Steal Me From Heaven (26 page)

Jacob turns to me and walks over to take my hand. “Do you honestly think that I will let you take anyone other than me to your bed?”

“Well, you did order me to sleep with my Guardian.” I prefer not to speak his name. Jacob hisses and drops my hands. I watch him as he paces in front of me, thinking before he speaks.

“I did not know for certain that I would be able to return to you. I knew that I could not touch you as long as Deborah was joined to me. He was your best choice other than me. I knew that he would take care of you, and that he would die to save you. I used him and his feelings for you. I apologize for my actions. I thought that I would be doing him a favor by consenting to let him bed you. I know now how wrong I was. It was easier for him to have never touched you than for him to lose you. Having loved you and lost you, I know how difficult the years will be for him.” I turn and look at Malachi. He is gazing at the floor. His wings are folded behind him. I still love him, but I am not drawn to him by the depths of my soul. “Malachi, I am sorry that I have given you the one thing that you have always desired and then taken it away from you so abruptly.” I cannot believe that I hear Jacob apologizing to him.

Malachi looks up and past me over to Jacob. “I am grateful to be given what would seem like an hour with her in my long existence of a life. You have my blessing. Go in peace.” He stares at me now with his blue eyes. I have seen those eyes glow as I made love to him. He has pierced my soul with his gaze. I know that I will always love him, but I will never hold him again.

“Go in peace,” I say.

Jessica’s voice interrupts my goodbye. “You have released Malachi from his Guardianship just as he released you from your mating?” She seems too eager for my answer.

“Yes,” we both say.

Adam tells us to separate and take our positions. “You are legally hereby seen as a married Vampire couple. Let no one tear you apart.” Jacob nods his head, and I imitate.

“Now, Marion, since you are part Angel and you have no Guardian to protect you or no charge to guard, I hereby nominate you as Alasdair’s protector. He has no Guardian, and his Demon is now dead.” Jessica looks at Adam.

“I concur. We do not need Lilith’s vote since she is already outvoted.” I knew that this was coming. Jacob must be the one who tries to release the Demons from Hell. I nod at their assignment. Next, I hear Adam say something that makes my blood boil. I try not to react.

“Malachi, you are free of your charge. Do you wish to be reassigned?”

“Yes. I am a protector, a warrior, that is my call of duty. I would like to request that it be somewhere close by so I can aid in the upcoming war.”

“I figured as much. My charge for you is Jessica Elizabeth Jacobs. She has had no Angel since the death of Nathaniel. Do you accept?” Adam awaits his answer and so do I.

“Yes.” I know he will fall in love with her. It is the way of the Guardian. There is nothing I can do but to watch it happen. She lives in our house.

“Alasdair,” Jessica asks, “do you wish to regain your seat on the committee?”

Jacob did not expect to be asked this question. He sways between his feet on the floor. “No, I will never sit beside Lilith again. The seat is yours if you will have it.”

“Thank you. I will rule with honor and integrity.”

“Do you wish to speak of the matter?” Adam asks Jacob.

“No.” Jacob raises his voice. “I will talk with my wife first. If I need the committee to know something then I will reveal it.”

“Do you seek healing?” Again Jacob did not expect to answer this tonight.

“Can my wife heal?” They all look at me, and I in turn look at Malachi. I am not reprimanded for looking away from the committee panel.

“Malachi?” I ask.

“She has an internal glow so yes, I believe that she can heal others,” he says.

Adam asks him, “You did not teach her this?”

“No, there was no need. She can heal herself as a Vampire and others through her blood. I did not think to teach her to heal the minds.”

“Did you heal her mind?” Jessica asks. I feel these questions are getting out of hand. No one needs to know everything about our business.

“You should ask her,” Malachi says.

“Marion, are you healed? Do you remember your past?”

I am feeling uncomfortable now. Rolling my shoulders side to side, I nod my head yes.

“Speak. Alexander cannot see your reply.” Jessica uses the name I called Jacob when we were young and living on the farm before the knights appeared. I grow angry because this is not the place to discuss this matter.

Finally, I give my answer. “Yes, I am completely healed, and my memory is intact.”

From my peripheral vision I see Jacob look down at the floor. Jessica will not let it go. “When did your memory return?”

“Malachi healed me when we coupled. I saw everything in my past at that time.”

“How long did your coupling last?”

“Several hours. I had a long history to remember.”

“And I was informed that you did not have sex when you bonded. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that is an accurate statement.”

“You do know that being coupled that way is the most sacred bond you could share with your Guardian. It is the strongest bond to break and that you must have sex in order to break it. Is this
how Malachi released you from your union when Jacob came back?”

I am going to strangle her with my bare hands. “I do know that the way we coupled is very rare. Malachi has been around since the beginning of time. He has had other charges, and he now has you. I am sure that I am not the only one that he has coupled with. He told me that he has done it before. Yes, he took me to bed twice after Jacob returned. Yes, Jacob knows about it. Yes, Malachi released me from our coupling five nights ago when we had sex for the last time. I am Jacob’s till the end of time. Are you satisfied with this line of questioning? It is my wedding night after all.”

Jessica nods her head. My face is flushed. She turns to Malachi. “How many charges have you had?”

“Six thousand and twenty-three.”

“And of those, how many have you coupled with?”

“Two hundred and twelve,” he says. I know where she is headed with these questions.

“How many have bonded without sex?”

“Only one,” he replies.

“Have you ever slept after being coupled to a charge?” she asks. Someone has been doing their homework since getting promoted to the judge and jury.

“Only with one,” he replies. I hear Jacob gasp. I guess he knows what that means as well. Adam looks at me and then at Malachi.

“Marion, if I had known this before I married you, I would have refused your union to Alasdair. A Fallen can only couple with his life partner once in a millennium after the partner dies. You are his mate, and the fact that you will live for an eternity almost guarantees that Malachi will have to wait a very long time until he finds another. Malachi, you should have spoken this truth. If you wish to appeal this marriage, you have a limited time frame.”

“She is happy with her choice. I will not beg or seek love that is not all mine.” Jessica looks a little gloomy now. She should have stopped asking the questions that led us here.

Adam finally closes the meeting. “Malachi, I am sorry for your pain and loss. I hope you find peace. Marion and Alasdair, you have my blessing. Call on the committee anytime. My prayers are with you on this leg of the journey.” I think Jessica finally knows not to speak. She just nods her head and stands. We bow our heads and wait until they are out of the room.

Once the door closes behind Jessica, both Jacob and Malachi walk up to me.

“You should have told me before you entered with your wings all spread out announcing what you are,” Jacob says.

“Lilith wasn’t even here. I’m tired of pretending to be something that I am not.”

“She has spies everywhere. Why do you think we were being so careful in guarding you? She probably knows already. But we will all discuss the matter back at the house.”

“What do you mean? Who exactly do you mean when you say we all will discuss it?” I ask.

“Malachi and Jessica. You remember where my sister lives?”

I look at Malachi. “Can’t you build her a house or buy them a place? Surely you do not mean for us to live in the same house.”

“He is her protector. They are not coupled. Try to control your jealousy just a little bit for my sake. Besides, I do not think he would trade my wife in for my sister. That would be most unwise on his part.” I hear the warning in Jacob’s voice. “We will see you later at home,” Jacob says to Malachi.

“Marion, wait.” Malachi reaches out and grabs my bare arm. I feel his hand tingle on my skin. Jacob notices my reaction and growls. He removes Malachi’s hand forcefully from me. I glower in disapproval at his actions. I look at Malachi.

“Yes.”

“I just thought that I would return your gift to you.” He unwraps the necklace from around his wrist. I am surprised that I did not notice it beforehand. He hands it to Jacob to give to me. This is ridiculous. I will not pretend that I am someone’s property.

“No,” I say as I step between them. I turn my back to Malachi and face my husband. Malachi raises the chain above my head and fastens it on my neck. I hold the pearl in my hand. “Thank you for returning it to me.” I turn to face him.

“If the time comes, I will make it glow once more. I do not wish to ruin your night with my scent on your lips.” Jacob nods in approval, and we follow Malachi out into the lobby. He leaps into the air and out the front doors. He does not wait for Jessica.

“Why would he give me his essence when Jessica is his charge?” I ask.

“You already know why. Must I answer?” Jacob takes me by the hand and leads me into the lobby and towards the room I was held in at the last meeting.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“I am taking my wife to my bed.”

“You still have a room here? You are not on the committee.”

“But I am the leader of all the Vampires even though I do not rule the laws anymore. All leaders have a room here plus the committee members. I thought we would stay here for the rest of the night and the day tomorrow. Besides, our house has no privacy, and I do not wish to have to shut down the estate today with your pleasure screams.”

“You’re planning on making me scream all night, are you?” I smile at the thought. “Are you challenging me to keep silent?”

“I do love to win a challenge, but not tonight. You do not stand a chance, and I like to fight fair.” He unlocks the door and silences the warning alarm. “The walls are soundproof. I just completed the changes myself before the last meeting since I needed to talk to you in private.” He closes the door and resets the codes on the alarm.

“But they will be waiting on us back at the house,” I say.

“Let them wait. I think they can figure out what we are doing.” He raises his hand towards me, curling his finger back and forth, motioning me towards him. A wicked smile dances across his face. This has been a long time coming. I reach to untie my blouse as I walk in his direction. He shakes his head no to stop me. When I almost reach him, he grabs my hand and twirls me around into him. The old record player instantly comes to life, and he is holding me, swaying side to side. We haven’t danced in forever. He is quite good at it. Of course, anything that he does with his body is exceptional. His hand is on my upper back and he is teasing me by playing with the strings on my black silk top. He does not try to untie it, only wraps and unwraps it slowly around his fingers. My nipples constrict as they graze every now and then against his hard chest. I lean into him on purpose, and he spins me away from him to make a circle before tugging me strongly back into his arms. I flatten against his body and feel the swelling in his black pants upon my thigh. His hands are squeezing my bottom, pulling me up on my tiptoes. I wrap my arms around his shoulders. We come together and our lips meet. He stops moving
with the music and seeks entry into my mouth. I part for him as he immediately assaults my tongue.

I place my hand upon his chest to slow him down. He obliges. Cupping his hand around the nape of my neck, he trails
his tongue up and down my jugular. I know that he will not bite me because he has already drunk too much earlier, but I am wrong. His teeth penetrate my skin just to the side of his juicy target. I feel his pleasure hormones inject under my skin, and the flesh swells to a small knot. I step back and look at him curiously. He smiles and then turns me around away from him and backs me into his hard body. He hugs me tightly in his arms and starts to move us with the music again.

His hands rise up under my shirt and slowly his fingers graze my abdomen as they trail up to my breasts. Taking one in each hand, he tenderly massages them as he grinds his pelvis into the crease of my ass. I wish I didn’t have on any pants right now. He pinches each pebbled nipple with his fingers, alternating from one to the other. I moan and lean my head back against him. He leans down and bites m
y neck, again missing the jugular. My skin swells from another pocket of his joy juice.

Taking my ribbon string in his teeth, he tugs at the fabric. He succeeds in untying it, and my top starts to fall. He catches it and rolls it up in front of me. He raises it to my face and after covering my eyes, he ties it tightly behind my head. I shiver as I feel his hand trail down my spine and play across my bottom. I feel his hands on the first of many buttons on the side on my pants. He drags them slowly down my thighs. He kneels behind me and opens me up with both hands. I know that he is going to smell me.