cordelia screamed from the kitchen, the dish in her hand shattering on the floor as she followed it down.
Angel grabbed her and lifted her away from the mess, ready to wait out her vision with her in his arms.
Only her screams didn't stop. They worsened. Becoming inhuman in their sound and strength.
Wesley looked at Angel, his concern and terror etched all over his body. Fred, who ran downstairs at the noise, clung to Gunn'a arm.
Still she screamed, until her vocal cords were to the breaking point.
Angel, clutching his seer, tried in vain to calm her, break whatever power was doing this to her. He muttered into her hair, stroked her face, rocked. His own fear overtaking his body.
As suddenly as the screaming started, it stopped.
As did her breathing
Then her heart
Stunned, Angel stood rooted in place. Staring down at the lifeless woman in is arms.
Wesley and Gunn starting tugging on Angel, trying to get him to release her. "Angel, dammit, let her go! She needs help!"
Slowly, numbly, he set her on the ground and stood, eyes locked on her beautiful, serene, motionless face.
Wesley immediately checked for a pulse while Gunn dialed his cell phone. Counting down her ribs, Wesley covered one of his hands with the other and started compressions over her heart. Gunn tipped her head backwards and covered her mouth with his, breathing into her still form.
Angel stepped back... unable to do anything, his own system shutting down. A small part of his mind was fascinated by the humans' abilities to give one another a heartbeat, a breath. Essentially keeping the other human alive until something gives, or life returns.
Latching onto that hope, he tried to will her to breathe by herself, for her heart to start beating, for her blood to flow in her veins once again. To bring his heart back to him.
Minutes later, paramedics rushed through the hotel door. Pulling Wesley and Gunn aside, they took over the compressions and put a mask over her face to substitute for Gunn's lips. A third paramedic was pressing buttons on a small machine, rubbing two hand paddles together.
Fred was crouched in a corner, watching in fear, muttering to herself.
Wesley and Gunn stood to either side of Angel, but he didn't notice.
They grabbed him when he growled and lunged forward as one of the paramedics ripped open Cordelia's blouse. The man with the machine knelt next to her, ignoring Angel's outburst, and placed the paddles onto her chest.
Angel jumped as Cordelia's body raised from the floor. His demon visage appearing quickly. Then again, as a fellow paramedic checked for a pulse and ordered another shock delivered.
Then a third time.
A fourth.
Fifth.
The paramedic manning the breathing device stopped pumping air into her lungs. He lowered his head, shaking it sadly at the waste.
Angel yelled, "NO!" he ripped away from Wesley and Gunn's grip. "AGAIN!" He gestured to the odd little machine. "AGAIN!!!"
The paramedic manning the machine rubbed the paddles together again, loath to want to give up on their beautiful, young patient, either. He touched them a last time to her chest.
Angel cried and sank to his knees as her heart started once more.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Kate entered the hospital, striding purposefully to the attendant at the desk. Flashing her badge, she asked for Cordelia Chase's room number.
The hallway was darkened, as it should be in the middle of the night, long after visitor's hours were over. But that didn't stop there from being one handsome, young man sitting in a chair just outside room 1013. His hands cradled his head then lifted up to run unsteady fingers through light brown hair.
"Wesley." Kate quietly approached. "How is she?"
Wesley looked up, startled. "Kate! What-How did you know?"
She shrugged. "I overheard the 911 dispatch. Recognized the address. Figured it was either you, or Ms Chase it was being summoned for."
"We don't know what happened, Kate. She started screaming, then almost died. Now- now she won't wake up."
"Mmmm. I'll bet Angel is beside himself."
Wesley let out a little huff. "You could say that." He gestured towards the room. "He's in there. The Doctor just left."
"What do they think is wrong?"
"Cordelia got a nasty bump on her head a few days ago, but she seemed to be doing fine. The Doctor seems to think she may have swelling on her brain from the accident." He couldn't tell her about the vision and what he and Angel suspect really happened.
Kate sat down in the chair next to him, and he noticed a manila folder in her hands.
With a slightly guilty expression, she passed it over for him to leaf through. "There is another reason for my being here. I need your, and Angel's, help."
"He won't be of any assistance... at least not until Cordelia has pulled through."
"I understand. Perhaps, though, you can give me some advice, or know what could be causing these deaths."
Wesley looked down at a crime scene photo and gasped.
It was a young man, early 20s, laying face-up on the sidewalk. His arms outstretched before him, fingers splayed. His face a frozen, solid mask of absolute horror.
"It appears he died before he even hit the ground." Kate reached over and slid out another photo of another young man in a very similar position, only one of his hands was reaching towards his face, as if to cover his eyes. "This was taken tonight. We estimated the time of death between 7 and 9pm. He was discovered near his car by a girlfriend when he was late picking her up."
Kate shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Wesley, even his hair... his hair was locked into position. Pieces of it were broken off by the fall. Their skin... it was hardened, no give to it at all. Petrified, is the only way I can describe it. Like stone." She took back the photos and file. "I was hoping you might have an idea of what we could be dealing with here."
Wesley, still stunned by the tangible evidence of Cordelia's vision, shook his head. "Kate, I'm really not sure right now. I have an idea, but without further research, I cannot say anything. I will, however, go home and start immediately."
"Thank you Wesley. Please let me know." She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "And let me know if there's any change with Cordelia."
"I will. Thank you, Kate."
Wesley watched her walk away into the darkened hallway before turning to Cordelia's room.
He stepped in to find Angel sitting next to her bed, holding her hand and tracing tiny patterns into her palm.
"Angel..." Wesley waited until he looked up. "I think I may have a lead on what's happened to Cordy. I am going back to the hotel. You are staying here." It wasn't a question, he knew Angel wouldn't leave her side.
Angel took his cell phone from his pocket and made a show of turning it on. "Call. If you know anything..." he turned his anguished gaze back at his seer. "Anything at all..."
"I will, Angel." He sighed and stepped further into the room, then leaned over Cordelia's still form and lightly kissed her forehead. "Come back to us, Cordy. We miss you." He touched her face gently and left the room.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Cordelia awoke to absolute darkness. Looking down, she saw herself clothed normally, everything intact, whole, and standing.
Standing on nothing. There was no floor, no ground. No ceiling, walls, doors. Only black.
Her eyes grew wide as she started to panic. She wanted to run, but to where? She wanted to scream, but she had no voice.
Shaking, she crumpled, silently crying.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Angel raised his head from the bedside as the door opened. He rubbed his blurry eyes as Fred quietly entered the hospital room.
"H-hi Angel...", she muttered very softly, watching the still figure laying in the bed. "I- came to see 'Delia."
He touched Cordelia face, then ran unsteady fingers through her hair. "She'll be happy to know you came here, Fred... she's been worried about you."
He stood as Fred approached the bed and with utmost care touched Cordelia's hand. Tears sparkled in her eyes and she looked upon her friend.
"Angel... why won't she wake up? Doesn't she know we need her here?"
He shook his head. "Fred... maybe you can tell her that... then she'll know how much she is missed and will return to us..."
"...okay."
Looking at the clock, he realized it had been over 18 hours since Wesley left. "I'll wait outside. I am not going far... come and get me when you are through talking with her, alright? I need to speak with Wesley."
"...okay."
He leaned over his seer and gently kissed her forehead. As he passed Fred, he squeeze the hand she laid on Cordelia and gave her gentle smile, then left the room.
<><><><><><><><><><>
A chill ran through Cordelia, raising goosebumps on her arms. It was disconcerting, but heartening as well as it signaled the first change in her environment. Change was good, that meant there was life, she might not be dead. This might not be hell after all.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Angel greeted Gunn with a nod, then turned to Wesley.
"Angel, we need to go to Caritas, see Lorne."
"You and Gunn go. I can't leave Cordelia."
"Angel, we may be able to find out what's happened to her and bring her back, if you accompany me to Lorne's. I have a few questions he might be able to answer."
He looked at the closed door. "Wesley, tell me what you have found."
"Yes, well," the ex-watcher removed his glasses. "The visions Cordelia had were not false, or immature. There have been two bodies found that match her descriptions. Perhaps more by now."
Angel took a seat, Wesley followed suit.
"Kate came by here last night, asking for help identifying what could have done the damage displayed with the two men. I started researching immediately, but have only come up with one known creature capable of causing this type of death. Medusa."
"The Greek mythological monster? All that snaky hair and turning men to stone nonsense? The one killed by the guy with the mirror shield in that Argonauts movie." Gunn asked. "Your kidding, right?"
"Afraid not, Gunn." He turned back to Angel. "I know it sounds farfetched, and ridiculous to even consider. Hence the reason I feel we need to talk to Lorne. Gunn can stay here with Fred and Cordelia. We will only be gone a little while, and we'll get you something to eat while we're there Angel. It's been too long."
He started to protest the mention of food then stopped as Wesley said firmly, "Cordy will kill me if I don't at least try, Angel."
Angel nodded and together they left.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Caritas
"Hey tall, dark, and broody. How is she?"
Angel looked startled.
Wesley stammered, "How-?"
Lorne gestured at Angel. "Gorgeous here is a dead give-away, no pun intended big-guy, whenever his Cordelicious is in trouble. His colors go all dark and dangerous." He gestured to a table. "So, boys, what can I do for you?"
Wesley went on to explain the visions, and then the state of the corpses found. He hesitated before bringing up his theory.
"Your not as far off as you might think." Lorne signed and leaned back. "Ahh, the three Gorgon sisters! All mystical beauties, and the stuff of many a young demon's private fantasies, you know what I mean." He smiled. "Stheino, the oldest, with night-black hair, plum lips and eyes like the sea. Euryale, the middle, golden hair, golden eyes and golden skinned. And the one you are most familiar with, Medusa... the baby of the family, with her hair of fire and eyes of precious emeralds, was said to be the most beautiful of all.
"According to legend, all three sisters had the ability to turn mankind and demonkind to 'stone' with nothing more than a glance. Humans took the legend a bit literally... while demon-kind took it, well, another direction entirely. It was said these most lovely of women were part demon themselves, bred from the pairing of a god with an immortal being. If a demon looked upon any of them they would stop in place in utter rapture and die happily. However, there is another part of the legend that is not widely known and is mostly forgotten about."
Lorne raised a hand towards the bar, calling for drinks.
"If a demon lived through the rapture, then he would be granted immorality... short of decapitation. That seems to end *most* immortals. It's those of us that can ultimately die who are able to still live despite not having our heads attached." Lorne shuddered at the memory of his own decapitation, then smiled as he recalled the look on Cordelia's face when his bodiless head spoke. "Anyway, I digress. So, Wesley, I do believe you might be on to something. Another part of the myth suggests that while Medusa was killed, her sisters lived... and procreated every few hundred years I might add. Perhaps a great-blah-blah-great-granddaughter is out hunting a mate?" He shrugged.
"I would say it is entirely possible that is exactly what we are dealing with." Wesley agreed. "It doesn't, though, explain Cordelia's situation."
"I think, perhaps, it does, Wes." Angel looked at his friends. "If humankind was supposed to be scared into death, it would explain the corpses, but it would also explain Cordelia's terror... then her..." he trailed off, unable to say more, and lowered his gaze to the tabletop.
Lorne watched his friend with concern. Never had he seen Angel so completely overcome with any emotion. "What am I missing here?"
Wesley spoke in a strained voice, betraying his own feelings at the event. "She died, Lorne. For nearly 10 minutes Cordelia was dead."
Lorne gasped, "I had no idea..."
Angel growled and shoved away from the table, then started pacing under the sympathetic watch of his friends.
Wesley continued, "The paramedics managed to revive her. She is stable, but still unconscious."
Lorne became pensive, then quietly stated, "She is immortal now."
Angel stopped and stared at him. "That is just a myth."
"So is turning a man to stone. Or freezing a demon with lust."
"Lorne's right, Angel. The evidence we have points to there being some truth behind the legend."
"Right now, I don't care. The only thing I care about is her returning to me... us." Angel stormed out of the club.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Cordelia felt the warmth return and chase away the weight of the darkness. As she embraced the warmth she realized it had a name. Angel.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
The phone at Angel Investigations rang once, twice, then a third time before a groggy Wesley managed to answer it.
"'ello?"
"Hello? Wesley?" It was Kate. "Are you there?"
"Oh!" He sat up straighter, shook his head a clear the cobwebs of sleep and focused on her voice. "Yes, sorry. I am here, go ahead Kate."
"There's been another one. Young man found, same MO.; same look of abject fear, and it appears he died standing. The brass is breathing down my neck... is there anything you can tell me yet?"
"Kate, I'm not sure you would believe it even if I could explain. But, according to my research and contacts, this whatever-it-is will move on if she/it doesn't find what it is searching for."
"Which is?"
"A mate."
"I had to ask..."
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Angel took his place next to her bed, clasping her warm hand in his cold one. He raised her wrist until it rested near his ear then closed his eyes, listening to her steady heartbeat. Alone, he allowed his throat to close up and tears to fall unbidden from his eyes.
<><><><><><><><><><>
*hello there*
Cordelia's head snapped up and she looked around, the disembodied voice echoing through her skull, making her doubt her own sanity... until the voice spoke again.
*what have we here?*
*a chosen one*
"A what?" Cordelia's hand flew to her throat, startled by her own voice.
*you have survived*
"You call *this* surviving?" Her tone becoming haughty, then demanding. "Where am I? Why in the hell can't I see you?"
(tinkling laughter) *feisty, aren't you young one?*
*shall we tell her, Cousin?*
"YES! Tell me!"
*though she is not what we are searching for Cousin*
*human, and female. not what was needed* (more tinkling laughter)
*I, dear girl, am Erinys. descendent of Euryale*
*and I am known as Surasa. I am descended of Stheino, the oldest of the sisters three.*
"Sisters three? What?"
*perhaps you, as human, would be familiar with the youngest of the sisters three, Medusa*
Cordelia gasped, understanding dawning as her memories replayed the visions.
*yes, humans do seem to have an unnatural fixation for her*
"You? You are Medusas?"
*silly girl, Medusa is nothing more than a name*
*perhaps she is not as gifted as we thought*
"Hey!"
*we are descendants of the Gorgon sisters three, oldest and middle. Medusa never birthed naturally. we are the only descendants*
*we are searching for mates, Cordelia dear*
"How-?"
*you are not a suitable mate*
"I should hope not!"
(musical laughter) *she did survive, Cousin*
*rules are rules, even for us*
"What rules?" Cordelia stomped her foot. "What is going on?!?"
*settle young one*
*you survived, that is why there is darkness. we did not realize until now we had a seer witness our tests and survive*
*we did not mean to make you stay in the darkness, Cordelia. it was an error on our part*
*we are here to grant you a choice*
*a choice given to any who are chosen*
"Choice? I can leave this place?"
*yes. but in one of two ways only*
*you may choose to move on to your next plane of existence, to lead a life of your wishes*
"Or?"
*you may remain in this plane, but unable to die*
"Unab- immortal? I could become immortal?"
*yes. think wisely before you choose, child*
She did not hesitate.
*so be it* (the musical laughter faded as the darkness became grey)
Cordelia heard *Welcome, sister!* as the brightness blinded her anew.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"Cordelia?"
The voice was frantic, hands rough as they ran the length of her.
"Cordy?"
She moaned.
"Cora! Oh, god, Cora!"
Hands lifted her into a strong, almost painful embrace. Arms banded around her, rocking, and a cool wetness soak into her hair.
"Angel..." she breathed. He released her only enough to look into her tear filled eyes. "Angel..."
His lips covered hers before anything more could be said. She moaned into his mouth and kissed him back with a fervor she never dreamed she'd allow herself to do. His hands buried into her hair, holding her still, while hers roved his back, finally locking around his neck.
She pulled back only when she became too lightheaded to continue, either from the kiss or lack of oxygen. One hand slipped from his neck to rest against his tear stained face. "I love you, Angel."
Fresh tears shone in his eyes as he turned to kiss her palm.
"I love you, Cora."
As he leaned in to claim her lips again she stopped him. "Angel-"
"Cora, please. Don't stop me, not now... Let me, at least, have right now."
"Angel... you can have right now, tomorrow, the next day, year, decade, eternity..." She pulled his lips towards hers. "I will be there to share it with you. Together."
<><><><><><><><><><>
Finis?
You tell me :)
Remember, Feedback is not a city in Kansas. [email protected]
Thanks again to my Beta, Bubbles. Always a faithful, if funny smelling, friend.
Any questions about the Gorgon sisters, or Greek mythology in general? Please follow this http://www.clubi.ie/lestat/godsmen.html
One of my most favorite sites for heroes, creatures, monsters and gods! Enjoy!