Title: Unwelcome Truths
Author: Northlight
email: uzenet@videotron.ca
Rating: PG13, maybe.
Disclaimer: Joss owns these characters... although, for some strange reason he seems to like _Buffy_ and Angel together! Can you imagine _that_?!
Date: June 22, 1999

Angelus' hands wrapped around Buffy's upper arms, holding her tightly against his hard body. The part of her still aching from Jenny Calendar's death and her insistent Slayer instincts urged her to break free and thrust her stake into his still heart, ending his existence and the agony his presence brought them all.

The other part of her, the woman who had cast aside everything she was in order to be with that which she was born to destroy, wanted nothing more than to sink back into his embrace and loose herself to him. That part of her insisted that his hands against her arms weren't squeezing painfully but were gently caressing; that his body wasn't tensed with barely restrained violence, but with longing for her.

He bent his dark head, lips inches from her ear. One hand withdrew from her arm, brushing her loose hair away from the side of her face. He could feel the pulse pounding in her neck, warm blood screaming for his attention. His lips descended, brushing against the jumping pulse in her neck.

"What do you want, Angelus?" Buffy managed to growl. Her attempt at a threatening delivery was destroyed when her words ended on a whimper as his tongue darted out to taste her skin.

He smiled against her. "I'm here to clear up a misconception on your part, lover," Angelus said, his voice low and lazy -- and utterly untouched by the desire that he had managed to ignite within the Slayer.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say!" Buffy hissed.

"I think that you'll want to hear this one, Buffy. It'll be sure to take that load of guild off of your shoulders," he said, his hand sweeping across the generous amount warm flesh displayed by Buffy's strappy top. One finger slid beneath Buffy's bra strap and slid downwards, leaving a trail of goosebumps in it's path.

"Let go!" Buffy demanded, tears springing to her eyes.

Angelus smirked, the expression unseen by Buffy, although she could hear the amusement in his voice. "Not until I tell you what I came here to say. I couldn't bear to keep it from you a moment longer." His head bent back down, his breath soft against Buffy's ear as he spoke. "You didn't make me loose my soul, lover. Willow had that honour."

Buffy's eyes flew open and she jerked forward, tearing free of Angelus' hands. He let her go easily, laughing as she stumbled, unprepared for his total lack of resistance. Buffy rounded on him, her eyes blazing with anger and betrayal. "You're lying! You didn't -- Willow -- it doesn't -- Willow wouldn't do that to me!" she wailed, her fists clenching.

"Did you really think that my big moment of true happiness came because you finally opened up shop for me?" Angelus snorted. "If all that it took was sex, I'd have lost it years ago... especially if we're going by how good it was. You may know how to handle a stake, Buffy, but--"

"Shut up!" Buffy shrieked, her cheeks red with anger. "You're lying!" she stated once again, drawing in deep, trembling gasps of air.

Angelus continued, paying no notice of Buffy's words. "Willow didn't even have to spread her legs for me. She just told me that she trusted me, cared for me, and kissed me on the cheek! Such a little thing... but I doubt that you'd be able to manage the sensation that gave me even had you been passable in bed."

"You're lying!" Buffy screamed.

"And you're repeating yourself. But you always were excellent at denial, weren't you? Vain little girl, thinking that I wanted you when all that I dreamt about was her..." Angelus shrugged, his voice cruel and mocking.

"I hate you!" Buffy sobbed.

"That's the thing, Buff, you don't. But I can't say the same about you," he turned, casual and looking unconcerned that he'd left his back unprotected and opened to an attack.

He glanced over his shoulder, dark eyes glinting in vicious amusement. "Tell Willow I said hi, would you?" he added before the shadows claimed his once more.

~End~