Steal Me From Heaven (13 page)

He does not fold in his wings. Instead he sits down on the floor and lies back, stretching his bottom wing on the ground, making me a bed. “Lie down, but be careful not to bend a quill.” I lie down on his white blanket with my face to the cave wall and my back to him. I feel his strong hand on my abdomen as he pulls me back against his pelvis and chest. His other wing encases me for cover. “If you get cold, just let me know.” I know that he is talking about the heat from his light source, but I remember how electrifying it felt against my bare flesh. I close my eyes as I feel the sunlight rising outside, only to snap them open quickly when I feel his teeth pierce my neck. My breathing increases, and I want to pull away.

He is taking his time sucking my blood. His arm that is holding me rises up to rest just below my breasts. The weight of them is resting on his forearm. He does not touch them with his hands. I push my ass into his pelvis and feel his need within him grow. I arch my back and rotate my hips into him. I coo in his arms. His hand opens wider on my side and he releases his teeth. He does not have the ability to heal his bite marks on me. My natural healing gift will do that for me. Turning me over to face him, he kisses me. His eyes are starting to get brighter. I know he is summoning forth his light.

“No, not tonight,” I say.

He sighs and lowers his head to bite this side of my neck. He punctures the skin slowly drawing the pleasure of it. I run my hands along his chest and grip his hair in my fingers. I feel my teeth lengthen as I lose more of my essence. I am ready for my turn. I see that my blood is staining his white feathers as it drips out of my body. After withdrawing his fangs from my flesh, he stretches his neck up for me. I snap into him quickly like a striking snake. He jumps. I ease up, but only a little. I do not wish to pleasure him with my bite. I want to finish and sleep. He does not fight against me.

His blood is warmer than Jacob’s. It tastes richer, more pure. I know Malachi has taken many human women to his bed. It is the history of the Fallen. I do not feel any jealousy, yet still I wonder if he has ever been with a Vampire. I think of all the things he has learned through his experiences, and I imagine what making love to him would feel like.

“No,” he says as I pull away, “more.”

“I cannot satisfy your need tonight,” I remind him.

“Do what you want with me. I can handle it, but you need to drink more. You have not yet replenished what I have taken.”

“You are just trying to get him out of my system and replace him with you.” I remove my hand from his body.

“He explained that to you?” He seems surprised.

“Yes.”

“What else do you know?” he asks.

“I can communicate to those with whom I drink their blood. If they drink from me, I can choose to share my thoughts with them. I can hold my breath indefinitely. I can release poison or pleasure through my fangs. I can hear everything, jump high, fall and land safely from high distances, see really well, read and learn fast, and heal my body quickly. I can heal others through my blood or saliva. Blood tastes better during an orgasm. I can distinguish who blood belongs to through taste or smell. I can
taste and smell alcohol or drugs in human blood. I can control objects with my mind. And never slap a Vampire.”

He laughs at the last one. “I think that is more personal than a legitimate truth. What did he teach you of Angels and Demons?”

“Never drink from another Angel or Demon. . Do not drink from a Vampire who has their protector’s blood in them.”

“Very good. He has taught you well and very quickly. What have you learned from me?” he asks.

I think back. “I know how Vampires were created. I know that only Angels and Demon can kill each other, but a Vampire can send them to Purgatory. You should not banish your own Guardian. I know the sun strengthens you and makes Demons weaker. I know Angels can heal others, yet you refuse to heal me. You taught me that I have wings and how to use them.” I close my eyes and lower my head. “I know that I will have to shoulder the fate of this world.”

“You will not be alone. The Fallen Angels are with you as well as half a legion of Vampires. Their leaders will pledge their alliance to you. The war will be fought by us. Your main concern is the soul of your charge and protecting him. I do not know when this war will occur. You may have centuries to prepare, maybe a millennium, or maybe it could all start tomorrow.”

“Who is the leader of the Vampire army?”

“Jacob,” he tells me. “He is the head of the committee. He represents them all.”

“But Adam is a pure Angel,” I comment.

“You’re right. He is not the leader of the Fallen. I am,” Malachi admits. I realize that both men will be in my life for eternity. I look into his eyes. They are not glowing. Their blue color is shaded in the darkness of the night.

“Do you know who the charge will be?”

“No, no one does. He may already be trapped in Hell or he may not have even been born or created yet. He could be human, Vampire, Angel, or Demon.”

“Who do you need to protect me from now?” I ask, wondering why everyone keeps obsessing about us coupling.

“Those who find out about you will try to kill you before you even get a chance to be a Guardian, Demons especially. That is why you must lie to the committee. Lilith must never know. She is the Demon leader. She is the first human who was turned into a Demon. It is said that Lucifer created her.”

“Is it possible that she knows the identity of the charge?”

“It is possible. She may even aid in his escape in order to start the war. If she does not know him, then she will as soon as the barrier is broken.”

“You keep saying ‘he.’ How do you know my charge is male?”

“Your questions are good. Fallen are the opposite sex and Demons are the same sex. It is to be believed to be that way so that a protector will fall in love with their charge and sacrifice it all in order to save them.”

“You said that you fought my Demon for the right to me. Does that mean she is dead?”

“No. If I struck her down, she would be dead. We fought relentlessly for ten years. She finally surrendered. I could have killed her, but I sent her away to Purgatory. She may even be in the Abyss.

“Can she get out?” I ask.

He pauses. “No one has ever gotten out of the Abyss before. Only the Angel with the key can let them out. He will not release them upon the earth until the end of days. Apollyon is in charge down there. He looks for a way out tirelessly. I do not know for certain if it can be done. It would be a smart tactical move to release your Demon.”

“What do you mean?”

“I would have to face her again. Fight her to the death. I couldn’t be by your side defending you, and you could be left vulnerable.”

“Do you think anyone already knows who I am?”

“Yes,” he says. “We know Jacob thinks you are the foretold. He would not have offered you up to me otherwise. He wants us to couple. It will make you stronger.”

My heart sinks. “How could anyone know? I didn’t even know. Jacob was the only one who knew and now you and I. Jacob wouldn’t betray me.”

“You said Charles and Rebecca attacked you. Arthur and Merlin kept you under powerful spells. It is possible that others knew.”

“Jacob told me that Charles helped him a great deal when I was first kidnapped. I didn’t think that he knew me when he attacked me, but he almost succeeded in killing me with poison. I do not know why he would try to save me one moment years ago only to poison me with his fangs now.”

He raises my head up and looks into my eyes. “You didn’t tell me everything that happened. You only said that he attacked you, not poisoned you. You were so upset that I didn’t want to ask you to explain it then, but I need you to tell me now.”

I want to look away when I tell him, but he will not let go of my chin. I tell him everything that happened. I close my eyes. He leans forward and kisses both my eyelids one by one. The gesture makes me melt inside. My tears fall.

“If Charles drank your blood, then he knows what you are. He knew you were an Angel the moment he swallowed. He couldn’t touch your soul. Sarah would easily be sacrific
ed in order to kill the prophesied one. Jacob was right to banish him, but if I had known all of this beforehand, I would have killed the Demon.”

Malachi is right, the sooner we couple, the better. “Tomorrow night, you can do whatever it is you have to do to link us together. I am in your hands.” He kisses me softly. Pushing my hair behind my ear, he cups his hand around the back of my neck. His mouth playfully tugs on my lips as his kisses linger even longer. He presses harder against me as his mouth opens wider. I plunge my tongue inside and withdraw it only to do it again. I feel the essence of his light. He flickers for a moment and stops kissing me.

“I have to leave. I am sorry,” he says as he lifts his wing off me, and I rise up to my feet. He stands and shakes the dirt off his feathers. I see a flash of metal underneath his foliage, and I remember the daggers.

“I didn’t feel the steel of your blade when I lay on top of your wing.”

“My layers are thick. I had to surgically attach hooks upon which to hang my weapons. The blades at the tip of my wings are a natural gift of mine.”

“Do they hurt?”

“Always,” he says.

“Why did you do it?”

“I am a warrior Angel, a leader of my race. I cannot risk getting caught with my guard down. I accept the pain graciously. It is my cross to carry.”

“But how can you love so easily?”

“Pleasure through pain is that much sweeter.” His mouth broadens into a perfect smile as he walks to the end of the cave. I see him disappear from the ledge and into the day. I have to avert my eyes from the faint glow. The sun is poisonous, a match that can burn my flesh and boil my blood. I walk over and pick up my bra from the dirt. I dust it off and put it back on. Sitting down against the cool damp rock, I lean back and close my eyes. My sleep is peaceful.

When I wake, it is almost dark. Malachi sits across from me, watching me. He is energized from the sun. He stands up and offers me his hand for assistance. I lock fingers with him and feel his heat and power pulse up my arm. He helps me to my feet. I wonder why he doesn’t have my sweater, but then I think it foolish to put it on since my wings would have difficulty emerging through the fabric. I will have to find a solution. I am not facing an army of Demons in only my bra.

He does not speak, and I remain silent also. We walk together to the ledge. He jumps, and as he falls, I see him transform into an Angel. He really is beautiful. I remember to start the transformation before I leap since I am slower to take flight. When I feel the burn of my skin and the rustling of my bones, I jump. The pain is just as severe as the first time. I let out a scream as my wings rip out of my shoulders. I take to the air quicker this time.

We head south. Our journey is long, and I am starting to tire. Malachi is getting further and further ahead of me. My wings are getting slower and slower. I drop several feet in the air. Even my lungs are hurting. The air is thinner this high up. I decide to glide down and level off closer to the earth. I soon realize that I am in trouble. The currents are not as strong down below. I have to beat my wings harder and with longer strokes. I want to cry out to Malachi but the air has left my chest. I start to falter to the ground.

My wings are heavy, and I can no longer flap them. I spread them out wide and try to drift down to land. I wobble side to side. My back is aching from the weight. I am going too fast to make a safe landing even for me. As the ground approaches, I fold my wings around my body, hoping to provide a small amount of protection. I close my eyes and take the hit.

I roll several times over. When I open my eyes, I see that I am wrapped in Malachi’s arms and wings. He is hugging me too
tightly to his body. I cannot move. The sun is making me sweat beneath him. He isn’t moving either. I pass out again.

The air is cooler now as the day moves into night, but my chest feels heavy. I open my eyes and find Malachi is on top of me, holding me down. I wiggle beneath him.

“Be still,” he says. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you so far last night. I forget that you are new to all this. Are you okay? Do you need to drink of me?”

“My mouth is dry, but I crave water.”

He smiles. “Water is a life source for us Angels, as well as the sun and the air. Demons and Vampires have control of the night, earth, and fire. I saw a river about a mile back. We will go there to drink and recharge.”

He does not call his teaching “lessons” like Jacob did. I think he is to provide me mostly with knowledge. With his time in Heaven and on earth, there is no end to the things he must know. We both return to our natural states as we create a path to the river. Once there, I think we will only drink the water. I do not expect to see him naked this soon. He removes his pants and walks out into the water. His bare ass is highly visible between his wings. I like the sight of him. The water covers his waist; his back is to me. He does not speak to me or tell me what to do. I hesitate, but slowly I remove my jeans. I think about leaving on my bra and panties, but I do not wish to continue the journey with wet underwear. I slide them off and enter the water.

His skin glistens as I approach him. I look down and see that I too have a slight sparkle to my flesh. The water tingles as it refreshes me. I wade out to him and wrap my arms around his waist. I stroke his upper body with my hands. He saved my life by breaking my fall and by encasing me all day in the safety of his wings. It appears that I have a thing for heroes. He enjoys my caresses for a while longer. I press my body against his back. He holds my arms as I hug him. I rest my head upon him. I know that he is mine.