

Steal Me from Heaven

Toni Crawford

Published by Toni Crawford at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Toni Crawford

Contact me at mailto:tonicrawford75@yahoo.com

Cover Design by Laura Shinn

Editing by Christine LaPorte

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

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I
Chapter 1

I am pulled out of my deep sleep by the rattling of chains. Looking up, I see that my wrists are bound above my head, and I am the one making all the noise. Standing over a grate, naked, in a dark dungeon cellar, I try to recall how I got here. The air around me is stiff, and the smell coming from below me makes my stomach heave. Locked somewhere in my mind is my identity. I realize all I have is here and now. My past is hazy and my future, by the looks of things, is definitely uncertain.

An arm reaches around my waist from behind. He smells of cigarettes and whiskey. Confused by the situation, I hadn't noticed that I was not alone. I have no means of escape. I hear him unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. I am in a nightmare. When he leans me forward, I struggle but he is winning as he tries to invade my body. I scream, causing him to hit me over the head to shut me up. Then something unexpected happens; he bites me.

My mind is losing consciousness, and my eyes are fluttering shut. He withdraws his teeth and speaks to me. "If you think you can summon him, then you are wrong. You are only on step one of your transformation." He pauses. "Not that it would help you anyway. His lair is on the other side of the mansion, and the sun is high enough to fry him before he can reach you. You are mine now."

I have no idea what he is talking about so I figure I am caught by a sick serial killer. My eyes close as he continues to attack me. He is too strong for me to hold him off for too much longer. I scream as loud as I can in my mind to no one in particular. I want to die.

The door at the top of the steps flies open. There in the light, I see the silhouette of a man with steam rolling off of his shoulders. He takes in a deep breath, almost as if he is sniffing his surroundings. The man behind me encases himself in his pants before he sinks his teeth into my neck again.

Before I know what is happening, the man at the top of the stairs is behind us. His hands are on my attacker's head. "Release her," he growls low in his throat, but the monster's teeth are still latched onto me. "Charles, I will let you live if you back away now, but if you inject one drop of venom into her body, I will kill your beloved Sarah."

I feel my skin on my neck start to tighten, and a burning sensation is taking over me. My blood feels like it is boiling and I think I am dying. I no longer feel the teeth in my neck. I hear a crack and a loud thud. I look down at my feet, and my attacker lies there with his neck broken. His body is twisted, but he is still breathing. My rescuer comes around to face me. His skin is singed, and he smells of ash. He pulls my hair aside and sniffs my neck.

"Rebecca, bring Sarah to me," he says barely over a whisper.

"No," the man named Charles cries out, "have your revenge on me, leave her out of it."

"I told you what would happen if you poisoned my bride."

What did he say? Bride? I am unable to speak; my throat is constricting. I try to listen to their conversation, but the words fade into whispers.

I want to protest. Whoever Sarah is, she did nothing to me. I want this Charles guy dead. My rescuer turns his attention back to me. His face hardens, his eyes blacken, and his teeth elongate. He's going to bite me too. He presses my naked body up against his as he wraps his arms around my waist with one hand resting on my rump. His fangs sink into the same spot where Charles bit me, and he sucks hard drawing my blood into his mouth. My knees weaken, and I hang by my chains. He lifts me up to support me. My blood is his now, and by the way I am feeling, he can have my body as well. To him, I give it freely. He starts convulsing as he holds me. I struggle to stay awake or alive, whichever, I cannot tell the difference anymore.

He lets go of his hold on me, doubles over the grate, and starts regurgitating my blood almost like he is forcing it out of his body. The door upstairs opens again, and two women make their way down the steps and over to him. One of them sees Charles on the floor and rushes over. She must be Sarah, and the one closest to me must be Rebecca.

"Jacob, what have you done? You sucked poison out of her? How did you even get here with the sunlight protecting this place?" Rebecca is talking to him but stops speaking when he looks up. She sees his burned flesh, and a gasp escapes from her lips.

"Bring me Sarah," he orders.

Rebecca struggles with Sarah, who does not want to leave Charles lying on the floor. She is placed in front of Jacob, who is now standing in front of me. I stare at his back, wondering what is about to happen.

"Sarah," he says through a strained voice, "Charles, by his actions, has forfeited your life to my hands. He has chosen to attack my guest when ordered otherwise. As you can see, I have a problem with that." He continues talking about trust and loyalty as he walks over to her and unbuttons her blouse. Her eyes are wide, and she is terrified. Her body starts shaking as she turns her head to Charles and spits at him. "I will not cause you any pain. I will only drain your blood," Jacob informs her.

I see Jacob bend his head to her neck, and I hear suckling and gurgling noises. He is drinking fast. She collapses to the floor, dragging him down with her. He is drinking her dry. I hear Charles crying against the floor. His neck is twitching and turning violently. He is almost ready to stand up. Jacob is right. Sarah's death is a greater punishment.

Jacob turns to face me. He no longer has burn marks on his skin. His face, eyes, and teeth all appear normal. He is striking to look at, making me wonder whether to fear him or to love him. He slowly walks to stand in front of me, and I realize more than ever how naked I am in front of all these strangers. I lower my head, not wanting to look at him any longer. If I am his bride or wife or whatever, then why am I in chains? I feel a hand under my chin lifting my head up. Jacob stares into my eyes with orbs that are as dark as this place.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asks me.

"No, I want down."

"This is for your own protection. I never should have left you alone. It will never happen again. I promise you that. Now besides wanting down, how do you feel?" he asks again.

I try to listen to my body to see what it is telling me. "I am weak, hungry, thirsty, and I need a shower after what that man tried to do to me."

I see a flash of anger in his eyes. "What did he do?" He tenses his jaw.

I stutter with my response, not knowing how to tell him. He is scaring me. His eyes are blackening. I do not want to lose any more blood. I'm on the verge of passing out as it is. He drops down on one knee and smells me. His hands are holding my hips, and I want to disappear. Charles is creeping up the staircase. Rebecca is focusing on Sarah's body. He is going to get away, but Jacob jerks his head to where Charles is crouching as if he already knows that he is trying to escape.

"Jacob, listen, I don't know what came over me. I will never touch her again...." Charles starts screaming and clutching his head. Jacob is only standing in front of me so I do not know how he is doing this to him. Blood starts seeping out of Charles' eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. His body starts shaking as it elevates two feet off the ground. Rebecca is now looking back and forth between the two men.

"Jacob, stop it. He has been your friend for a very long time. You will regret this one day." Rebecca is pleading for Charles' life. His feet are almost touching the floor again.

"I am not going to have to look over my shoulder waiting on him to undermine me again or to seek revenge for Sarah's death."

"Then cut him off," Rebecca says.

"Take him to the other dungeon and chain him there. I'm not finished with him just yet." Jacob drops him to the ground. I see Rebecca rush over to Charles. My eyes close, and I am dreaming.

I stand beside a tall waterfall on top of a cliff. The night breeze is swaying all the trees and bushes, making it hard to hear anything other than rustling sounds. Someone is coming up the trail behind me. I know he is dangerous. I don't know where to hide. I look over the cliff's edge to the pool below. I hesitate. A hand reaches for my shoulder, and then I jump. I hit the water hard. I stretch my arms up and swim with all my might. I feel a hand grab my ankle and hold me under. I am drowning. The water is thick as it enters my mouth. I fight against it. My head is turning side to side. I swallow. Minutes tick by. Why am I not dead? My mouth is full of water again. I swallow again. I open my eyes.

Jacob is standing in front of me with his wrist pressed to my lips. I am swallowing his blood. "More," he says, "you need more." We are all alone now. I see bags of blood in a cooler on the table. He must have brought that in for himself. I swallow several more times. He is pleased. He turns his head and places his ear over my left breast. I do not know what he is doing.

"That's better," he says. He cuts me off from my drink, but I am actually starting to like—or at least get used to—the taste. He licks the blood off of his wrist. He walks over to the cooler and brings back a bag of blood and a tube with a needle. He pierces the bag and fills the tube up with blood. He opens the manacle holding my left wrist and lowers my arm to rest against his side. He then drives the needle into my arm. I am in the process of getting a transfusion. He does not speak to me during the thirty minutes that it takes to empty the bag. He listens again to my chest. I guess he is hearing my heartbeat, telling him that I am okay. He takes the needle out of my arm and licks the small hole that it left. I shiver as I watch him closely. The hole heals instantly. He places the medical items on the table and starts to pull off his singed black shirt and jeans. I avert my eyes but curiosity gets the better of me.

My eyes drape over his body as he walks towards me and releases my other arm. He watches me take in his appearance. I try not to stare at his manhood but it is so well-defined by his muscular thighs and abs, like a framed work of art. My weakened state causes me to fall over onto his shoulders. He catches me and leans me back against his arm before swooping down and picking up my legs. I feel a little self-conscious being carried this way. He takes me to a secret door hidden behind where I was chained. Inside, I see a completely furnished bedroom and a bathroom. To my surprise, he does not carry me to the bed but steps into the large bathroom instead. The lights in the room give off a blue tint. I assume he likes soft light considering what he is. The water turns on automatically as he steps into the stone shower, still carrying me. A cold spray comes down on us. I shudder. He pulls me into his chest even closer. I snuggle my head into his neck and shoulder. He is pleased with my actions.

He lets my legs fall but holds onto my back and waist. He turns me around so that my back is against the cold water, grabs a bottle of shampoo, and massages a small amount into my hair. I lean my head back to rinse. He then lathers my body. I try to stop him from washing my more intimate areas, but he insists. I do not argue. I wonder if he feels guilt beneath his anger over what Charles did to me. Jacob saved my life by pulling poison out of my blood and risked becoming ash for me. I do not know what I mean to him.

He rinses and turns off the water. The towels glow blue in the light as he holds one up between his hands for me to come to him. I do. He closes me up in the warm towel, and I am relieved to be covered. I guess dungeons do not have warm water. I am surprised they have water at all, let alone bedrooms. The bed, why does it have a bed? I think of all the horror that must go on down here. I feel drops of water hitting my shoulders. I look over to him as he shakes water out of his hair like a dog. He does not have on a towel. I back away and reach for the doorknob but it does not turn. The click makes him look in my direction. He decides to speak now.

"Are you wanting out of our arrangement?" he asks.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I've never seen any of you before. I don't know who you are but I figured out what you are," I say.

"What's your name?" he asks me as he leans over, looking down at me.

"My name...I don't know," I admit.

"That's to be expected. I thought tonight might be ruined, but the transfusion seems to be working, and we can proceed as planned with your transformation."

"What...what transformation?" I ask.

"You really don't remember me or any of this?" He seems hurt by the discovery. "You are in the process of becoming a creature like me." He speaks the truth coldly.

"What if I say no?"

"You'll die by morning."

"You mean you'll kill me," I say.

"No, once you begin, there is no turning back. You'll die if it is not completed."

"What if I choose death?" I spit the words at him.

He runs his fingers through his hair. "I will not let you. You chose me before and once you remember, you will choose me again."

He does seem familiar to me, but it could be a victim and hero fling I'm feeling. I've heard of them before. "Tell me about the process of transforming. What's step one?" I ask.

"It takes three nights to become a Vampire, one bite each night. Step one was last night. When I first found you, you were...injured. I gave you some of my blood. I was going to close the wound but something stopped me. You bled out more than you should have. By the time I got control of the situation, you were already seizing, and I knew it was too late. I could only turn you or let you die. Once I knew you were going to live, I brought you here. I had to chain you for your protection. Many people go crazy during the process and kill innocents or themselves."

"Why did you let me down from the chains?" I ask.

"I chose to. I locked all the doors. No one can get in or out. I am strong enough to control you when you turn. If I am not, then my life is yours to take."

I swallow at his gesture. "What's step two?"

"Well, the first step, I take out half of your blood and replace it with half of my own. Tonight I will take more and replace it with more of my own. I honestly do not know one hundred percent if tonight will work."

"Can't we wait?"

"No, it has to be three nights in a row. There's more to step two that I need to tell you. Part of you will die tonight. You will regurgitate all of your stomach contents. You can no longer eat solid food, only blood. Some drinks are okay. You will learn which ones. They are different for everyone. Your bowels and intestines will empty and your ovaries and uterus will shrivel and die. It will be very painful for you. I'm sorry."

I start to cry. My body will never be the same. He walks over to me and wipes my cheeks with each thumb. The door knob unlocks, and he opens the door. All I see is the big bed in the center of the room. There is a couch on the other wall beyond the bed so I head for the couch. I hear him hiss behind me as he follows me. He grabs a quilt from the bed. I sit on the couch but he picks me up and removes my towel as I try to clamp it in my hands. He wrestles it free and throws it on the floor. Then he wraps the quilt around me, pulling me down onto the couch as he sits down. We lay down facing each other. At least I am in the quilt alone, and he is on the outside of it. I do not want step two to begin any time soon. I need to rest.

"Don't worry," he says, "it is still daylight out. We have plenty of time. I want your body to accept all of the transfusion before I begin."

I blink my eyes in confusion. Had I said that out loud?

"No, we are bound by blood. I hear you when you think. I heard you cry out earlier today. You woke me in the heat of day. No one has ever done that before. I didn't know what to think of it, but I knew you were in trouble. Soon you will be connected to my thoughts as well."

"What's the last step?" I do not know if I want to know the details anymore.

"Night three is about pleasure," he says, looking into my eyes.

"You mean sex," I say, "while you drain me dry and fill me up with your blood."

"Well, you got the last part right," he leans and whispers in my ear, "but it's more than sex. I told you it is pleasure, pure and unrated, all night long pleasure."

I swallow. My mouth is watering. I lick my lips. "How many people have you turned and what about the guys?"

He chuckles. "Only one other woman besides you in the way that I speak. I told you that you are my bride. I have other methods for turning people."

"So you've been married before. What if I want to be turned the other way?"

"I have been married twice before. I'm a really old Vampire so I think I'm entitled to a few marriages. They are gone now, and I've been alone for several centuries. I have chosen you as my new bride."

"I don't want an eternity of dungeons and death. I can't drink people dry like you did to Sarah."

"I did that because I was dying from the venom in your blood. It works on us as well as humans. The mansion is closed to visitors today. Sarah was the only human I had here. But still, I offered Charles a choice. He just chose poorly. My life is dangerous. When you are on top, people try to knock you off, but I have only a few enemies left. I'm not going to say that it is all roses because it is not."

"What happened to your other wives? I mean it's supposed to be eternity and all that, right?"

"Someone stole my first wife, Marion, from me. I avenged her and killed all but a few that were involved. Charles helped me a great deal during that time. My second wife, Deborah, I was forced into marrying. I only bedded her once when I turned her. She took up with an old lover, and together they plotted my death. They both died at my hands."

I swallow hard and look down at his throat and away from his face. He is reading my thoughts. I can tell.

"I will never harm you. I never loved Deborah."

"There's no way..." I stop myself.

"That I love you? Of course, I love you. I've loved you from the moment I first saw you. I only hope in time that you can return the feeling."

"I..."

"Shush, no need to talk now. You need to sleep."

"What about you? It's still daylight out."

"I will not take my eyes off you again." He kisses my forehead. I snuggle closer to him and close my eyes.

I am dreaming again, but this one is pleasant. I am having the most amazing sex of my life. My body is undulating in his arms. Slithering like a snake across the grass. I am rubbing against his shaft with my pelvis. He is trying to hold me still. Why doesn't he want me to move? He kisses my mouth and down my cheek to my neck. He licks me with his tongue. I move my hands along his chest and shoulders. I feel him stroking my nipples with his palms and fingers. I moan. I feel my pleasure building inside me. Why hasn't he entered me yet? He's still suckling on my neck. He runs his hand down my spine to my ass and squeezes. He pulls me up closer to his mouth. He draws me in deeper. His hand slides between my cheeks and into my folds, he strokes me. I arch in pleasure, rearing my head back. I feel pain singe in my neck. His hand is now gone from in between my legs and is tangled in my hair. He pushes my head back towards him. The pain subsides and pleasure takes over again.

I feel like I am soaring on a sea of bliss. He is the current directing me which way to go. His hand finds my center again, and I shatter at his touch. I hear him moaning in response as he drinks more of me in. I reach down to touch him; he is hard and ready. I wrap my hand around the base of his shaft but he takes my hand in his and removes it. I cry out in protest.

"Not now. I can't be distracted. I have to focus on you, to listen to you, and what your body needs and wants."

I open my eyes to that voice. It is Jacob's voice. He is staring right through me. This is not a dream. I am in the middle of step two, and I didn't even know it. When I start to panic, he tells me to calm down. We are both under the quilt now but only from the waist down. He's seen it all before anyway stretched naked in those chains, so I do not try to cover myself. I am wet from his touch. I blush.

"I'm almost done with my part, only one more pint of blood. Close your eyes."

"No," I tell him, "I want to look at you, to watch you."

He looks at me before his fangs shoot out again and his eyes darken. His face hardens and tightens. I lean forward and kiss him in his Vampire form. In my haste, I graze my lip on his fang. He devours the blood off my lip, and my stomach flutters. He notices and rolls me over on top of him. I feel the pressure of his organ getting ready to slide into me. He shifts his hips to correct the situation. Then he bites me on the other side of my neck. My weight is on top of him. My breasts are pressed into his chest. He holds me there so I cannot get up. His grip is strong. He sucks on me for several minutes. I yearn for him. I wish these minutes would last forever but I want him inside me now. I cannot wait until tomorrow night. I lift up my lower half and open my hips as I come down on his shaft. He slides in halfway before I ease myself down upon him. Our pelvic bones are touching. He sits up and looks at me. Neither one of us move. He smiles, exposing his white fangs. I am on his lap as he turns his back to the back of the couch and places his feet on the floor. We do not lose our connection. He takes one of my breasts in his hand and teases my hard nipple. He has strong fingers. I start rocking with my hips, going faster and faster. He moans. He takes my other breast in his mouth and suckles. We are getting closer to climaxing. His hands are on my hips and butt.

"Bite me," he orders.

"I can't. I don't have fangs," I tell him.

"Yes, you do," he answers.

I lean up to his neck. Urges and desires are taking over. I feel my gums ache and blood trickles onto my tongue. I lick the roof of my mouth and feel the pointed tips of my teeth. I look at him. He is smiling again. I return the grin, showing him my new fangs.

He chuckles right before I bite him. I drink all I can and as fast as I can. I cannot get enough. He starts pumping with his hips as I suck. He stands up faster than I know and slams me against the wall across the room. He is still inside me, and I still have him by the throat. He is violently having sex with me, raw and uninhibited. I am losing all my senses. I release my fangs from him. Blood is trickling down my mouth and chin. He kisses me, licking it all off. I am panting hard. His thrusts are fast, and I scream as my orgasm approaches. He bends his head down and takes my nipple between his fangs and sinks them in. I scream again only louder this time. He pumps me several more times and tells me to bite him again. I do. This time his blood tastes different, more sensual, more erotic, and more sexual. It tastes better during an orgasm.

He lowers me down off the wall and tells me that I have had enough blood. I fight with my inner Demons to release him. He grabs me by the hair and tugs. Still I hold on.

"You don't know the different venoms in your fangs yet. I have to teach you. Please let go before you poison me." His words remind me of what Charles did to me. I retract my fangs back into their gums and look at him.

"Sorry," I say.

"Lesson one; blood is better when mixed with hormones from an orgasm. That is why we Vampires are so sexually charged." He pauses then looks at me. "You have to trust me." He looks worried.

"I do."

"I need to chain you back up now," he informs me.

"Are you leaving? You said you wouldn't." I am getting nervous.

"No, I'm not going anywhere. You remember what happens next?"

I gulp at the thought. He leads me out of the bedroom and into the dungeon. I can smell the sewer even stronger now, and I smell Sarah's death. I hesitate as he asks me to raise my arms to be chained again, but I finally obey. He closes my right wrist in the manacle. He looks into my eyes and then kisses me passionately. He takes the manacle and tightens it around my left wrist. He walks over to the steps and takes a seat.

"Am I on display again?" I ask, not feeling too comfortable with this idea.

"For my eyes only," he says. He watches me intently for several minutes then lowers his head. His dark brown hair falls over his face. "It should have started by now. I'm afraid I have failed you again."

"If this doesn't happen before sunrise and I am going to die, promise me that you will kill me fast like you did Sarah."

He looks at me with hurt in his eyes. He nods his head yes. "I hope it doesn't come to that, but I will do as you ask."

Three more hours go by, and I still feel the same inside. It's growing hotter in this dungeon and the air is thick and dewy. I'm afraid that I'm going to die after all, this time by the hands of someone I am beginning to care about. Jacob gets up and walks around me, circling like a shark in the water. He looks me up and down.

"What time is it?" I ask, fearing I am the bait.

"We still have time. Don't worry," he answers. It must be later than I think or he would have told me. "You think it's hot in here?" he asks as he traces a bead of sweat down my body with his finger. I shudder.

"I'm sweating, aren't I?" I reply.

"That's a good sign," he tells me.

My taste buds sour, and I lean my head to the side. As I stand straight up, the vomit goes all over the side of my leg. Jacob is instantly behind me with one arm around my waist and one hand holding my hair. He pushes my head forward, leaning me over the grate. I spill more contents of my stomach into the sewer. I have never thrown up this much in my life. I lose count of how many times. My body is slipping in his grip because of all my sweat. I am convulsing. I see my stomach rippling under my skin. I look down in horror and feel the pain in my abdomen. It feels like I am being gutted by a bear. Jacob releases his hold on me and steps back. My stomach cramps, and I shake in the chains. I wish I could double over. I scream as my bowel and intestine contents fall out of my body. I wish I was alone. I tell him to leave. He tells me never. My stomach cramps again and blood runs down my legs. I look down at myself and try to vomit again but nothing comes out. I am weak and sink down with only my chains to support me. Jacob turns around and walks away. I do not blame him. I stink like death and decay.

I feel the cold spray of water on my back and draw my shoulder blades together as if to block it. I cannot get to my feet. He is hosing me off with a water hose. I'm really going to have to talk to him about getting a hot water heater put in. He comes around to the front of me and sprays me down again. He then washes the rest of the stone off and into the drain.

"I need more blood," I say.

"No," he replies and walks off to the bedroom. I think he is getting me a towel but comes back empty-handed. "Sunrise broke twenty minutes ago. We barely made it. I'm going to push the couch out here and sleep. I know I said I wouldn't, but I gave you more of my blood than I normally would. I should have given you more, apparently."

"Where am I going to sleep?" I ask, hoping not to hear the answer that I know is coming.

"I can't take you down for several more hours, I'm sorry. You said you needed more blood. You would find a way to get it even if you killed me." He leaves me there and goes to retrieve his soft, cushioned couch. The one we made love on.

"You said you were strong enough to handle me," I mock him.

"Usually that is true, but as I have said I am weak and need to sleep for our coupling tonight."

I blush at what lies ahead for me even though we know each other's bodies intimately. Earlier it was sex, tonight, he will ask for so much more. I think that he rarely admits to being weak so I do not push the issue. He walks over to me and strokes my face with his fingers. "There is something I could do that would get you released from the chains now."

"Do it," I demand. He presses two fingers against my temple and utters one word. "Sleep."

Chapter 2

Again I dream of the cliff and the waterfall. I think that he must be feeding me, but he is not. I try to open my eyes but I cannot. I am running toward the edge. My side is hurting. I look down and see blood soaking through my shirt. Someone is chasing me and shouting. It is not Jacob's voice, but I know it. I stop short of falling over the steep cliff. I look back at my pursuer and then again at the pool beneath me. I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look over in time to see Jacob push me off the edge. I scream as I fall through the air. I sink fast to the bottom of the pool. I hear another splash above me. I swim as hard as I can for the surface before my air runs out. My lungs are burning and my heart is rapidly pounding in my chest. I feel someone grab my ankle and hold me under.

I wake up in a different room. This one is much more elegant with its furnishing and window coverings. There are automatic blinds on the windows. The room is dark with only a soft yellow lamp on my bedside table. Jacob is sound asleep. I can tell that it is daylight out by a feeling in my gut; that is, if I still had a gut left. But somehow I know. I look at him stretched out on his stomach, his broad shoulders resting just below his jugular. I stare at the pulsing beat and lick my lips. Reluctantly, I roll over onto my side and face the other direction. I cannot look at him. He said I would kill him so I try not to think about his blood sliding down my throat soothing my appetite.

Good girl, I hear him say. I look back over, and he is still lying there as if asleep. He must have projected the words in my mind. He told me I'd be able to hear him eventually. I want to touch him, to lift up these covers and see what is underneath. I am still naked. I guess he doesn't have clothes for me or prefers me this way. I feel him roll over to his side and spoon me. I can tell now that he is naked also, but he doesn't wake up. Sleep, he commands again.

I do not dream this time. When I open my eyes, Jacob is gone and a woman is sitting on the side of the bed.

"My name is Jessica. Jacob is gone to feed. He is close by. He'll be back soon. He sent me to watch you."

I want to back away and pull the covers up to my chin. She is definitely watching me but couldn't she do that from the chair and not the bed? "Do you have any clothes?" she asks, and I shake my head no. "Well, wrap that sheet around you and follow me to my room." I realize that Jacob must have heard me earlier and sent her to clothe me. I do as she asks, mainly because I really don't want to be without a wardrobe again. We are about the same size, and she is beautiful.

"Jacob is my brother. He turned me about seven years after he was created. He got me out of a really bad situation."

"How was he created?" I ask.

"That is his story to tell, and I will not dishonor him by being the one to tell you," she says.

"Well, why didn't he turn me like he did you? Why is he making me his bride?"

Jessica stops walking and looks at me. "You do remind him of someone. You look a lot like her."

"Who? Marion?"

"I'm surprised he spoke of her with you. I wouldn't bring it up to him anymore if I were you."

"I will not be her replacement."

"That is not his intention. My friend will be upset that Jacob is marrying you."

"Well then, I guess I won't invite her to the wedding."

She chuckles. "I can see his attraction. My room's right here." She opens the large door. The room looks fit for a princess. For all I know, she could be royalty. A purple and blue satin canopy bed is diagonal in the room. A white desk with chair is sitting in front of a heavily draped window. Yellow wallpaper covers the top half of the room and white wood paneling on the bottom half. My mouth flies open.

"I love your room."

She smiles at me. "Wait till you see the closets."

She has three walk-in closets custom built. She leads me into one and hands me an outfit. I'm not bashful, not anymore. I drop my sheet and put on the dress. I am in Heaven. I try on many clothes and shoes. She gives me jewelry and purses. Her bed is piled full of my freebies. I feel like I have won a shopping spree.

"Jacob's back," she says. "We have to hurry to get you back in bed. I have one more outfit to show you." I guess I was wrong about Jacob sending her to clothe me. She walks over to the big cedar chest at the foot of her bed and opens the lid. She pulls out a green box, closes the chest, and lays the box on top of it. "I was going to wear this on my wedding night, but my love was taken from me. I will not find another," she says as she tears up. "I want you to wear this tonight. I want to do this as my gift to the both of you." She pulls out a white silk negligee. It has spaghetti straps with a red silk empire belted waist that rests just below a lace bosom. It touches the floor with slits all the way up to the top of the thighs on both sides. The back is all lace, and it wraps around the buttocks and gathers back into silk.

"It is so beautiful. Thank you."

She picks up a silk matching robe with feathers around the collar and hands it to me. "Wear the red shoes I gave you."

"I'm so glad you are helping me. I feel like we are friends already," I say.

"We are not friends," she says. I swallow and look down. "We are family. Welcome," she says as she hugs me.

I walk over to Jacob's room carrying a pile of clothes. As she watches me leave, she tells me that I'm welcome to her closet anytime. I falter in my step and lean against the wall. I feel hunger growing deep inside me. I want food. I want blood. Jessica sees me and runs down the hall.

"I shouldn't have gotten you out of bed. He is going to be so pissed."

"I just need a drink," I say, looking at her throat.

"No, you can't drink anyone's blood but his, not until you turn and your body gets used to the digestion of it."

I drop the clothes and claw at her throat. She struggles to free herself and runs away. I scream for Jacob as I look down at my bloody fingers. I raise my hands to my mouth, ready to lick my crimson treats like popsicles. I close my eyes and open my mouth. I stop frozen still in an instant. Jacob has me by the wrists. Jessica's blood is inches from my tongue.

No, he tells me through his thoughts. You'll die.

I look at him. We both have tears in our eyes. For whatever reason, this man loves me. I relax my arms. He raises my hands to his mouth and licks the blood off my fingers one by one. Then he lets go of my wrists. He bows his head to me, presenting his neck as an offering. I close my eyes and feel my fangs emerge. I lean in and take his skin in my mouth circling with my tongue. He sighs. I bite. I can feel the pain go through him as I suck on his neck. It wasn't painful when he bit me. I must be doing it wrong. I try to think of how I felt in his arms. How he touched me. My anxiety fades, and I am emotionally and sexually charged. His pain is subsiding in my mind.

"That's better," he says. After a few more minutes he asks me if I have had my fill.

My hunger for blood is diminished. I release my teeth from his neck. The holes are starting to heal.

"Lick it," he tells me. I do as I am told and lick the remaining drops of blood on his neck. The wounds immediately close. I understand two things in that moment. Lesson two and three: you control what your victims or lovers feel, and saliva heals wounds.

"Very good. You are learning fast." He leans down and picks up my clothes. He reaches for the green box.

"I'll get that," I say, not wanting the lid to open and ruin his surprise. "How much time do we have?" I ask.

"Three hours till midnight. That's when I will begin."

"I would like to be alone from eleven till twelve," I say, not knowing if it is possible.

"Why?" he asks.

"It is my last night as a human, and all I want is one hour to myself." The answer is good enough for him. He opens the door to his bedroom. This place is old, I realize. He takes the clothes to an empty closet and starts filling the hangers.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"In North Carolina. You've probably never heard of this estate, especially the behind the scenes part. The backside and underground of the mansion are secret. The front side is for the public, with many rooms refurbished for display. The staff are all employed and paid well by me. The funds generated provide an excellent source of income for me. I built the Biltmore House in the eighteen hundreds. I had a lot of time on my hands and needed a distraction. The rest of the story is just that, a story. The continuous line of guests allows for an easy meal except for the other day when it was a Holiday, and I fed from Sarah."

"You mean you kill the visitors?" I ask in shock.

He laughs at my comment. "No, they are given a private tour where we drink their blood and erase their memories. Some people are more than willing to offer themselves to a Vampire. They are sometimes offered more."

"Like what?" I ask. He hisses at my question, but answers anyway.

"Employment, servitude. Some are turned eventually after a few years of loyalty, and sometimes sex."

"And you?" I ask. He hisses again.

"I have offered all of the above. I'm not going to lie to you."

"Tell me about Marion," I ask, not caring what Jessica warned me about. Maybe I question him out of jealousy.

"She was my first wife. I told you."

"Not everything," I reply. "I deserve to know."

"I guess you do." He walks over to the big comfy chair and sits down. He motions me over, and I come. I sit on his lap. He stares across the room, refusing to look at me. I watch his face as he talks. "She was my soul mate. My human soul mate, that is. We were married young as many couples were back in those days. It was in sixth century. We lived in England. The Queen saw me at court one day. She wanted me. She sent the guards for me. I refused her. I told them I had a wife and was not interested. That night, she found a way to alter my drink with a drug. I awoke to find myself in her bed. We were not clothed. I did not honestly know if we had sex or not. Her husband walked in on us. I ran out the window. I didn't think he saw who I was. I told Marion immediately when I returned home. She knew I never lied so she believed me."

"The King's fury sent his guards to my house when he ordered my death. They ripped my screaming wife from my hands. That night as I waited in my prison for my approaching death, the Queen came down to see me. She said she was sorry to have gotten me involved in her marriage and revealed herself as a Vampire. She had staged our bed scene for her husband to make him jealous and pay attention to her. The King had my wife and intended to kill her after my death. She planned to get her back if I chose to become a nightwalker. I accepted her offer. I would gladly give my humanity for her life. She informed me that her husband was a Vampire also, but one much stronger than she. She could not fight him alone."

"She gave me some of her blood for the next three nights. When they hung me in the square, I died. They buried me outside of town, and I awoke in a coffin six feet under the ground. I dug my way out. I killed three people before I could handle my thirst. I lost my memory for several weeks. When it returned, I looked for the Queen, but he had killed her. I found out later that Marion was not dead. The King wed her instead and changed her name. I changed my identity and sought after a plan to win her back."

Something registers in my mind. "Do I remind you of her?" I nervously ask, remembering what his sister said.

He looks at me through and through. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. "You are not the same, but underneath I sense her. I see the same qualities."

Okay, not what I wanted to hear. I try to get off his lap but he holds me tighter.

"Now, don't be upset. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I said I would never lie to you."

I forget my anger and slide back down resting my upper body on his chest. He smells my hair. I can hear his thoughts. "I need a bath, don't I?" I say, already knowing the answer. He picks me up and carries me to the bathroom. To my delight, there is a large Jacuzzi tub. He places the stopper into the drain and turns on the water. I think I need to pee, but realize that I am incapable of it now; habit, I guess. I remove my new top and pants I got from Jessica and step into the tub. He opens a bottle of something and squirts it in the water. He turns on the jets and bubbles start forming around my body. I smile. He starts removing his clothes to join me.

"I know what you're thinking and it is not eleven just yet. I promise to leave then," he says.

"Do you have an internal clock or something?" I ask.

"Something like that." He doesn't offer a detailed explanation. "Scoot up."

I slide forward, and he slips into the tub behind me. I lie back against his chest, and his arms enclose me. He holds me for as long as he can stand it before saying, "Let's wash that hair." He squeezes shampoo onto my head and scoops up water with his hands to lather it up.

"Now hold your breath." He places both hands on top of my head and pushes me under the water between his legs. I can feel his hardness beneath me. He's not letting me back up. I struggle to get up. His hold is tight. I think of the waterfall and of drowning, the hand on my ankle pulling me down. I look down at my feet in the pool. Jacob's face rises up to meet me. He was holding me under that night, and he's doing it again in this bathtub. I slam my head back against his privates. He yells out but holds me against the floor of the tub. How long have I been under here? It seems like minutes, but yet I'm still alive and breathing. No, I'm not breathing. I open my eyes and see his face above the surface. The bubbles are dancing above my head. The spigot is thundering in my ears. I relax and give in.

He releases my head and pulls me up. I turn and slap him across the face. His head snaps to the left. Then he looks at me through darkened eyes, long teeth, and tightened face. His muscles flinch, and the hairs on his arms stand up. He growls deep and low in his throat at me. I want to run. I try to get up. He reaches for me, but the bubbles make my body slippery, and I escape his grip. I stand but before my leg gets out of the tub to touch the floor, he is towering above me, the water and bubbles descending down his rigid body. He pushes me back into the water. I am now sitting in his spot.

"I was trying to teach you another lesson but I guess you learned two instead. Lesson number four is that you can hold your breath indefinitely. And as you have figured out, lesson number five, never slap a Vampire." He lowers himself back into the water and hovers over me on all fours, his face inches from mine with his fangs still exposed. He whispers, "Now let me show you what else you can do with lesson number four." He lowers his head into the water and pulls my thighs up. Next I feel his tongue between my legs licking my slick flesh. I squirm in his arms, but he stills me with his thoughts.

How long did he say we could hold our breath? I think.

Indefinitely, he answers.

After I am exhausted, and he is just getting started for the night, he lifts his head out of the water and shakes his hair out. He tells me that it is nearly eleven and that he must go get dressed. He says this hour apart is like the night apart before the wedding day.

I dry my hair with a towel and take off his robe. I let my body air dry. I walk out into the closet and retrieve the green box. Opening the lid, I stare at my lingerie that is duplicating as my wedding gown. I run my fingers along the red belted waist. I see myself wearing it. I see him touching me in it. I close my eyes as I feel the silk under my fingers. The satin is as smooth as cool water.

My mind races back to the waterfall. I am there on the edge of the cliff again. Jacob comes up behind me and caresses me. He is breathing hard. I look in his eyes and tell him to go ahead and do it. He jumps with me in his arms. We hit the water and separate. I swim as hard as I can for the surface. He grabs my ankle and pulls me to him. I panic and struggle to free myself. He pulls me into his chest and kisses me. He parts my lips with his tongue while wrapping his mouth around mine. I expect to drown but air passes between us. We look up and see men above us on the cliff. Shots are being fired into the water. One hits me in my side. I am bleeding. Jacob presses a hand to my wound. He bites his wrist and presses it to my mouth. I struggle against him for a few seconds but then I open my mouth and drink. We are trapped beneath the surface. I am still bleeding. My wounds are slow to heal in the water. He is my oxygen. He is my savior. He is my Jacob, my lover. How is this possible?

I try to think back even farther in my mind before I was standing on that cliff. I see a cavern lit by torches, a drawbridge surrounding a moat, and men moving about and talking. I am not bound by chains. I am free to come and go as I please. I see someone approaching me. "There you are," he says to me. "We need to get you indoors. Trouble is approaching with the rising moon. He means to steal you away again." I walk towards the cavern. People are bowing their heads as we approach. I smile and nod back at them.

We enter through the big wooden doors. I see a man standing in the middle of fog, his eyes rolled back into his head. He looks creepy and as old as dirt. He holds a staff in one hand. Chanting in a low voice, he motions for me to approach him. I am led over by the man whose arm I hold. The old man reaches towards my face. He grabs hold of my hair and rips it out by the follicles. I scream. A hand clamps down on my mouth.

"He will find her and take her," the old man says.

"I'll kill her first before he has her again." He slides a knife out from his belt.

"There may be another way," the old man says, "a spell. Are you sure you are that obsessed with her?"

"Do not question my intentions. What do you need to proceed?"

"I have her hair. That is all, but we might as well take her blood."

Just then the man beside me bites my neck. The pain sears through me. I have never seen this side of him before. The old man rushes up with a vial to catch the blood as it slides down my skin. I grab the man's knife in his hand and stab him. He lets go of my throat. I run out the doors and into the night. I hear struggling back in the cavern. It sounds like a fight erupted. I run towards the waterfall. I hear him calling my name. My name—if only I can make it out. It grows louder in my head. Guinevere.

I'm Lady Guinevere. My head is starting to pound. How can this be? I was not a Vampire, yet I haven't aged. I calm my breathing and try to steady my nerves. I look at the clock. It is almost midnight, the hour of my wedding and the day of my death.

I slip the nightgown over my head and slide it down my body; it hugs me well. I choose not to wear panties since it is see-through lace in the rear. He will like that. My hair is curled just right, and I am wearing it pulled to one side, exposing my neck. I debate whether to wear the robe for cover-up. He can remove it, I decide. I slip it over my shoulders and walk over to the shoes. I am not one to wear shoes in bed so I do not put them on. I hear a knock at the door. I know it is him.

"Come in," I say.

He opens the door slowly. I see that he is wearing a black silk robe tailored to his body, accentuating his muscles underneath. He smiles when he sees me. He looks around the room.

"I did not have time to light the candles," I explain.

"No problem," he says as the candles glow to life. I am not surprised. Next the blinds open, and I look out at the countryside, land as far as one can see and stars as bright as a million suns. He glides up behind me and wraps me in his arms. He kisses my bare neck, and I lean back to him. I try not to think about who I am. I do not want him to know that I have at least part of my memory back.

He unties the silk belt and opens my robe. He then slides the sleeves off my shoulders and down to the floor. He hisses when he sees my bare backside through the lace. He lowers behind me and sniffs my body as he stands back up. I hear him sigh. I turn to face him, but he stops me. I swear I see tears in his eyes. I want to look again, but I choose to stand still. He is sniffing me again. I feel like I'm on the menu, but I guess I am. I do not know if he likes my gift or not.

"What is your name?" The words slide off his tongue.

I choose not to tell him, instead saying, "I don't know." I'm afraid my thoughts may have given me away.

He comes around to face me now. "You are remembering, but the details are jumbled," he says as he smiles at me. "Where did you get this gown?" he asks.

"It's a gift from your sister. She thought you would like it if I wore it for our wedding night."

"It's not her gift to give," he says. I am confused.

"I can take it off if you don't like it," I say.

"I very much like it." He bends down and kisses me, pulling the strap off my shoulder. He peels it down to expose my left breast. I watch as he works my body with his experienced hands and tongue focusing on my nipple. His hair falls forward and covers his face. I reach down and lift it up so I can see his lips move across my breast. I see his mouth widen, and I brace for his bite.

He pierces the skin on the plumpness of my breast and sucks in my blood. Step three is beginning. I grow weak from the pleasure, and he steadies me on my feet. He reaches up with his right hand and slowly draws my gown down to around my waist. I fight the urge to bite him. He will tell me when it is time. He leaves the holes open and bites my other breast. I can no longer stand. He picks me up and carries me to the bed. He lays me down, still drinking my life into him. He does not close this wound either. I do not understand. My blood flows down my curves and onto my abdomen. He slides his hand up one of my legs, exposing my thigh through the slit. He lowers his head and kisses me. Then he bites my femoral artery and sucks. I come close to climaxing then. I move my leg to draw it up towards me. He snarls and wraps his arms around it, holding me still. I wish he would just bite my neck as usual.

This feels foreign to me, but still I find the pleasure in it. He is sucking hard on my inner thigh and rubbing his hand along the outside of my leg and butt. I feel his fingers upon my flesh stroking me to orgasm. I am close. My legs begin to quiver. My brain is numb. He withdraws his fangs only to pierce my other thigh quickly. I shatter. Ecstasy surges through my body. I want him inside me now. I pull for him to come up to me. He continues to suck and rub my sweetness. Then he tastes more than my blood. His head is between my legs before I know it. A whimper escapes my lips, and I spasm uncontrollably. He lets me squirm in his hands and does not hold me. My skin crawls beneath him. My body releases, and I again pull for him to take me now. I beg.

He hisses and raises his head. He grabs my waist in both hands and pulls me down to him. I scream as he enters me hard. I feel the slippery blood on my breasts and thighs as he works his body over the top of mine. My blood is seeping into the bed and all over my white nightgown. I am growing hungrier by the smell of it. I am being depleted, drained dry. I want to bite him. He stops thrusting long enough to bite my jugular and take several deep draws. He turns my head to the other side and bites me there as well. Blood oozes into my hair. I feel my life passing. He begins working his hips again as I rise up to meet him. My eyes are becoming dark. I feel my teeth lengthen.

"Bite me," he orders.

"Say my name," I beg to hear it from his lips.

"You know your name. Now bite me." He refuses to tell me.

"I will bite you when you call my name," I say. "Let it escape from your lips."

He rolls me over on top of him. He is in the submissive position now, and I am the predator. He is still hard and tight within me. I sit up, straddling him, and begin to work my hips. He groans with pleasure.

"Whisper my name." I coerce him with my body to tell me. I rub my hands across his muscular chest and abdomen then squeeze his nipple. I arch back and take my other hand behind me to cup his balls, giving them a light massage.

He lets out a sigh. "...Marion."

I think about slapping him but then I remember lesson five all too well. I close my eyes, pretending I do not hear. I am still rocking against him. My body is weakening. I need blood.

"Bite me, Marion. Do it now. Your heart is stopping."

He calls me by her name again. I cannot argue. I open my mouth and come down on his throat violently. He cries out in pain. The warm liquid begins to satisfy me. I drink as fast as I can swallow. The blood fills my mouth, and I swallow again. I close my eyes as I suck on him. He is now rocking my hips for me. I can no longer move. I feel the surge of pleasure between my legs and soften my grip with my fangs. He exhales. I do not want to pleasure him, not when he thinks of me as his first wife. I feel another orgasm approaching, but I fight it back down. He notices and grunts. He works my body even faster against his solid sex. I grow agitated. He keeps whispering her name. He is telling me that I am hurting him. Well, he hurt me first. He's the one who got me kidnapped by King Arthur. I was forced into marrying the King after he killed his first wife. Merlin put spells on me to make me stay, to make me obedient, to make me forget my real husband...Jacob. I was married to Jacob, and he found me again. The King didn't recognize him. Jacob became close to the King to be able to get closer to me, and I fell into his arms again. When Arthur found out about the affair, he ordered me killed. Jacob rescued me, and we ran off to the woods and got new identities. Then I don't remember....

I feel my fangs grow even longer. He is squirming beneath me. I hold him down by his shoulders. I feel different. My fangs feel like a weapon. I hold his throat, but I no longer drink.

"No, love, you don't want to do this. You know most of it. Try to remember. We were together for many centuries living off the land. Arthur lost his interest in you after a while. Then Merlin cast another spell on you. He took your memories and put you in a deep sleep. Arthur did not want me to win and have you. You have been in my care, hidden for over two hundred years. I have been giving you my blood for the past few months hoping it would wake you up. It finally worked. I guess they knew you had awakened so they found you at my other home and stole you from me. Since my blood was in you, I could locate you. I rescued you two nights ago. I found Arthur and Merlin in the cavern but you were running away."

"I killed the King," Jacob continued, "thanks in part to you stabbing him, and then I turned to Merlin. He begged for his life. He said he was finally free from tyranny. He gave me the hair and blood that they stole from you. I gave him his life. You were under an anti-aging spell up until then. I followed your smell to the waterfall. Men were chasing us, but I could easily outrun them. When I caught you, we jumped. You were injured. I gave you my blood but could not heal the wound in the water. You bled out, but not enough to kill you. I knew I had to turn you." He shudders against my teeth. "Please, Marion, retract your hold on me. I have loved you for over fifteen hundred years. Remember me."

I summon the poison back into my fangs. What he speaks is the truth. I can feel it. I may not go by Guinevere anymore, but I know I am her. He is my Lancelot, and he is my Jacob. I am his Marion, his Vampire bride. I am dead now; I will wake tomorrow with a new heart, a different heart, one that belongs to my husband. I sleep knowing that I am his forever.

Chapter 3

I wake up at sunset the following night alone in bed. After putting on my white silk robe, I walk over and slide the doors open to the sitting room. I sit down on the couch and stare around at the room.

Jacob walks back into the bedroom and turns his head towards me. Come. I do not hesitate at his command even though I feel like I am being ordered like a dog. I turn to close the doors behind me when they slam shut on their own. When I look back at Jacob, he is standing face to face with me. He is not dressed. I back up until the doors are molded into my spine. He advances. He tells me I should run. Then his features start to harden more than I've seen before. His eyes widen and appear darker than I've seen before. Next his teeth lengthen to almost two inches long. He lets out a primal yell. His bulging neck and shoulder muscles ripple under his skin. I fear him, and I fear that he hasn't shown me the truth about what I have become. My ears are pounding as he silences his scream.

"I thought I told you to run," he grunts at me. I knee him in the groin and spin to the right. In the blink of an eye, I am standing behind the chair. He leaps towards me. I jump and find myself on the ceiling holding onto the wooden crossbeam. He looks up at me and smiles. What game is he playing? I look at the open window, and I think to jump through it. He is getting ready to pounce. I make my move towards the night sky. He sees me, but it is too late. I soar out the window and fall. I hear him shouting as I see the ground fast approaching. I feel a gust of air as his arms wrap around me. He cradles me against his chest as we land. I do not look into his eyes. He seeks out my lips but I turn away. He lets out another primal yell as I hear his bones cracking. I smell his blood as it fills my nostrils. I turn my head to his neck and bite him. I close my eyes. The blood is making my head swim. I feel like I am flying on a current of bliss. I open my eyes and see large black wings above Jacob's head. We are rising above the ground. I release my fangs and lick the remaining blood from my lips. I do not want to drink too much and cause him to falter in his flight. He does not look at me. I now know how he feels when I act like a child and pout. He flies across the estate just above the tree line.

When we get to a large pool of water, he takes care in landing. My legs are released, and they fall to the grass. I look into his eyes and see that they are large and dark, with glimmers of light reflecting like a cat. He spreads his wings above our heads and folds them inward towards the center of his back. I hear his bones breaking, and he grimaces with discomfort. I walk around him and look. All I see are two red lines of blood trailing down his shoulder blades. I lick them. He arches his back as my tongue moves across his flesh.

"If I wasn't already in the process of transforming, you would have hit the ground," he tells me. "The change takes time to complete. I expect you should be able to do this soon. I wanted to show you another lesson. Number six; you can jump and land from great distances. Number seven; you can fly in time."

"You scared me and told me to run. Really, you should get better teaching skills. At least let me know when school is in session."

"I opened the window. I wanted you to jump. I thought the free fall would make you transform. When I saw that you panicked, I jumped after you."

"Why wouldn't I panic? No one told me we could fly."

"Then you must have thought about it or you wouldn't have jumped to start with. That's your instinct. Listen to it." He is standing over me pointing his finger into my sternum. Then he spreads his fingers out until his palm lays flat against my cleavage. Rising higher towards my throat, his hand grips my neck and turns my head to the side. He takes his other hand and pulls down my white robe exposing my bare shoulder. He kisses me softly on my collarbone before piercing my flesh with his teeth. I moan and slither in his arms. My robe falls to the grass, and he takes me down with it. We are on our knees, and he is still suckling on my neck, but he is drawing my blood out very slowly. He lifts me up until I straddle his thighs as he leans back so his groin is positioned for entry. I exhale as he slides me down onto his solid stick. I rock against his flesh as it probes deep within me. The night air is cool against my bare flesh. I look up through the trees and see the stars shimmering above us, the moon reflecting off the water as it makes a radiant glow streaming towards us as we make love. I close my eyes and lower my mouth to his neck. I drink from him as he drinks from me. I have never felt this satisfied. We climax together, our bodies convulsing as we hold onto each other.

His hand entangles in my hair, and I feel as though he is combing it with his fingers. He gathers it to one side and places it across my shoulder. I move away from him and break his love hold on me. He hisses.

"We need to talk," I say to him. "I love having sex with you, don't get me wrong, but it seems like that is all we do."

"I have been without you for so long," he starts to explain. I—"

"Please, don't interrupt me. Let me finish. You have all these memories, and I have but a few. I feel like that is all I am good for. I need to be romanced, need to feel like a woman, a friend, and then a lover. I want your heart, mind, and body. I hope you want more than my body as well."

He closes his eyes as I finish speaking. "I am sorry that I have treated you this way and made you feel like I didn't love you. I will do better." He takes me back to our bedroom. "My lady, I take leave of you now. Call if you need a drink. I will pick you up tomorrow night at nine. Until then, farewell." He steps forward and kisses me on the cheek. I start to open my mouth to say something, but I remain silent. I watch him go to the closet, get dressed, and pack a bag. He leaves without saying another word to me. Our eyes meet as he bows his head to me, and then he closes the double doors to the sitting room. I am alone. I start to cry.

I page Jessica to see if she wants to come over. She arrives five minutes later. I am slumped on the couch in the sitting room. Taking one look at me, she rushes over and asks me what is wrong.

"I'm afraid I have offended him," I say. "I told him that I should be more than an easy lay for him and that he should romance me. All we were doing was having sex. It's great and all but I need a break. I want to experience things and see new things. I don't know this world that I am living in. The technology alone is daunting. I am catching on very quickly. Some things seem familiar to me; others Jacob explains in my mind as I look at it, and still there are things that I have never seen or he doesn't explain. The only places that I have been are in this bedroom, your bedroom, and the dungeon. I saw how big this house was when we were flying around the grounds."

"Shush. Don't talk of flying. Not many Vampires can do it. No one around here knows that we can, Jacob and I, and soon you will join us when you are stronger."

"But how can I when I am not old in Vampire years?" I ask.

"Because he created you, he made you his bride, and he chose to give you his powers. Most of the others that he created do not share in his gift, only a select few," she says. "What did Jacob say when he left?"

"He will pick me up at nine tomorrow night," I explain.

"Then I guess it's a date. Wear something nice. I can fix your hair and makeup if you wish," she offers. I accept graciously.

"You knew who I was, didn't you?" I ask her.

"Yes, I knew he found you and stole you back from King Arthur. I knew he had you hidden away during your deep sleep. I was the one who suggested that he give you some of his blood, knowing the healing qualities in it."

"But how did Arthur find me once I had awakened?" I cannot understand that.

"I do not know. Jacob thought it was because of Merlin, but I think we have a traitor among us. How else would they know how to get to you and make their escape?" Jessica has a point.

We talk about Jacob some more, and I tell Jessica that I am getting hungry. She tells me that it is just my hormones, and that I should lie down. Morning is coming soon. She tells me good night. All I think of is Jacob, his body and his blood. I head over to the phone that I paged Jessica on earlier. I pick up the receiver and push a button that says ROOM SERVICE. I tell them that I would like Jacob to come feed me in my room. I do not know how else to do it. They tell me that it will be about fifteen minutes. I say thank you and hang up. I walk into the bathroom to make myself presentable. I am going to apologize to him and ask him to stay with me. He told me he wouldn't leave me again, but here I am alone.

There is a knock on the door several minutes later. I open it with a smile on my face, which immediately turns into a frown. Standing in front of me is a man in a suit with a silver tray holding a large wine goblet. Inside the glass, I smell Jacob's blood. I take the glass and slam the door shut. I sink into the couch and hold the goblet to my nose. I swirl the blood inside as if it were a dark brandy. Raising his life source to my lips, I part for him to enter. I have never tasted him this way, but still I enjoy it. His liquid is still warm, having been newly bled out for me. He is serious about not wanting to see me. I savor every drop as it slides down my throat. I search in my mind for his thoughts that are always present deep within but I am met with only silence.

I take several books down from a bookshelf in the sitting room. Opening the pages, I begin to read. I find that I am reading faster and faster as I go. The only thing slowing me down is turning the pages. The knowledge is endless. After finishing one book, I pick up another. I start to yawn.

I leave the glass on the coffee table and walk over to the big bed alone. Daylight is breaking through the horizon. I look for the remote to close the blinds, but I cannot find it. I throw the covers off the bed as I frantically search. The sun is creeping across the fields and soon will be streaming through my windows. I walk over to the drapes but they are so tall and heavy that they do not budge. Light is now even with the floor of the room. My foot gets caught in the rays and starts to burn. I scream and run for the bathroom. I put my foot under the water, but my flesh just falls off.

I notice the sun is reflecting in the bathroom mirror. I did not shut the door. I am trapped. I yell for Jacob. He does not come. My second day as a Vampire, and I will die. My energy soars. My mind echoes deep inside me. CLOSE. NOW. The blinds start closing and the darkness shadows over me. I am safe. My instincts do know what to do, just as he told me. I can move objects in my mind. That makes lesson number eight. I rise up from my crouched position and wonder where he must be. Why didn't he come? Is he shutting me out?

My foot is slow to heal without access to fresh blood. I am lucky that I just drank a glass or I would be worse off than I am. I head for the closet and put on some pajamas. I snuggle under the covers as my eyelids get heavy and close. I decide that I enjoy sleepwear very much. The darkness consumes me, and I drift off into nothingness.

Nighttime comes around seven thirty. I open the blinds in the same manner in which I closed them this morning. It comes more naturally to me now. I rise from my slumber and head to take a bath. I see my peeled skin in the tub and decide a shower would be much better seeing how I am short on time anyway. When I am washed and dried, I walk into the closet to find an outfit for my date. Choosing a silk halter top dress, I put on my clothes as the door to the bedroom bursts open. Jacob is shouting something in another language. I hear Jessica's panicked voice, and then I hear Rebecca saying that I must have perished in the morning sun. She heard screaming coming from my room. I am about to step out of the walk-in closet when I hear a gut-wrenching scream coming from the bathroom. I run towards the yell and embrace Jacob in my arms. He breathes in my scent and holds me still to his chest. He smells of expensive cologne and looks exquisite. My wet hair is messing up his jacket. I pull away to face him.

He cups my face in his hands. "What happened?" he asks me. I look into his eyes and relay the story to only him so the others cannot hear. He then turns to me. "I'll be right back." He leaves me standing there alone in the bathroom. I have questions for him but perhaps when he returns. Realizing the time, I take out the blow-dryer and fix my hair. I decide to braid it in one long piece tucked over my right shoulder. A few strands are too short and fall to embrace my face. I decide to leave them down and not pin them back. I apply my makeup and head out into the bedroom. Jacob is sitting in the oversized chair. I must not have heard him come back. The remote to the blinds is lying on the now made-up bed.

"I found this in Rebecca's room. I will question her for what she has done to you. I am so sorry." He finally looks up at me.

"Where were you? I called for you. You did not come," I ask him bluntly.

"After I emptied some blood for you, I went to the dungeon to see Charles. I was in a different mindset and could not hear your requests. Again, I am sorry." He rises from his seat and comes over to caress my face. I don't know what I feel inside.

"Did you shut me out because of what I said earlier?" I search his eyes for the answer and all I see is his love for me.

"No, never, I had to go someplace dark, somewhere deep inside me for what I had to do in that dungeon. I couldn't come out of it." A flash enters my mind of what he did to Charles. I see silver instruments and blood, dark and inhuman, scattered about the cold stone floor. Charles is hanging in chains. He is disfigured and crying out in pain. My heart goes out for him, for Jacob. I know he loves Charles. I can end both their pain with a single word: Stop. Maybe, in time, I can free them both.

"I hope our evening isn't ruined. I have many things planned for us tonight," he tells me as he scoops up my black sweater. "You may need this, but I will wait until then. I really like your dress the way it is."

"You just like that I don't have on a bra," I say before realizing how rude that must sound. "I'm sorry." I blush.

"Don't be. You're right. I can't help what I am," he says as he leads me out the door and down the hall. "There are still visitors here, but don't worry, I won't let you attack them."

"Thanks." I look around the massive hall at the décor and the paintings. He takes me to a hidden door and it opens automatically. We are greeted by a servant who leads us down some steps and into a guest room. We wait until the coast is clear and cross the red velvet ropes. Mingling with the others who just entered the room, I am getting my first look at the tour of our mansion. He tells me that they have several tours a day, and in the fall and winter months, they have a night tour that showcases Christmas decorations and the massive fireplaces. It is now October, and the beginning of the holiday season. I wish we were alone so that I could get a more detailed explanation of what I am seeing. We make our way down the grand staircase. The scent of pine enters my nose, and I crinkle my face to it. It is too strong for my Vampire senses. Christmas music is being played by a small orchestra. We walk down a pathway of ropes from the dining hall. I see several large fireplaces, all lit except the one in the middle. It is the largest.

"Why is that one not working?" I ask him.

"I ordered the supply line cut to it. It has never been lit. I may need to enter or exit in case of emergencies. I built it large enough for my wing span. There is even fake smoke coming out the chimney. Only I know the right one to enter from the roof; the rest lead to death," he whispers to me. I look at his face in awe. He is a smart, cunning creature with many tricks up his sleeve. I should be quick to learn them.

We are ushered through some doors that lead to a patio. No one is allowed out to follow us. The man closes the doors as a horse and buggy pull up onto the cobblestone out back. There are steps leading us down a walkway. He shows me a solid oak door with iron markings on it. It is hidden below the patio stonework.

"This is the way into the dungeon. It is protected in the day by the sunlight and guarded by Vampires at night."

"How did you get here on that day?" I ask.

"I flew from our window up there. Not many people know I can fly. My wings protected me somewhat." He holds my hand as I enter the carriage. He takes his place by my side and the driver lightly taps the straps to the horses' back. We lunge forward then settle into a nice pace. I shudder. He looks at me and hands me my sweater. He wraps me in his arm and pulls me into his chest. I lay the sweater across my lap.

"Maybe you ought to put the sweater on. It's getting a little chilly out." He looks down at me. I feel as though he is groping me with his eyes.

"You're keeping me warm. I'm okay," I say to him as I snuggle in deeper. The horses' hooves click on the pavement, making a rhythmic dance sound echo into the night air. I love the smell of horses. I used to love riding them as well, I remember.

"Tomorrow, can we go riding?" I ask with excitement.

"Anything you wish," he says. I wrap my arm around his waist. He leans over and kisses me deeply. One hand is holding my face and the other is clutching my hand next to him. He does not maneuver to my body. His kiss is innocent and sweet. The carriage comes to a stop, but we are still too caught up in each other to notice. I do not know how long the driver stood there holding the door open. Jacob breaks the kiss first and turns away from me. I am still in a love-sick daze, drunk off his passion. He climbs out the open door and hands the man a wad of cash. I do not know this currency. I will ask him later. He helps me down.

I look at our surroundings and see a brightly lit restaurant. We walk over, and he holds the door open for me. The inside reminds me of Ireland. I was there several times a long time ago. There are women dressed in green with white cotton fabric over their bosoms. We are the only diners in the establishment. We are led to a table, and he pulls the chair out for me.

"I'll have whisky," Jacob says.

"The bottle, sir?" the waitress asks. Her tag says her name is Nadia.

"No, just a glass. What would you like?" he asks me.

"I'll try a Bloody Mary," I say, looking at the choices. The waitress walks away.

"You know there isn't really blood in it?" He leans forward so the servers do not hear.

"I thought it ironic, that's all," I say. Darn. I really thought there was blood in it. He hears me and chuckles. I scowl. "Sometimes I wish I could have a private thought for myself."

"You can block me if you want. I hope you never want to, but I will teach you if you ask." He seems not too eager for that lesson.

"I don't want any distance between us. Just don't mock my thoughts. I know I have a lot to learn. Please be patient," I tell him.

"I'm sorry, I will do better."

"I know. So, what are we ordering to eat?" I ask.

"Anyone you wish," he tells me as he looks around the room at the girls.

I follow his eyes. I am repulsed by the idea. I only want him.

Try love, it's time. You can't drink me dry each night. The sooner you start on human blood the easier it will be to digest.

"Why are they all women?" I ask aloud. I prefer to speak this way.

"If you would feel more comfortable with a man, then I can provide that for you. The cooks are male. Would you like to look?" he hisses his question towards me. I know he doesn't like the idea, but I would like to have the choice. He hears me. I know he deliberately listened for my response. He motions for one of the women to come over.

"Nadia, prepare the men for my wife. She would like to see the picture menu." He turns to me after Nadia walks away.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, perhaps you should order my dinner for me," I spit at him and cross my arms.

"I'm sorry, but I will pick your meal. I was going to anyway."

I grunt and look away.

"It's not because of jealousy. It's that I have to smell him to make sure he is compatible with your blood type. Soon you can have anyone you wish after your stomach hardens to the taste."

Nadia brings over our drinks. Her breasts are full and her waist is small. In fact, all of the waitresses have large breasts that fill out their tops, stretching the white cotton tightly against their chests. The green leather top is laced up the back with ribbons tied tightly into a bow at the buttocks. They have on a short pleated skirt with white thigh-high hose. I wonder where their garters are. Just then a line of men emerges from the kitchen area. They are only wearing tight black leather pants. My eyes grow wide with lust. Their bare chests are well defined and glisten in the glow of the bar lights. My mouth is watering.

"Easy, love." Jacob grabs my hand on the table and squeezes. I realize that it doesn't matter who he picks. They are all delectable. I raise my glass to my lips. "Wait, let's try real blood first." He gets up and leads me by the hand to stand in front of the men. He raises my hand to his mouth. I think he is going to kiss the back of my hand, but he turns my wrist to him and bites me.

"Smell your blood," he instructs me. I do as he says, drawing in my scent. "Now smell their necks, one by one, slowly, until you smell someone who most closely resembles your scent." I go to the first man. He is extremely tall. I lean up towards his neck. I press my hand to his chest and step up on my tiptoe. The man steadies me with his arms by grabbing my waist. I hear Jacob growl behind me and the man releases me. I back away slowly. The smell of him is intoxicating. I want to bite him.

"Step forward," I tell him. I go to the next man in line and repeat the process. I dismiss him immediately even though his look pleases me tremendously. I feel disappointed that he wasn't a match. I do not know why. It's not like I was going to have sex with him. The next man was shivering in his boots. I show him my Vampire transformation just for fun. He almost starts to whimper. "Why are you here?" I ask him through my fangs.

"I need the money," he says to me. I try to smell him, but he smells of fear and a little like urine.

"I should pick you to teach you a lesson. Go home, you're fired. You don't belong here."

"No, I can do it, just give me a chance," he begs me.

"Go home," I hiss at him. I circle my next victim as Jacob giggles in front of me. I look at him and smile. This is fun. All of the men know why they are here. I do not feel like a predator. They volunteered. This man smells like liquor and smoke. I turn my nose up at him. I move on. I should have fired him too, but I would probably drink at work if I knew this was part of the job description. I dismiss him, and he grumbles as he walks away. The next man has piercing blue eyes and smells clean. I look at him, and he flexes his muscles for me. Air escapes my lips in delight. I come around behind him and run my hands over his shoulders. I reach my head up and breathe in deeply while looking at Jacob. He turns away from my glance. "Step forward," I say. I see Jacob stand. He is getting uncomfortable and is about to explode. He walks over to our table and grabs his whisky, downing it all in one gulp.

"Nadia, bring me the bottle," he orders.

I feel as though I should pull back but I cannot. This is my first hunt. I am too excited by my bloodlust. I dismiss two more men. The last man proved compatible as well.

"Are you happy with your choices?" he asks me.

"I know I have it right. These three match my blood," I say to him.

"Do you want me to check?" He drinks straight from the bottle.

"If you believe that I am wrong, I wouldn't mind," I say to him. He gets up from the bar stool and moves over to the men. The tall man does not step back from him as he approaches. Jacob is slightly shorter but still clamps onto his throat with his fangs and draws his blood into his mouth. The man tightens the muscles in his neck. It wouldn't hurt so much if he will just relax. His face makes a smirk, and he shakes his head as Jacob releases him. He hates to be dominated in that way. Maybe I should dismiss him before Jacob picks up on his behavior.

Jacob bites the man I find attractive next. I watch as he closes his blue eyes. I want him. I want my teeth in his flesh. I need his blood in me. Jacob sees me licking my lips and my breath increasing. I moan in pleasure. Jacob never takes his eyes off me. He lifts his head and releases my prey after only one taste of his blood. He spits it out of his mouth and onto the floor. He grabs his whisky and swirls it in his mouth before spitting that out as well. I see Jacob's lip curl up slightly as he stares at the man, making wonder what is wrong.

The next man only gets one draw of blood also before Jacob motions me over. "Smell him again." He leans my nose to the blood that is trailing down the man's throat. I crinkle my face.

"What is that?" I ask.

"He has cocaine in his system. Try to remember this smell. It will make you delirious if you drink too much of this mixed with blood. Drugs are filtered out quickly from our system but if you drink it from a user who already has it in his blood, you can become impaired."

"Are you going to fire him?" I ask.

"No. He should have told you what was in his blood, but many Vampires on staff like to party off duty. That is what he is good for. In the future, he will tell anyone who demands a lineup. Is that clear?" The man nods. "You are dismissed." Jacob then turns to me. "Malachi and Kyle are appropriate for your choosing." Jacob turns his whisky glass up for another swig.

I walk over to the man with the piercing blue eyes. "You barely drank from him and then you spit him out like he is poison. Why?"

"Because you want him. I know your desires, remember?"

I walk over to Malachi and trace my hand down his pecs and across the divots of his rock-hard abs. I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. He places his hand on my upper back but removes it quickly after my kiss is completed. I dismiss him, and he bows his head to me and departs. I watch him as he goes.

"Kyle, go lie in the back room." Jacob then instructs me how to proceed.

"Are you not going with me?" I ask.

"I have seen enough of this charade. Call if you need me. I will know if something is wrong." He motions for Nadia to come to him. I watch as he pulls her down onto his lap. He turns her head into him and sucks her blood into his body. Steam rises up my head and it feels as though it is escaping through my ears and burning my eyes. I am more than disgruntled. I see Nadia start gyrating against him. Turning my back to them, I stomp away and head for my own tall drink of dark wine.

I enter the back room, and Kyle is lying on a low cushioned table that is surprisingly long enough for his body. I approach and his breath increases. I run my fingers up his body and across his hard nipple. Circling his displayed body, I stop at his head and grab his shoulders and massage them before extending my hands over his pectoral muscles. He moans slightly. Opening his eyes, I look down at him and notice that they are the deepest shade of green that I have ever seen. Jacob's eyes are almost black. I can only imagine Jacob's hands on Nadia's breast, and his shaft up her skirt. I guess that is the way with creatures of the night. I remember the lesson about the way blood tastes during sex. I suppose that is the way we drink from everyone, humans included.

"How many times have you done this?" I ask Kyle.

"Several, this is not my first time."

"Well, you'll have to forgive me. This is my first time. I don't know what I'm doing, to tell the truth."

"I guess you're a virgin then." He looks deeply at me as he says the words.

I chuckle. "I guess I am. Do they usually have sex with you, the other Vampires?"

"Some do, some don't. It is whatever they wish. I am always up for it. Anything you wish." He offers his body as well as his blood. I am starting to like him after all.

"You do not like Jacob? I could tell when he bit you."

"I have my reasons. They are not of your concern," he says. "Please do not ask me, for I would have to tell you. Everyone needs their privacy."

"I couldn't agree more. Your secrets are safe, for now." I glide up beside him and prop my knee onto the table. I rise up and straddle his groin. My skirt rises to expose my thighs. He rubs his hands up and down my legs. I lean my upper body down and press my lips to his beating pulse. My teeth extend past my gums, and I bite into his flesh. I pull in slowly as Jacob instructed in case I have an allergic reaction to the new blood in my system. So far, I am feeling nothing but satisfaction. I do not notice that Kyle's hands venture further up my dress, and he is rocking my hips against him mimicking sex. I feel his fingers wrap around my thong and start to tug them down.

"No," I hiss with his flesh still in my mouth. He backs off, but removes one hand and slides it over my breast. I moan, but want to stop. I think Kyle to be a bigger threat than Malachi. I stop drinking from him. I retract my fangs back. I am feeling dizzy by his blood or by his hands. I cannot tell. Hearing a roar from behind me, I sit up. Jacob is moving faster than I can see. He grabs Kyle somehow from beneath me. I am still sitting in the same spot undisturbed. Jacob is killing Kyle.

"Wait, Jacob, stop," I try to say but the words are slurred.

"You beg for your lover's life," he grovels at me.

"He is-is not my lover. We di-didn't do anything that you di-didn't do with Nadia." I spit the words out but they are jumbled.

Jacob looks down and sees that Kyle's pants are still zipped up. He is hard but he is contained. Jacob releases him, but I hear him give Kyle a warning. I cannot make out many words. I fall off the table. Kyle is running towards me, but he is ordered away. Jacob picks me up.

"You need to throw up. Now," he tells me.

"I...I ca-can't," I say. Jacob opens my mouth with his hand and forces his fingers down my throat. I throw up red liquid all over the floor.

"Good. You didn't drink much of it. Here, drink from me," he commands.

"No." I swipe his wrist away. "You started this. This is what you wanted. You can get your kicks off Nadia but you refuse me mine."

"That is not what happened. I pulled her down on top of me because I was mad at you, yes, I admit that, but the moment she started moving against me, I stopped her. I will not cheat on you, and I expect the same from you."

"Aw, but you have cheated on me. You married Deborah, remember the whole 'I just bedded her once' line? You think me to be a fool. And what about the offers to the guests of the mansion? You've offered them to be your sex slaves." I stand and turn my back to him as I fix my clothing. I am behaving like a child again, and we both know it.

"I told you that I was forced into that marriage. As far as the guests, I'm sorry. You do not know all about the situation. You were not here. I aroused them to get their blood to the taste that I like. Did I sleep with them? Many of them believe that I did, but it is all mind control. You can't say that you didn't arouse Kyle just now. I saw it in his pants."

I stare at the wall. I know he speaks the truth. My time with Arthur enters my mind. I know I have betrayed Jacob's love, many nights over. I start to cry. My shoulders shake, and he steps up and holds me in his arms. "Jacob, I'm sorry."

"Hush, love, you didn't remember me or our love. You were under powerful spells. Merlin's magic is hard to break." He holds me for several moments as I cry and let go of my past. "Are you feeling better now?" I tell him that I am. "Will you try another drink for me?" I think of my drink on our table and nod. He releases my body and leaves the room. I wait a few minutes and then follow him out into the waiting area. I see him return with Malachi.

"No, I can't do this. Please don't," I protest.

"You need to try. I promise to behave myself. Anything but sex, that is the rule," he tells me. He motions for my new dinner to sit on a bar stool. I watch as Malachi unbuttons his shirt and removes it. He takes his seat. There is not an ounce of fat on his body. "Behave yourself," Jacob warns him.

I walk over to him, and he parts his legs for me to enter them. I do, and he squeezes his muscular thighs around my hips, pulling me closer to him. His eyes pierce my soul. I cannot look away. I run my hands up each side, and he shivers against my cold fingers. Wrapping my arms across his shoulders, I lean towards him and feel myself starting to change. He pushes me back away from him, but I cannot stop the transformation. I look at him through my Vampire eyes and my mouth is slightly parted, baring my fangs.

"That's better," Malachi says as he stares at me. I feel uncomfortable thinking of how I wanted to watch Jacob change before my very eyes. "Do it, bite me." He arches his neck back, and I bite him, sending warm surges of pleasure into his body. I want to please him. Raising his arms from his sides, he places his hands on my hips and kneads my ass. I hear Jacob clear his throat, but I do not care. My body starts to move against him. Jacob hisses and turns away. Several moments later, Jacob speaks.

"That's enough," he says while grinding his teeth.

I look up. "You said anything but sex, this is hardly sex." I lower my head back to Malachi's stretched-out throat.

"I mean that is enough blood. You can't drain him dry, but if you keep moving like that, I may take you here and now." I hear his words cautioning me, and I do not bite Malachi again. I lick the two small marks that I made and close them with my saliva. He stands, and I thank him for his blood. He bows his head to me and walks over to Jacob.

"You have done well, Malachi." Jacob opens his wallet and pays him for his service. I turn away and head for the bathroom. "You feeling okay?" he asks me.

"Yeah, I feel great. You go ahead and take care of business. I am going to freshen up," I call over my shoulder. I hear Malachi and Jacob talking some more. While in the restroom, I wash my face and hands. When I come out of the bathroom, Jacob embraces me in his arms. I relax and give in to him.

"I'm sorry tonight hasn't gone as I had wished." He leads me towards the door and into the night.

"The night is still young. You have several hours to impress me."

Jacob raises his nose to the night sky and takes in several breaths before turning to me. "Something's wrong at the house. Jessica is calling for me but it's a trap." As soon as he finishes speaking, Malachi is standing beside me. "Take her deep into the mountain. You know the way. I will meet you there tomorrow night. If I do not return after two nights, then leave this place and never come back." Jacob kisses me on the forehead and hands me over to Malachi, who is taking off his jacket and shirt. He wraps his jacket around my shoulders and throws his shirt to the ground.

"Do you want to sleep with my wife?" I am startled by the question, and I look at both men.

"Yes," Malachi answers. I gulp.

"I guess I should rephrase the question. Are you going to sleep with my wife?" Jacob steps up to him.

"No."

"You hold my heart in your hands. Here, drink from me for you have lost much tonight." Jacob holds his wrist up to Malachi. I wonder why he does not pierce the skin first.

"No, it will weaken you."

"Drink. You need your strength to protect her," Jacob orders as he pushes his wrist to him again. Malachi takes the offering in his mouth and somehow drinks the powerful life source into his body. I see pure white wings spread out across the night. I look into Malachi's eyes, and they are glowing crystal blue. I shiver at the sight of him. A blue light radiates over his body and covers him like an orb. He drinks until satiated.

"That's better. Now go." Jacob closes his wounds and lightly touches my face. "I will see you soon. He is your Guardian, your protector. He will die if he must. You must not interfere. You are still a child in the ways of our people. Malachi, teach her what you must." Jacob removes his shirt and transforms. His black wings are much larger and help to disguise him against the night air. He spreads them out and ascends into the sky. Before I can even speak, he is gone.

Chapter 4

"Come." Malachi turns to me.

"What are you?" I ask. "I tasted your blood. You are no Vampire."

"But I am not human either. We can talk later. We will have plenty of time alone together in the tunnels." He picks me up in the cradle of his arms. I am surrounded by his blue glow as well.

"Can't you turn that light out? It's like a beacon pointing us out in the night."

"No, I cannot. It's a protective shield. Only those who have had my blood can see it. Do not worry. I know what I am doing." He leaps off of the ground as I hold onto his neck and shoulders. I wonder what time it is, and how long Jacob is going to be gone. I feel like we should be following him and not hiding in a mountain cave.

Malachi circles a large building and heads across the field towards the large lake-like pond. I see a large well to the north, and we head that way. He rises above the well and folds his wings around me. He then falls toward the earth in a spiral. I start to scream, but he clamps my mouth shut. We descend rapidly into the black hole before he opens his wings and glides gently to his feet. I am shaking slightly in his arms. I look around and see tunnels emerging in different directions.

"We are deep within a wine cellar. This part has been shut down for decades. No one on the staff knows about it, only the Guardians, Jacob, and his sister. My quarters are down this way. I thought we could walk the rest of the way. It would give you a chance to ask some questions."

"What are you?" I ask the most important one first.

"I am neither alive nor dead. I walk the world in between, not here or there. I am a Guardian. We are made up of Angels and Demons. We are protectors of Vampires, among other things. You have always been mine and I have always been yours."

I stop and look at him. "Are you a Demon?"

"What do you think?" He laughs. "Some of us are, but no I am an Angel, a Fallen, a cast-out. I have been alive since the beginning of time."

"Who is Jacob's Guardian?" I ask.

"Charles."

I wish I didn't know. "He is a Demon," I say as a statement and not a question.

"Yes, but what makes you think that?"

"He did awful things to me." A tear falls from my eyes.

Malachi does not wipe it away when he looks at me. I want him to hold me and comfort me as my eyes start to leak uncontrollably. I step towards him, but he backs away. "No," he says. "We should keep moving. The doors are hidden along that rock wall." His light stings as he grabs my hand and leads me several yards up ahead. My fingers start to tingle and the sensation crawls slowly up my arm. Pressing a rock until it clicks, he rotates it and a disguised door slides open. He leads me inside. The room is dark with only his blue orb lighting the blackness. He walks over to a table and picks up a box of matches, then lights the torches along the walls. He folds in his wings and retracts his blue aura back inside his center.

He grabs some large pillows from the bed and throws them against the wall before taking a seat upon them. He motions me to come and sit down between his legs. I hesitate, but only for a moment. I take my seat on the pillow and lean back against his bare chest and abdomen. I notice that his skin no longer tingles against mine as his arms surround me and hold me. I am safe. I am protected.

"How long have you been my protector?" I ask, remembering that he said I was always his.

"Since you were born. Everyone has an Angel and a Demon assigned to them. We fight over your soul. I won my right to guard you. From that day, I have been by your side. I could tell you everything about yourself, but Jacob was advised to let you remember on your own, so I stayed silent. The mind is very fragile. One wrong move and we could cause you irreversible damage. Jacob's Angel and Demon coexisted for centuries, taking their turn to be with him, but then Charles got greedy. Jacob has to fight with his morality every day. I am afraid for his soul. I felt a great darkness descend upon him last night."

"Charles was tortured for what he did to me, and I think Rebecca betrayed us."

"You should not harm her. What was her betrayal?" he asks me. I tell him about almost burning in the morning sun. I tell him that I do not know how she got into my room to steal the remote.

"Rebecca is a Vampire, turned by Jessica, but she is also a witch. She didn't have to enter your room to get the device. Her black magic could have done that for her. She has been with Jacob for over two hundred years."

"How long exactly?" I ask.

"Two hundred and twelve, why?" he asks as he figures it out for himself. "I should have seen it. Merlin did not put the sleeping spell on you. Rebecca did." His arms hold me tighter as my blood begins to boil. I shake in my anger. I want to kill her.

Malachi lights up like a bright wattage bulb. "No," he says, "come back to me. You must not harm her." I feel his caress and warmth touching my body. I wonder if his hands would feel electrified against my bare flesh. "Why have I never seen you in all those years before tonight?"

"You cannot see Angels or Demons when you are..."

"Alive?" I finish the sentence for him.

"Yeah, something like that," he says as he kisses the top of my head.

"And you've never left me?" I ask.

"Only once. When he began to transform you. I couldn't stay and watch. I left. I could not find you when you were in your deep sleep either. My heart was breaking for you, for the life that was being depleted. If I had been strong enough to stay and watch then I would have been there to stop that Demon, Charles, from attacking you. I'm sorry." He raises his hand and pushes my hair behind my ear with his fingers. I feel his skin touch mine. I am crying again. This time he wipes away my tears.

"Do you love me?" I ask.

"Always," he says.

"Even after what I have become? Even though we can never be together?"

"Always," he repeats.

I want to change the subject. This one is becoming too serious. "Tell me about the first Vampires."

"There are many adaptations to the story, but I have seen the beginning with my own eyes. I was there. I had not yet fallen. My duty was to protect His body as He died. I failed. A Demon drew my attention away. While I was fighting with him until the death, a man snuck up the hill and kissed the feet of my Savior. His everlasting life is found in His blood. As soon as the man swallowed the blood, I knew I had been tricked. I ran to slay the man, but I was stopped by my Lord. He cast me out for my failure, or for my thoughts of murder—either one is a sin. Then He uttered a curse upon the man before He died:

Your teeth shall be as poisonous as the serpent

Never to see the sun again

You shall roam in eternal darkness

Forever to drink blood to remind you of your sin."

Malachi continued. "Only with evolution and the help of Demons did Vampires grow into what they are today. That is why the Fallen became involved, to try to repair the souls of the damned."

"I'm sorry," I say.

"For what?" he asks.

"For what that Demon made you do."

"I never should have left my post. My eyes were to be on Him at all times. The Demon was my temptation, and I failed. I will not fail again."

"I know." I don't know why, but I lean back and kiss his soft lips. He pulls me up into him and returns the favor. My lips tingle with his touch. His hand reaches forward and cups my face. I am startled by the jolt. He is getting warmer and his light is shining all around us. I rise up away from him and take off my jacket. I want to feel his hands on me. After turning to face him, I take his lips with mine once again. We are breathless. My body is shivering in his hands. I mold into him as he rubs my bare back. My desire is burning brighter than his skin. I reach below for the button of his pants. He pushes me away.

"No."

"I'm sorry," I say. "I don't know why I am so drawn to you."

"It's natural at first. We will have to work at restraint. It will get easier with time, if Jacob does not kill me first."

"Jacob," I say and stand up. "What am I doing? I am married now. We can't do this." I feel anxiety wash over me.

"It's all right. I said it is to be expected. He was fond of his Angel too." Malachi looks away, but it is too late.

"Who is she?" I stare at him.

"Deborah, but she is gone now."

I breathe in and out loudly. "He said he never loved her."

"I never said that he did. I said he was fond of her. She lost her soul to her Demon lover. She wanted Jacob to transform her so she could change her lover too. She blackmailed him into changing her, but she didn't know that a new Vampire cannot turn someone else for at least a few years. She tried to force Jacob to do it for her. When he refused, they sought to kill him. He was warned to let the Committee deal with them, but he struck them down in his anger."

"Why didn't he tell me about all this?"

"I guess you needed to know about our existence in your own time." Malachi stands up. I see that the front of his pants is strained by his hard erection, and I look away quickly. He shakes his legs out one by one.

"I'm sorry about that," I say.

"It's all right," he says. "I know better. Kyle would be dead if he had unzipped his pants."

"Why didn't Jacob just choose you to start with, if you are mine and all that?"

"He knows of the attraction first-hand. He was scared and rightly so. Here, please put my jacket back on. You're cold." He scoops it up off the floor and offers it to me. I look down at my chest and see that I am indeed a little chilly. I try to take the coat from his hands but he tells me to turn around. I do and he places it over my shoulders, but as he does this, I feel a sharp pain in my skull. I fall to my knees, grabbing my head.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Malachi squats down behind me.

"It's Jacob. He needs me."

"No, you can't go to him. He doesn't want you to. I've had his blood too. I know what is happening. You have to stay here. It has been ordered."

"You knew this was going on. Why did I not know until now?"

Malachi stands and lifts me gently to my feet. "He has been blocking you. I imagine he can no longer. He needs his energy and strength now."

"Why? What is happening?" I ask.

"He is in too much pain."

"If we can sense him does that mean that he knows what we're doing, that we kissed?"

"Yes," he says as he looks at me.

"And you knew that he would feel it?"

"Yes," he comments as he looks away.

"He's being tortured."

"I know."

"You have to save him," I beg.

"I am your protector, not his." He raises his voice to me.

"Then as my protector, you will have to follow me?"

"Yes, but it is too close to dawn. We need to wait until nightfall."

"Jacob could be dead by then. Are you not stronger during the day and Demons weaker?" I do not know how I know this, but I do.

"Yes," he says.

"Then we leave now and attack at sunrise."

"Maybe your plan will work. They will not expect us." He cocks his head side to side, popping his vertebrae. "He doesn't want you involved."

"Too late." I march over to the door and try to open it. He comes up behind me and helps with my struggle. The door opens.

"We do it my way or I bring you back here, agreed?"

"I can live with that," I say.

"I hope so. I hope I can restrain myself when the time comes." He grimaces, and I hear his flesh rip and his bones separate. His mighty wings emerge, and he envelops me quickly as he jumps into flight. I keep my eyes open this time. It seems to help with the nausea. We escape through the well in record speed. I look over his shoulder and see the sky is starting to lighten. I cling to his neck, hoping to stay in his shadow. He banks left to avoid a few early workers making their way up the long narrow drive. We are almost to the large house. I wonder what he has planned.

He flies straight up towards the sky. The sun breaks through the tree line as we rise up to meet it. I feel the heat bearing down on us. I try to scream but he covers my mouth. Higher and higher he climbs, always keeping his back to the sun. I am protected. He spreads his massive wings out, and we hang in the air longer than I think possible. The ground seems like miles away. I look down and see a multitude of chimneys. He is going to drop down one of them just like he did into the well. I close my eyes for a brief moment. His wings surround my body in a tight tunnel. We fall, spinning feet first, towards the roof. His hand never leaves my mouth. His other arm presses me tightly to his chest. The feathers of his embrace feel almost on fire. He is glowing from the sun. That is where that light comes from.

We breach the chimney top and fall a hundred feet or so to the hearth. Our speed breaks through the concrete slab. Dust and debris fly among us as he lands in the dungeon below. He hits hard, but I do not feel the jar. I am still safe in his wings, but he does not uncover me. I cannot see my Jacob.

"Malachi, you come looking for a fight." Charles' voice burns through my mind. "All to save your love's husband. Why don't you just let me finish him and then you can have her all to yourself? I know you will enjoy her. I certainly did."

I hear an awful sound coming from inside Malachi's chest, and then I hear the pop of his fangs against my neck biting my flesh. I did not know Angels had fangs. He is drinking me dry. I feel his satisfaction and desire with the taste of my blood. He must will himself to stop. When he said that he hopes he can restrain himself, this must be what he meant. I feel a dull sensation wash over me, and I cannot move. Opening his wings, he helps me down to the ground. I lay there immobilized. I see Jacob straining against his chains, calling my name and cursing Malachi.

"It is a crime punishable by death to harm the person you vow to protect." Malachi is addressing Charles.

"You should talk. Look at her. You bled her almost to death, so sweet the temptation. Once you have a taste, you'll never be satisfied. She may die by your hands." Charles tries to get him to avert his attention to me, but it doesn't work.

"She will live. You will die."

Charles picks up a sword and runs at Malachi. Malachi spins around, opening his wings like helicopter blades. I see sharp spears protruding from past his wing tips and slice through the air, cutting Charles' neck and shoulder. He is down but he is still breathing.

"Release me," Jacob bellows. Malachi reaches into his wings and throws two daggers quickly at Jacob. I want to scream. Each dagger pierces the silver chains attached to each manacle on his wrist. Jacob is free. He grabs a dagger from the concrete wall and charges towards Charles and knocks him down, the dagger pressed to his throat.

"Jacob, no, this is not the way. You must fight this evil you feel."

"My soul is not yours to protect. I've killed before. I have no problem doing it again," Jacob hisses through his teeth.

"In front of her?" Malachi asks as he pierces me with his glowing blue eyes.

"Yes, I do not hide from her. She knows who I am."

"Only an Angel can kill a Demon and vice versa," Malachi admits. "Leave him to me."

"Then what?" Jacob asks.

"A committee will decide. If he is ordered to death, only then can he be slain." Malachi walks over to me. I can hear and see everything, but I still cannot move.

"But I killed Deborah and Saul," Jacob says. "I saw them turn to ash."

"They are not dead, only banished."

"Then Charles, I grant you your life once more." With that said, Jacob raises the dagger above his head.

"Think of what you are doing," Malachi warns him.

Jacob drives the blade into Charles' heart. Charles' scream echoes across the dungeon and escapes up the hole in the chimney and fills the mansion. Malachi places his hand upon my forehead and whispers words that I do not understand. Then he extends his hand to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. I can move again.

"I'm sorry that I drank from you without your consent. I needed the strength in your blood, and I wanted to keep you anesthetized so he didn't figure you to be a threat. But I fear this was indeed a setup. He did not even put up a fight."

"I feel like you almost killed me," I admit.

"I easily could have. Your blood is like no other I have tasted. We are warned from drinking from our charge. I apologize."

"I forgive you," I say as Malachi raises the back of my hand to press against his lips. Jacob walks over to us. He is covered in gore, with silver pieces protruding from his body. He is yanking them out one by one. Malachi gives my hand to Jacob and steps away.

"We both know that this isn't over," my Angel says to Jacob. I think he is talking about me.

"Where is she banished to?" Jacob asks him.

She? Who is he talking about?

"If we are struck down, we are to be punished accordingly. We are sent to Purgatory. Demons are sent to the gates of Hell and have to claw their way back out. Once free, some are reformed and able to stay here on Earth, others are forever wicked. If they do not change then the Abyss waits for them where they are ruled by Apollyon. Most Angels are given a penance that they have to pay before they can return. If an Angel's crimes are severe then they too can find themselves in Hell or the Abyss."

"What are you talking about?" I look at both men.

Malachi stares at me. "Your husband's wife, Deborah, is not dead, and when she returns to this realm, she will retake her place by his side. He can take it to the committee, of course, but they take their sweet time making decisions, sometimes decades even. As of now," he says, addressing Jacob, "Marion is your wife by law. You know that you cannot protect her from Deborah, only I can. You have relinquished the only one capable of sending your Angel to her death for good and that is Charles, your Demon. I told you to think of your actions."

I pull my hand free from Jacob and place it over my mouth. Jacob starts pacing the floor in front of us. The situation is dire. "How long until you make her yours?" Jacob asks.

"What? Jacob, no, I am not leaving you." I run over to him and wrap my arms around his bloody and bruised body. His stains soak into Malachi's jacket.

"That is your intention. Am I correct in saying so?" Jacob asks him.

"Yes," Malachi answers. "But I cannot marry her. I can better protect her if we are coupled. No Angel, Demon, or Vampire can harm her. Deborah has been in her penance for several decades. I do not know when her sentence is served. I was there only once, when I first fell from grace. My banishment was for five hundred years, but my crime was much more severe. I will leave you two in peace. When she breaks into this world, I will know it. I will come for Marion. Until then, cherish her. She is too good for your black soul."

I do not say goodbye to Malachi. I do not leave Jacob's side. I watch as he places his daggers carefully back into their positions in his wings and then goes up to Jacob. Jacob extends his hand. Malachi accepts the peace offering.

"Thank you for your Guardianship. You did not take advantage of her even though you easily could have. I know you have loved her for over fifteen hundred years, but so have I. Never leave her, even now. Please stay."

Malachi pauses before speaking. "I cannot stay and take a front row view of your love for each other. Maybe I could bear it before, but not after I have drunk her blood and she has drunk mine, not after I have held her body and have tasted her sweet kisses. Not even an Angel could survive such torture that you ask of me now."

"Please stay. I beg you not to go." I feel torn inside.

"Our time will come. It has been foretold. If you order me to stay, then I will obey." His eyes were pleading with me to let him go.

"Will you know if I am in trouble?" I ask.

"Always," he says, reminding me of the word he used to say he loved me. "Now that I have had your blood."

"Will you come for me?" I ask, wanting him to repeat his previous answer.

"Always." I like to hear him say it. I close my eyes, trying to hold in my tears. I will grieve for him, but when I am alone. He comes forward and kisses my lips as Jacob stands beside me. His fingers brush my hair away from my face. I kiss him back.

"Then Malachi, I release you. Go in peace." To my surprise Jacob remains silent. We watch as he leaves through the same way we came in, the chimney. I do not know when I will see him again, but I know this is for the best. Jacob believes that I am drawn to him because he is my Guardian, the protector of my soul. I know otherwise. I love him.

Chapter 5

I feel a great sadness descend upon me as Malachi flies further away, distancing himself and severing our bond. I will grieve for him later. I feel fingers rubbing up and down my spine. Jacob.

"I'm afraid we will have to stay down here today. It seems we are trapped by the sun once again. I have sent for Nadia to bring me a couple of humans to drink. I should be back to normal by tonight. I'm sorry our first date turned out so bad. I will do better."

"Well, all things considered, there's nowhere to go but up." Our first date consisted of me almost having sex with a human as I drank his blood, falling in love with my Guardian, Jacob groping a woman in front of me before being tortured and almost killed by Charles, discovering his first Vampire wife is still alive and when she returns, our marriage will be over, and Jacob banishing his Demon, who was the only one who could help us. We are both without protectors.

"Does this dungeon have a bedroom and bathroom?" I ask, looking around.

"No, unfortunately, this one is for torturing," he informs me. I do not ask how often he uses it.

I spot the water hose on the floor and laugh. "My turn," I say as I walk over there and turn on the spigot. I run my fingers under the ice cold nozzle. It is as cold as I remember. I motion for Jacob to come to me. He hesitates before he takes his first step.

"You're going to love paying me back," he says as I lay the hose down and work on unfastening his jeans. I slide them down his thighs. He removes my jacket and throws it on the floor. I tell him that there is no point taking off my clothes because I don't plan to get wet. He just smiles at the comment. He leans in to kiss me but stops. "Your breath smells like the sea." I know he is referring to Malachi.

"I'm sorry. I am drawn to him. I cannot hide it, and I do not wish to."

"It's all right, love. You have only been a Vampire for less than a week. I told you that we are very sexual creatures. Frankly, the fact that you haven't assaulted every man, Vampire, Demon, or Angel on the premises surprises me." I do not tell him that my feelings for Malachi go deeper than just lust.

"What will happen when she returns for you?" I ask.

"I'm working on a plan," he says to me.

"What?" I ask.

"I have to work out the details, but it is better if you do not know. Leave it to me."

I pick up the hose and trickle the water down his body. He does not shiver or step back. The blood turns liquid again as it flows down his legs. I run my hands across his broad chest and try to wash away some of his pain. I see scars but no wounds stretched across his flesh. They will heal completely once he feeds. He unties my halter top and it hangs to my waist. With his hands he pushes the dress past my hips and it falls to a heap of fabric in the red pool at our feet.

I am left standing only in my black thong and he is naked when the door opens at the top of the stairs. I squint against the bright sun streaming into the dark room. Two women enter. Jacob tells them to take a seat and face the wall. He will be with them in a moment. He tries to grab the hose from my hands, and I struggle with him but lose. Suddenly, I feel my nipples constricting to even tighter buds as he sprays my breasts. I jump and hold my hands up to block the water. One hand grabs my waist while he cups my breast in the other, rubbing his thumb across my nipple. He drops the water hose and takes me in his arms pushing me up against a wall.

"Bite me," I plead.

"No. I cannot," he tells me.

"Why?"

"You have the blood of your Guardian in you. If I drink his blood, then I will die. It is an unwritten law that protects them. I should have known that only Angels and Demon could kill one another. It is my job to know."

I now know why he spit out Malachi's blood at the restaurant. He knew what he was the moment his teeth pierced his skin. I do not ask to bite him. I know that he has no blood to give. "Wait," I say. "Not here, not with them watching."

"They are facing the wall," he says to me like it is all too common.

"They still have ears," I say. He places my feet on the ground but does not let me go. He leans in and kisses me deeply, sucking my tongue into his mouth. After I am hot for him again, he stops and leaves me there panting. He walks behind the women, who are sitting closely together on the floor. He kneels behind them and smells them one by one. He chooses the first one, and stretches her shirt down off of her shoulder and bites her. I watch intently at his throat as his Adam's apple rises and falls with each swallow. Realizing that my body had been drained by Malachi, I rise and move closer to them. I sniff the second girl's neck and discover she smells appetizing to me. Jacob left her for me. I do not kneel behind her but come around to face her.

"What is your name?" I ask as my fangs extend.

"Claudia." Her voice quivers.

"Do you give your blood freely?"

"Yes."

I kneel in front of her and place my hands on her shoulders. She is wearing a deep purple V-neck top. She recoils as I lean in. "I will not hurt you," I say to reassure her. She closes her eyes and stretches her neck up for me. I close in and bite her flesh. I open my eyes and look at Jacob. We are positioned face to face, and he is watching me drink her. I find the exchange very erotic. When our dinner leaves, I will not deny him access to my body again.

My bare breasts graze against her large chest. Jacob notices. I feel his lust. I place my arm around her and pull her tightly to me. My hips move closer. She moans in my arms. Jacob stops drinking and closes the puncture wounds on his prey, but he does not release her. I raise my head and let Claudia's blood trickle down to her shoulder. Slowly I run my tongue up and down her neck making small circles. He licks his bottom lip. His eyes are following my every movement. I grab a handful of her hair and pull her mouth to mine. I bite her lip with my kiss and suck on it. I expose her right breast, but know better than to caress it. Her moans get higher and stronger. She raises her hands to stroke me, but Jacob grabs her wrists very quickly.

"Leaves us now," he hisses low in his throat, drawing his breath in faster and faster. I feel like I have upset him with my tease. The girls do not make it halfway up the steps before he pounces on me. My head is pushed up against the wall. His tongue tastes her blood in my mouth as he flicks it across every nook and cranny. I lean my head back and open my mouth wider for him. I moan. He puts his hand on my waist and in a flash we are lying on the stairs. The risers push painfully against my back. Reaching down between my legs, he rips off my panties. He hovers above me on his elbows as he seeks entry to my center. I gasp as he stretches me with his girth. He cradles my head in his hands as he thrusts harder and harder. I scream.

"You shouldn't tease me like that," he says. "I may just let you go through with it next time."

I do not argue otherwise. Let him keep his fantasies. I run my hands up his back and grip his shoulders. I dig my nails into his flesh. He arches from the pain and pleasure of it. His blood draws to the surface. Opening my mouth slightly, I suck on my fingers and run my tongue seductively up and down as I lick his blood. My body moves underneath him. I no longer feel the pain in my back from the stairs. He continues to send orgasmic ripples through my core. I shout out his name. I shatter inside and pulsate uncontrollably. I don't notice that his desire still lingers below the surface. I can no longer move. I push him away. He stands and helps me to my feet. I see that he is still hard.

"Come," I say as I lead him over to the concrete dungeon wall. I push him forcefully against it and kneel in front of him. I take him into my mouth. He tastes and smells like me. I find that I am not repulsed, but intoxicated instead. Running my tongue up and down his shaft, I clean him. His mind goes wild with my thoughts. I feel his hands entangle in my dark hair. He does not try to guide my movements, only holds me as I work. I look up and see him stretch his head towards the ceiling. He lets out a primeval howl. I smile and continue to please him. My thoughts are turning more and more erotic. I feel my teeth lengthen. He yells.

I do not sleep until late in the afternoon. He is lying on the steps, and I am cradled against his shoulder. I hardly noticed that there wasn't a bedroom last night. We made do. Nighttime comes all too soon, and he stirs beneath me. I run my hands down his body and lower down his abdomen. He stops me and moves my arm to enclose his waist. He kisses my head. I wake and smile at him. He is watching me sleep.

"Did you sleep well?" he asks me.

"Yes, and you?"

"No, I couldn't keep my eyes off of you."

I try to stand but falter in my steps and have to hold the hand rail. I hurt from too much sex. He steadies me in his hands as he rises to his feet. I notice his lower body is covered in his blood. Realizing what we did last night, I feel the heat rush into my cheeks and look away from him. I almost lose my balance again.

"Easy, love," he says to me.

"I'm sorry that I did that to you," I say as I look once again into his black eyes.

"I'm not. I look forward to returning the favor sometime." My legs involuntarily close together. He laughs. "It appears that I have hurt you as well. Can you walk?" I nod my head yes. "I have some blood in storage. I'll have some sent to our room. I don't think I could risk watching you drink from another man, let alone a woman, anytime soon. You about drove me mad."

"All in good fun, nothing more than that. How are we going to get to our room without our clothes?" I ask.

"Fly," he says as his shoulders shrug forward. I see shadows crawl up the wall behind him before his black wings appear. "We have a couple of horses to catch," he says, recalling what I wanted to do tonight.

We jump into the shower and against my better judgment, we have sex. So much for slowing things down. He doesn't linger in the act, but brings me to my apex before he quickly follows. When we step out in our towels, there are two wine goblets of blood for us waiting on a silver tray. I pick them up and hand him one. We sit down on the couch and each take a sip.

He looks pensive. "Come, let's get dressed." He downs his drink very quickly. I do the same and follow him to the walk-in closets. I pick out a pair of jeans and boots and pull a lacey low-cut tank top over my head. There is no need to wear a bra. He will like that. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I step out to find him in a pair of dark-wash denim jeans and a cotton button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms. I look him up and down. He looks good in jeans. My eyes linger on the bulge pressing against his zipper.

"Careful, I'm starting to feel like a piece of raw meat." He pauses. "I love your top." The last time he told me that he liked my dress, my nipples were poking through my silk dress without my knowing it. This time I knew they were very visible through the thin cotton and lace. "You do like to tease me. The way you're going, we may not make it to the stables. I plan to make love to you once more before I take my leave again."

"You are not staying in the morning?"

"I have some matters to attend to later tonight. I will not be far from you. I will hear you if you call and I will bleed if you are thirsty. I will satisfy if you yearn. I will be back here before you slumber."

I cannot stop the tears this time, and they fall to the floor. "I love you," I whisper under my breath. He glides up and embraces me. As he spins me around in his arms, my feet lift off the floor. He asks me to say it again.

"I love you, Jacob," I say before he kisses me.

"I have been waiting over two human life spans to hear you say that again to me. I love you, Marion, never forget that." He kisses me again before setting me back down. His smile embraces his entire face. I love to see him this happy.

We hear a knock on the door. "Come in," Jacob says.

A man who looks like a butler enters. "The horses are out front, sir."

"Thank you, George."

"Sir, if I may say, we had to close portions of Biltmore today. I'm sorry, we lost some revenue. Apparently there were noises and screams coming up from the center chimney. It appears that the hearth has caved in. I called someone in to fix it, discreetly, of course. We have used his services before with no problems."

I have to turn around. I cannot stop myself from blushing and snickering.

"Thank you, I trust your judgment. Do what needs to be done. You have made my arrangements for later?"

"Yes sir." George closes the door behind him.

Jacob heads over to the window and opens it. He motions me over to his side. "School time," he says. I roll my eyes. "What? You told me to tell you. Lesson six; you can jump and land great distances. Lesson seven; you can fly, but apparently not yet."

"Yes, I figured out six, seven, and lesson eight; I can move objects with my mind."

"When did you move anything?" He sounds surprised.

"Yesterday morning when I was forced to close the blinds on my own accord. I opened them again at dusk."

I look out the window at the ground below. We must be about five stories up. My knees get weak. I feel Jacob's hand on my lower back. "Don't you dare push me," I threaten as I turn to look at him. He has a smirk on his face, but pulls his hand away. I climb out onto the window sill. There is nothing to it. I try to talk myself into leaping. It is not working. "You go first," I say so I can see how it is done, but mainly so he can catch me if needed. He climbs out to join me.

"We can go together if you wish." He takes my hand in his.

"No, I want to try on my own." Smiling while he lets go of my hand, he steps off the ledge. Okay, so he didn't jump up in the air, he just fell. I look down and swallow. I close my eyes, and I fall.

"Open your eyes," I hear him shout at me. I do just in time to see the ground as it fast approaches. I brace my feet for the landing. My legs bend, and I go down on one knee, but I am fine. He does not help me up. I stand. He takes my hand, and we walk around to the front side of the house.

The horses are large and decked out in their western gear. Jacob's stallion is midnight black. I am not surprised. My mare is smaller, a golden blonde. They are magnificent creatures. He walks me up to my horse.

"No," I say. "I've ridden before. I think you'll recall that I am quite good at it."

He hands me the reins and walks over to his steed. I mount my horse. Before he even has his foot in the stirrup, I squeeze my thighs and kick my heels into her side. She leaps forward. I give her the slack she needs, and she stretches her head further as she eases into a gallop. I hear Jacob not far behind me urging his horse to follow. A stallion has more testosterone and muscle than a mare. I will have to chide him for not making this race an even one. He thinks that I can't handle the brute strength and attitude of an unneutered male. If I can handle Jacob, an animal three times his size shouldn't be a problem. He knows I am the better rider.

My mind flashes far back in the past. We are riding slowly side by side. Our horses are bay geldings. We are on a path cut through the forest. I am wearing a white dress similar to the one I wore when he made me his Vampire bride, but it is much older and the style less seductive. We stop and tie our horses to a tree. Several men approach us; a couple of them have females at their side. I see a younger version of Jacob's sister. She is wearing a short white dress and has ribbons in her hair. A man and woman stand beside me. She brushes my hair back with her fingers and kisses my cheek. Jessica stands between another couple, and two older men come to a stop in front of us. One man starts talking to me, but I cannot make out the words. The other man speaks to Jacob. Next I see a ring sliding on my finger. Jacob leans in and kisses my cheeks one by one. I do the same to him. We are getting married for the first time.

My horse's front leg hits the ground hard, and I rise up in my seat. I keep my balance over my center. Her hooves are thundering against the rolling grass. I shouldn't take her at this speed, especially at night, but I cannot resist the temptation. I hear the nostrils of the horse behind me flare. He is catching up. I bank sharply right and lope up a rising hill. He is slow to turn, and I gain some ground from him. I hear him laugh behind me. This is fun. I feel her sides heaving against my legs. Her sweat is making me euphoric. I lean my head back and look at the stars above me. Reaching up, I pull out my ponytail to feel my hair flow behind me and gently tickle my back and shoulders. I hear my horse breathing faster and faster. I cannot make her keep this pace for much longer. Pulling back on the reins, I ease her into a steady jog before slowing to a trot. Jacob catches me and eases up as well.

"Show off," he laughs. He looks down at my chest bouncing freely in my top. "What's the point of not wearing a bra if I'm behind you the whole way?"

I giggle. "That should be motivation for you to win next time."

He leans over and smacks my horse's large rump. She leaps forward and trots several steps. My breasts are jolting up and down. I did not have time to support them with my arms like I did when I was galloping. It hurt. His eyes widen.

I regain control quickly. "How old are you?" I ask.

"Not old enough to know better."

"You are like a horny teenage boy," I comment.

He comes to a halt and dismounts his steed. I pull up and do the same. I take the reins in my hand, and we walk to cool the animals down. "Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Anything."

"I know you don't want to tell me much about my past without me remembering first, but my wedding gown. I have worn something almost like it before. I know it can't be the same one because of the time difference, but they looked almost identical. Will you tell me about that or when we met? Anything?"

"The old dress is gone; a fire took it. My sister must have altered a new version of it for you when she knew that I had gotten you back. I was quite pleased with her gift, but I didn't want to push the memory on you. She had an excellent recall of the details even though she was only a child." He takes my hand in his as he continues speaking. "My dad is from Ireland and my mother is Dutch. They met while they were both searching out new lands with better soil. Moving from place to place, they would make the ground fertile, sell many crops, and raise livestock. They tried to sell off the land before the King or Queen's men would come looking for taxes. They made lots of coin that way for many years. I was a teenager when my father almost got caught. It scared them into quitting the business and settling down."

"They went to England when I was seventeen years old. We were passing through a village and that is where I spotted you in a blue cotton dress shaped only by the apron string tied around your waist. You had eggs, carrying them around to sell. I bought them from you for three days straight before I asked you your name. We started talking after that for hours at a time. When my parents were ready to move on, I told them that I was staying and making my home in that village. I asked you to marry me. We wed in the forest. Your mother made your dress for you. My sister made a halo of flowers for your hair. Both sets of our parents were there. We received their blessings. My dad bought us seventy-three acres to farm and start our lives together. Your dad and I cut logs with our bare hands for our home and a small one for them so they could live close to us and..." He stops talking.

"And what?" I ask.

"And we lived there until I turned twenty-six. That is when I went to Great Britain on business and unfortunately, you know the rest." I feel as though he is leaving out great details, but I am glad that he is telling me this much.

I start to cry, but not because of what he thinks. I stop him from caressing me. "I saw my parents' faces when I was riding. They were at our wedding in the woods. Jessica had ribbons in her long hair. My mother kissed my cheek. You were wearing brown pants and a brown vest. I had on the white dress. We were so young. I remember seeing you in the village as you were telling me. I liked you immediately. I don't remember your eyes being this dark. They seemed browner in the sunlight."

"My eyes haven't seen the sun in over one and a half millenniums."

"Is there anything more to the story that you are not telling me?"

"Yes, but I cannot say. Do not ask." He lets go of my hand and walks around to his horse. Unbuckling the straps and releasing the girth, he slides the saddle off and onto the ground. The black horse appears almost blue from the moon and the sweat as it glistens off his muscles. He removes the bridle, and the horse lowers his head to eat. Then he comes over and does the same to my mare. We leave them there standing in the field as they happily munch on the tall grass. "Someone will get them in the morning," he informs me. I want to ask him more questions but he has already said all that he will tonight.

"I almost forgot. What happened with Rebecca?"

"She is not what you think."

"I know she is a witch like Merlin. Malachi told me. I also know that she cares for you deeply. Where is she then?" I ask.

"I sent her to do some things for me. She flirts with me but I will never touch her."

He didn't even punish her. I steam inside. "How did Charles escape if Rebecca didn't help him?"

"He bit off his hands to escape the manacles. Then when Jessica entered, he drank her blood. Since we are so closely related, he was able to regenerate. Demons and Angels heal quickly with the blood of their charge. Jessica ran away when he was screaming in agony as his hands grew back. The fact that he didn't kill her made me offer him his life once more. He could have avoided a lot of pain if he would've taken all her life force."

"I think Rebecca put the sleeping spell on me instead of Merlin," I mutter.

He stops walking and turns to look at me. "Why do you say that?" he asks. I take his actions to mean that I am right.

"She is a warlock. Her powers are similar to Merlin's. I don't know why I know but I do."

"You are not incorrect with your thinking, but I cannot discuss it any further."

"I am tired of playing these games. Tell me what I need to know."

"I cannot give you the answers you seek. Patience, love." He strokes my face. "You will get there. I promise." My hostility settles and my rigid posture lessens. He grabs my hips and pulls me towards him. "Bite your wrist and drink your blood," he tells me, and I follow his instructions. The taste is a mixture of blood—mine, Jacob's, Claudia's, Malachi's, and someone else's. "Whose blood did you drink from the goblet tonight?" he asks me. I am in the middle of class once again. I know everyone's distinct flavor except the someone else.

"You are trying to trick me." I lick the front of my teeth and try to figure out his puzzle. I close my eyes and think long and hard. Suddenly I figure it out. "It's the other girl's. The one you drank from in the dungeon. She tastes the way I remember her blood smelling."

"I believe you are trying to be the teacher's pet. Very good. Now lesson number nine; some Vampires will purposely drink from their Guardian in order to kill another Vampire. I can immediately tell when the blood first hits my tongue what and who it consists of. The fallen Angel's blood is almost pure and delectable. Only drink from Malachi. Demon blood is dark and murky tasting. You can drink from your Demon in case of emergencies, but you will have not-so-pleasant thoughts for a while. You need to learn this quickly. Whoever you drink from is still in your body for several days. The more you drink of someone else, the more diluted the first person becomes."

"I understand." I acknowledge the fact that soon Malachi will be completely gone from me. I see the mansion coming into view through the trees. It is quite spectacular with the lights glowing against the stone structure. The moon is coming down after reaching the midway point. He looks up and notices.

"I don't have much time left before I have to leave." The road to the house is dark and quiet since no one is stirring around at this hour. He leads me up the front steps and onto an adjacent patio. There is a movable fire feature that I have never seen the likes of before. We sit on some lounge chairs and talk more about farming, horses, and our parents. I remember a little more from my childhood before Jacob. It saddens me. I feel like I am losing them all over again. My mom died of pneumonia, and I do not know how my dad died. I never saw them again after I was taken by King Arthur. Jacob had told me at some point about them. He said that he sent them money and took care of them, even paying for a proper burial for them. My heart melts for him.

I kick my boots off and prop my feet up. He does the same. Then he undoes his shirt slowly one button at a time until it hangs open. Next he slides his jeans off his legs. I look at him. He is nude underneath them. He takes his arms out of his shirt and leans down against the back of his chair. I notice his hand move to his semi-hard shaft; he starts stroking it to length. He does not move towards me. He wants me to come to him. I unfasten my jeans and slide my hand down below. He smiles. My other hand cups my breast under my tank top. I raise it up to give him a peek. Two can play at games, and I definitely like to win. My jeans are constricting my movement. Lifting my pelvis up, I take both hands and tug them off. My panties are lost somewhere inside the denim. I do not take off my top but pull it down so that the neck line rests below my bosoms. I touch myself once more. He is rock hard, and I want him now. Being outside and getting caught is only half the fun. He is now assaulting my mind with cheap dirty tricks. I pant and groan like a cat in heat. He rises in his chair. I think he will take me anytime. I open my legs wider to spur him on.

A shadow grabs my attention on the side of the wall. Someone is here, watching us, watching me. I see and feel the stare of ice blue eyes. I do not want Jacob to see him. I stand before Jacob does and move over on top of him. Straddling his rigid rod, I sink down and give him his prize for winning the holdout. He slithers in easily. He removes my shirt. I rock with speed as he penetrates me deeper and deeper. We try to be quiet as to not disturb the staff. My butt and breasts are bouncing wildly as I rise and fall hard onto his sex. I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Malachi is leaning up against a pillar breathing heavily. He does not leave or turn away. He does not have on a shirt and his white wings are not hidden. I am in full view for him to see. I do not stop. I look at him and caress my nipples as I lick my lips. Still he does not falter in his gaze. He has come for me. I know it.

I will give Jacob the best sex I can before I have to leave him. I feel like tonight will be the last time that I will see him for a while. I pull Jacob up to me. He is sitting straight up and holding tightly to my back. I have excellent access to his throat. I drink all I can of him without causing any real damage. I wish he could drink of me one last time. I feel Jacob's heart breaking as he realizes what has been going on in my mind. His connection is still strong, just slightly slower since he cannot bond to me by blood. He knows. He pounds harder and faster into me. He hugs my body tightly against his chest as I reach the point of no return. I bite my bottom lip to keep it from quivering. Tears flow down my face. I look over to see that Malachi is no longer watching, but he is not gone. My pleasure voices grow louder and louder. I no longer hold back. I do not care who hears, especially my Angel, who is going to snatch me away too soon from the man I love. I cry Jacob's name multiple times as I release my desire over and over again as my nectars flow out of me. I plead him to go faster and deeper. He lifts us up off of the chair and stands up supporting us on his legs. Gravity makes me fall harder against him as he lifts my bottom up and down. He is moving fast. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on for the ride. I scream again as he moans and whispers into my ear that he loves me. I fall into his arms as he releases me to my feet, kissing him with all of my soul as I hear Malachi approaching. Jacob stands in front of me and turns around. He is blocking my body.

"It's time," Malachi says while looking at Jacob. He no longer wants to look at me. "The committee has been called to order. There is a hearing tonight. We must leave."

Jacob addresses him without any clothes on. I don't blame him. He has nothing to hide or be ashamed of. "She is here then."

"Yes and no. I will give you time to dress. Be there at three." Malachi opens his wings and lifts off. I feel my hair blowing in his breeze.

"I guess you will be going with me tonight after all."

"To the committee? Why were you going there?" I ask.

"I told you I had business. I just didn't realize how personal it was until now." He picks up his jeans and tugs them back on. He doesn't put on his shirt. Wherever we are going, we are flying there. He starts to transform. I put on my jeans and look at my tank top.

"I need a different shirt."

He picks me up and jumps up to the window sill. He opens his wings at the top for balance. He drops me down inside the room and tells me to hurry. I find a black sweater and bra and put it on. I kick my feet up in the air as I leap into his arms. He catches me and does a back dive into the air. He pumps his wings, and we rise into the night.

It takes a little while to get where we are going. We do not talk during this time. He and I both know what is at stake. When he lands in front of a building, he explains the process of the hearing.

"The committee consists of one Angel, one Demon, and one Vampire. They are the oldest and the originals. Their rule is law. If you do not obey, you are sentenced to death. Do not speak unless spoken to. Keep your eyes on them at all times. If Deborah truly is here, then the law will be against us. I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do. Malachi would be your best option for protection. He cannot marry you, but if he has a blood and a sexual bond with you then you are regarded as his property. No one can touch an Angel's or Demon's property unless they are your Guardian, and they have betrayed you. That is how I had the right to kill Sarah."

My head is starting to hurt trying to keep up. Jacob leads me up the stairs as he explains about how he would understand if I gave my body and soul to Malachi, how he could forgive me if we had another chance together, and how he would never touch anyone in my absence. The double doors open, and we see my Guardian inside. Seven large men come up behind us and usher us up three flights of steps. The door opens and there are three more men standing with swords at their sides. I gulp at the sight of them. I know that they are death, the ones who carry out the sentences.

We are to stand in a row about ten feet apart from one another. I see a figure enter with large white wings. He is aglow with the brightest white that I have ever seen. He raises his wings above his head as his takes his seat at the committee table. His wings fold behind the chair but are still visible. I feel small standing down below the tall table. I think that is the purpose of making it so much higher than floor level.

Next, a woman glides into the room. Her wings are crimson red. She takes her seat to the far right and leaves the one in the center empty. She is the Demon. I cannot look her in the eyes. I fear the very sight of her.

"Jacob, Marion, Malachi," the Angel acknowledges us by name. "We are here to discuss the ruling of possible marriages. Jacob, it seems you wed your Guardian decades before you married Marion. And then you banished her to the underworld."

"She plotted with her Demon lover to kill me. I had no choice."

"You had a choice," the Demon spits. "She gave you a choice, if I do recall. You could have said no to her temptation."

"I would do it all the same again," Jacob answers. I want to look at him, but I keep my eyes on the committee.

The Angel addresses Jacob by another name, "Alasdair, would you rather sit or stand?" I hear Jacob's wings beside me. He rises up to the height of the room and floats down to the empty chair between the Angel and Demon. I hear Malachi let out a breath. I am now staring at Jacob, sitting on the committee panel.

Jacob turns his head to Malachi. "Deborah has broken through to this realm?" he asks.

"Her body is here, but her soul lies beyond," Malachi answers.

Jacob looks to the Angel on his right for conformation. "It is true. I have seen her body but she is without a soul. Lilith brought her here five nights ago." I look at Jacob. The timing coordinates with my awakening. I wonder if he notices. Malachi could have easily taken me with him earlier; instead, he gave Jacob and me more time together.

"What do you know of this?" Jacob asks the Demon.

"I know that she made a deal. I cannot speak of it nor can I tell you if her soul is in Purgatory, Heaven, or Hell. But I believe that you know more than you are telling."

The Angel nods his head in agreement. "This hearing is not to decide the repercussions of those actions." His eyes fall to me. "Marion, do I know you?"

"No, I have met only one Angel that I know of and that is Malachi."

"I am Angel, he is Fallen. Do you love him?" he asks me. I look at Jacob.

"Tell the truth. It's all right," my husband says to me.

"Yes," I say.

"And you love Jacob as well."

"Yes."

"Do you remember Jacob?" His question makes me nervous.

"Some flashes here and there. My memory is not whole." The Angel looks at Malachi.

"You have not helped her?" he asks.

"No, Your Excellency, I have not."

"Are you stalling so you can have her all to yourself?"

"No, I have loved her for a very long time. My existence has lingered since the beginning of time. My patience has no end. Her memories will come, and when they do, she will have her choice."

The Demon speaks to me. "Marion, who would you choose today if given the opportunity?"

"Jacob," I say. Malachi stiffens.

"But you know very little about each man. Your memories are vague of your past, yet only one night with Malachi and you say you love him." The cursed Demon has a point. "Alasdair, you know the rules. Since Deborah is here and her body still breathes, she is your bonded Vampire wife. Until she can speak otherwise to release you from your oath, your marriage to Marion is null and void." Jacob sits quietly as the verdict is read. The Angel makes his final decision and sides with the Demon.

"Marion, my love. After tonight, we can no longer speak. When this hearing is adjourned, you must leave with your Guardian. You are to be coupled with him in order to better protect you. I promise to do all I can to get back to you. I will call forth another meeting when I have worked things out. My heart leaves with you." I am trying not to sob uncontrollably. I hold my emotions back, but he knows that I am dying inside. "Malachi, you will teach her all you can about yourself and the ways of your people. I have taught her the lessons of the Vampire. Protect her with your life as I know you will. Cherish her. Hold her for me when I cannot." The committee rises and takes their leave. Malachi bows his head, and I imitate his actions. I take a step, wanting to run to Jacob, but I see the death punisher step forward. Jacob waves him back. I watch him fold his wings down to exit the large door. He glances back over the tip of his wing and smiles at me. I hear him in my head. Soon, love. I have a plan, but you must do what I ask of you. I love you. I am left standing there weeping into my hands.

Chapter 6

Malachi does not come to me to comfort me. He gives me my space. I would have rejected him otherwise. I almost expect Jacob to come back through the doors. Standing there until my tears run dry, I look at my Guardian. "I suppose you have somewhere we can go."

"Yes, I have a home, if that is what you are asking."

I make my way out of the large banquet room. The guards lead us to the front steps and back into the night. We have a few hours until dawn. I have many questions about what I just witnessed. I do not dare to look into his mesmerizing blue eyes. My earlier actions enter my mind. He watched me pleasuring myself and then make love to Jacob. I may not have seen him the whole time, but I felt him the moment he arrived on the estate. I feel guilty about not stopping myself, but at the time, I knew somewhere deep inside I wouldn't see Jacob for a long time.

I start in my line of questioning. "Did you know he was on the committee?"

"No."

I expect to hear him say that word by the way he sighed when Jacob took his seat. "How is that possible? He is not the original Vampire. He is too young."

"The last Vampire that held that seat was the Queen of Britain. She was a queen by marriage. I have not been sent before them since her reign. Before that, her husband held the throne, but he wanted to rule a kingdom and to do both is breaking a written law."

"So King Arthur abandoned his post and left it to his wife?"

"He gave up his seat, but the next in line is the Vampire that he created, which was obviously his wife."

"The Queen created Jacob," I admit. "So when Arthur killed his first wife, Jacob took the throne almost as soon as he was created."

Malachi shakes his head at the truth I speak. "I should have known when I saw his black wings. Not many Vampires can fly."

"Jessica said that she could and that I could eventually."

"Then Jessica is next in line, and then maybe you. It doesn't quite fit together. Maybe it will all make sense in time."

"Shouldn't we be flying somewhere?" I ask, not knowing how far we have to go.

"No, there is no reason to hurry. We cannot make it to my house tonight. It is too far away."

"I cannot go back to the mansion."

"That is not my intention tonight."

"What are your intentions?" I ask.

He knows my meaning. "The sooner we are coupled, the better I will be able to protect you."

"I don't know if I can have sex with you tonight. I am too heartbroken."

"There are other ways to couple, but yes, sex will be the fastest and easiest way. An Angel can also bond by sharing blood alone."

"We've already done that. I did feel drawn to you afterwards. Did it work?"

"No. When we are linked together, you will feel it in your very soul. You will know for certain and will not have to ask."

"So, what is our next option?"

I feel that he doesn't want to explain because he hesitates for too long. "We can try everything but sex. Sometimes that will work. If not, you will have to give yourself completely to me."

"Still, I choose not to tonight."

"Okay, I ask only one thing."

"What?" I wonder what his request will be.

"I would like to drink from you and you from me."

I know what he is doing, but I do not argue. He is trying to dilute Jacob's blood bond on me. Maybe I will yearn for him less. When we reach a more secluded spot, he comes over to me and touches me for the first time tonight. I think he is going to bite me then and there, but he envelops me in his arms before calling forth his wings.

"Time to go," he says as he arches his white span of feathers outward and leaps into the air. He is quick in his flight as we head towards a mountain range. About fifteen minutes later, he hovers high above the tree tops. His white wings beat in slow motion to keep us in the sky. We have stopped moving forward, lingering in the same spot. I wonder what he is doing and open my mouth to ask. Then he removes his hands from my body. I claw at his neck to hang on. He pushes me off. I fall. My arms circle high above my head, and my legs kick wildly. My back feels like the skin is being torn with a knife. I scream for Malachi. He is still in the same spot looking down at me. His eyes are glowing but his body is not. I close my eyes, but then remember Jacob yelling at me to open them. I find the ground and imagine myself landing safely. My free fall slows enough for me to land on my feet. I pull in the pain that I feel piercing through my upper back.

Malachi lands in front of me. He spins me around and lifts up my black sweater to expose my shoulders to him. "Nothing happened?" he says as he lowers my shirt.

"Well, I learned to land better," I say, thinking that, as with Jacob, I should inform him to tell me when he has something to teach me.

"You didn't feel any different?" he asks.

"Yeah, I felt something ripping my skin and trying to crawl out my spine," I inform him.

He smiles at me before he quickly grabs my sweater and pulls it over my head. I am standing there in only my bra and jeans. "Again," he says as he takes me to flight. This time he climbs higher and higher. I know that when he stops, he will drop me again. "Transform into your Vampire self," he tells me. I darken my eyes to as black as coal and extend my fangs. "More," he tells me.

"I do not know how," I say. He stops and throws me out of his arms again.

"Try," I hear him yell as I free fall once more. I can barely see the trees from this height even with my Vampire eyes. I try to find a place to land without hitting any branches. I spot a small clearing, but it is too far to the left of me. I do not know how to maneuver, only how to fall and land. My eyes grow larger to let in more light. I now see more clearly. The pain returns in my back. My ribs and spine seem to separate wider within me. I try to hold in my scream, but I cannot. Above me, I hear Malachi following close behind. My skin rips, and I feel a warm liquid run down to my waist past my bra strap. I dig in deep to call forth any strength I have inside me. Gritting my teeth tightly together, my fangs piercing my bottom lip, I push with all my might and feel my wings squeeze through the small openings in my shoulder blades. I stretch them up and out to the sides. They are guiding me to my destined landing spot, but I no longer wish to land. My skin tingles where the wings protrude out of my back as I ride the air currents. I beat my wings slowly, and I start to rise back above the trees.

Malachi approaches alongside me. He passes me and nods his head in approval. His fangs are extended, but so are mine. His eyes are glowing, and I wonder if mine glow too. Jacob's eyes did not. Folding his wings around him, Malachi does a barrel roll. I imitate and succeed. I am learning to fly. Next, we ascend several miles above the ground before he pulls his wings back tightly behind him and nose dives. I do not like this. I feel like I am falling headfirst to my death. When he is close to the ground, he opens his white span and glides back up to me. He catches up and hovers above me closely in flight, lowering himself so he is almost on top of me. I glide so I do not hit him. I feel his hands on my wings as he strokes the outside ridges.

"Magnificent," I hear him say. "You do not know what this means." I try to ask him, but my voice doesn't travel upwards in the wind. He doesn't hear me. I hear him laugh. He taps my shoulder and motions me to turn around. I follow him back towards the mountains. After a few moments, I see him fold in his wings and disappear into a small dark opening. Slowing my speed, I try to follow him inside.

"Open up," I hear him yell. I hit the top of my right wing on the ceiling as I spread them out. I cry out in pain. "Beat backwards," I hear him call as I travel closer and closer to him. This cave is deep but the space is not large enough for what he is asking. I try to do as he says and beat my wings towards the opening of the cave and back into my body. I start to slow, but not fast enough. The cave wall is approaching, and I am heading straight to smash into it. Frantically, I flap harder with all my might. I see Malachi jump to stand in front of me. His blue aura is shining but not as bright as I have seen it before. I stop short of colliding into him. My wings are still beating back and forth. I start to distance myself from him as I flow backwards towards the cave's entrance. He reaches out and grabs my hands while digging his feet into the rock and dirt floor.

"Easy," he says. "Let them down." I lower to the ground as I stop my wings from moving. I rotate my shoulder blades one by one, feeling the weight upon my back. The wings probably weigh about ten pounds each. Malachi walks around me and looks at my wounded feathers. His hands stroke me from top to bottom along my back. He finds my bra strap and unhooks it. I close my hands over my breasts so it doesn't fall off. He continues to marvel at my new accessories.

"What does this mean?" I ask, remembering what he said as we were flying.

"I do not understand how this is possible. A creature like you should not exist. I have never seen one until now. The color of your wings proves that the legend is true."

"What am I?" I demand. He stops touching my feathers and turns me around.

"You are a hybrid, a mixture of two creations. You must never tell anyone of your existence or let anyone see the color of your feathers."

"A mixture of what?" I ask.

"You are Angel, and you are Vampire."

I think for a moment. "Deborah was the same as me."

"No. No one is the same as you. She is a Fallen Angel who turned Vampire. She is a cast-out. Her wings are white. You are a pure Angel, like Adam. When Jacob turned you, you transformed into a hybrid."

I look at my wings. They are slightly smaller than Malachi's. They are feminine. Their shade is a light gray with a hint of blue. Angel wings are white and Jacob's wings are black. I fear Malachi is speaking the truth.

"You must learn something else before we are called before the committee again," he says.

"What?"

"You must learn to lie."

"Angels cannot lie," I remark.

"No, but Vampires and Demons can. If the committee finds out what you are, I hate to think of the consequences."

"You said that this means the legend is true. What legend?"

He rubs the back of my arms. "I should not tell you but it is your destiny, and it is your right to know your fate. The legend states that a creature will rise up from the gates of Hell to escape. His soul will linger in the balance of good and evil. A hybrid will be assigned as his Guardian. She will fight many Demons and many wars for him. If she loses her battle for his soul, then mankind will burn in the eternal flame. If she wins, then all of creation will be saved. She is the leader. All of the Fallen will bow before her and serve her. If victory is ours, then the Fallen are redeemed and allowed to go before the judgment again. Those who are worthy shall enter the gates of Heaven."

He continues to tell my future. "I know why Jacob wants me to show you the ways of the protectors. He knows what you are. Only I can teach you." He looks at my wings once more before he drops to one knee in front of me and bows his head. I do not want this. I am no leader.

"Rise," I say. He stands before me again and kisses the back of my hand. I fumble to hold my bra close to my skin. He takes the straps off my shoulders and drops the bra to the ground.

"You can put it back on after you call your wings back into your body."

"How?" I ask.

"Just think about what you want them to do. Envision it in your mind and they will comply."

I close my eyes and feel my wings start to tighten and my feathers close together. They fold in upon themselves and back into wherever it is that they go. My bones snap back together and heal very quickly. Putting them away hurts less than calling them forth. "Where will we sleep?" I ask.

"Here for the day. I will have to leave for several hours when the sun is at its peak to recharge. You will be safe here but just in case, you should drink some of my blood." He reaches down to pick up my bra.

"Leave it," I say. "Just bring back my sweater before tonight."

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 sacrificed 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.

He turns to face me. Taking my upper body in his arms, he leans me back into the water and dips my head below the surface. My hair and body are soaked, but I feel clean and reenergized. I remember the blood on his wing, my blood.

"Open your wings," I say. He looks at me but complies. Stretching them out and above the water, he flaps them back and forth. I see they are indeed bloody and somewhat dusty. "Lower them into the water."

"But I will not be able to fly for a little while. What if something happens?"

"Everything will be all right," I tell him. "We don't look like we are going anywhere anytime soon." He dips the tips of his wings into the water and shivers. I take the cool liquid into my cupped hand and raise it to the top of his wing. I clean him, repeating the process over and over until he glimmers in the moonlight once more. When finished, he cups water into his palm and holds it to my mouth and tells me to drink. I do. My body accepts it gratefully. He shakes the excess water from his plumage.

"Thank you," he says as he picks me up in his arms and carries me to the grass. Laying me down gently, he covers the length of my body with his hard, warm being. Reaching down between my thighs, I find his shaft and massage him to length.

"Wait." He stops me, and I am confused. This is what he wanted. I am offering myself to him.

He rises to his hands and knees and looks my body over. I do not feel uncomfortable with his gaze. His eyes smolder and begin their heart-melting blue glow. He sits back on his knees and wraps my legs around his arms. Scooting me forward against the blades of grass, he rests my thighs on his shoulders and lowers his head. His wings fold down behind him but do not recede into his body. He doesn't smell me like Jacob preferred to do beforehand. I open up for him and feel his tongue circling my center. My heart is pounding out of my chest. His touch feels different than I am used to. He takes my pink flesh into his mouth and suckles. I roll my head to the side and part my lips. I moan in pleasure. His tongue continues to invade me. He goes in deep, seeking to draw out my honey. His hands are kneading my thighs.

I think of Jacob. I try not to, but I feel that I am betraying him. I have had but a few lovers and Malachi has had many sexual experiences. He switches up what he is doing, and my thoughts return to him. My hips move with him. A cry escapes my lips. I feel his fingers inside me as he flicks his tongue against my nub. My stomach tingles, and I feel I am on the verge of release. He stops once more. I cry out in displeasure.

"Take me now," I sigh.

"No." He lies back down on top of me and covers me with his body. I feel like I am the one being teased, and I do not like it. He strokes my wet hair from my face. Smelling my scent on his lips, I lift my head and hungrily kiss him. I invade his mouth with my tongue. Again I think of Jacob. I feel a burning sensation in my nipple. Malachi is tweaking it hard with his fingers while kneading my breast. I think of Jacob's bite. Malachi hasn't even tried to bite me once while pleasing me. My gums ache as my teeth push through to make their sharp points. My mouth opens to draw in a breath. Malachi sees my fangs.

"No," he says. "No biting." I close my mouth. I told him he could do anything that he needed to do to make us couple, yet he does not enter me. His fingers slip between my thighs again, and he rubs me with his open palm. His hand glides easily against my slick flesh. He increases his pressure until I cannot take it anymore. I am climbing higher and higher. I close my eyes and see Jacob's face when I told him that I loved him.

"Open your eyes," he softly whispers. I blink them open but close them quickly.

"Say my name," he requests. My thoughts are not in this moment.

"Marion, open your eyes. Do not close them again." I look into his piercing bright blue eyes.

"Say my name." He desires for me to call out his name before we go any further.

"Malachi," I moan.

"Let it go, you have to let him go. This will not work until you do. He is gone. Now what is my name?"

"Malachi." I draw the letters of his name out longer as my breath is heavy and my bosom heaves against his chest. His palm closes and I feel his thumb rubbing against my clitoris in circles. I grow more and more euphoric. My juices are about to explode. Malachi kisses me and holds my lips to his. I cannot scream as I am closer to my release. I need to get this need out of my body. My eyes blacken, and I pierce his bottom lip with my fang. He lifts his head. He licks the blood from his mouth.

"Cry out my name." He is demanding in his tone.

My voice carries across the night as I scream out his name over and over. It feels foreign on my tongue. It is not the name that I am used to shouting. He may be mine, but I am not yet his. He knows it. His hand stops once again right before I reach my orgasm. My heart is left beating wildly in my chest and my needs are left unmet. Malachi's wings stretch out above us before he folds them into his body. He rolls over onto the grass and lies on his back. I see that he is still erect, and I still yearn. I roll over and reach out to touch him.

"No," he says without looking at me.

"Why? I gave you permission."

"You do not want me yet. Jacob is still too much a part of you. We cannot couple until you let him go in peace. You think that I want to replace him, but that is not my intention. I want you to love me, Marion." I lie back on the grass and think about what he is asking of me.

"But I do love you. I just love him too. I cannot stop my love for either of you, and I have told him as much."

"You try to make love to me like a Vampire. We are Angels, and we are to couple as such." He closes his eyes and places his arms behind his head like a pillow.

"Are you going to sleep?" I ask.

"No, I never sleep," he informs me. "I have to think." We lay there in silence for a long time. The moon becomes visible high overhead. I feel him reach down and grab my hand. As he raises it to his lips, I rotate my arm so he can kiss the back of my hand. He twists it back over and clamps his teeth onto my wrist. He sucks in my blood. I just lie there like nothing is happening. If he doesn't want to make love like a Vampire then why is he doing this to me? I find biting intoxicating. It is my nature. If he had done this while pleasuring me, then we might have coupled already.

I close my eyes. Since I left Jacob's side two nights ago, I still hear him in my mind and feel him in my body. I know he is slipping away from me now as Malachi drains me. Tears escape my eyes and fall down my temples and into the grass beneath my hair. I am mourning my loss.

I grow weak from blood loss. I try to take my arm away, but he snarls and tugs it deeper into his mouth. He is the one acting like a Vampire. My eyes grow heavy, and I get sleepy. My wrist is wet with his saliva and my blood. I need blood, but I am too weak to try to take it from him. I lose all thoughts.

Chapter 7

When I wake, there is a bright white light encasing me. I do not see or feel Malachi touching me. At first, I think it is the sun. I try to sit up.

"Lie still," I hear him say. I look up behind my head and see him sitting on the grass with his feet folded underneath him. His hands are out to the side of my face and my head is between them. The light is coming from his palms.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Trying to heal you. Your body is healed from the lack of blood. You'll still need to drink of me later, but your mind is not letting me in. Try to relax." He closes his eyes and concentrates. Several moments later, I see his features harden and a darkness wash over his face. "Did you remember anything?"

"No," I say. I find the whole thing a little strange.

"I know why Jacob cannot tell you anything about your past. The memory is too painful for you. I was occupied fighting the battle with your Demon. I did not get to you in time to help when Arthur's men took you. Maybe I am not the best protector for you."

"You have to tell me. You can't just say something like that and expect me to let it go."

"I will try to help you remember, but I will not speak of it again."

I get up off the grass and storm over to my clothes. "I am tired of everyone deciding things for me." I get dressed in my limited wardrobe. "Are we ready to go? I think we are done here." Standing up, he goes and retrieves his pants. He opens his wings and checks one out and then the other.

"They are dry enough to fly. Let's go."

"What about my drink?" I ask.

"I told you that I have healed your body. You are thirsty because your Vampire mind tells you that you should drink after someone drinks from you. Besides, I need your blood in me a little while longer before you reclaim it."

"Why?"

"To help you let him go. My body will purify your blood."

I noticed when I woke up that Jacob is no longer able to send thoughts my way. "I hope you are happy. I can no longer hear him." I didn't want to reveal that to him. He smiles, but that only makes me angry. "Just because you filter him out of my mind and body does not mean you can rid me of him."

He comes and stands closely before me. I feel the heat off his body. He is holding his pants in his hands since he has yet to put them on. "As long as I can have your heart and soul, he can have the rest." Leaping with his legs, he takes to flight. He does not wait or even slow down. I do not have time to steam or pout. I transform and yell as my wings pop out, and I ascend after him.

When I catch up, he is clothed. I come up beside him when I hear him talking to me over the currents. "We really need to work on you transforming silently. You made a flock of birds up roost with all your screaming. How will you sneak up on your enemies when you are shrieking at the top of your lungs?"

"Shut up," I yell. "You didn't have a problem with me shouting your name."

"I can make you cry out my name anytime you wish."

"Obviously not, since I am still sexually frustrated. Maybe you can't perform."

He gets angry. "I will not satisfy you while you pretend it is not my touch that makes you groan in pleasure or wet with desire. I deserve all of you, and I will wait until you offer me that." He is tired of talking and flies away from me, creating enough distance where he does not hear me apologize.

Two hours later, we are circling above a small farm with a cottage surrounded by trees on top of the hill. The ocean is to the right of the house, which sits on a cliff. The house is small but adequate. One more circle and then he descends. I land about fifteen feet behind him. We make the usual changes to our appearance and then walk up the steps to the front entrance. The door opens easily. It is not locked.

"You need better security," I say.

"It is well secured. No one knows where I live except for Adam and a few close friends. They will not betray their people, not even a Fallen. No one can enter unless they are led in by me." I remember hearing that no one can touch an Angel's property. He takes my hand and pulls me through the door. I feel like I just walked through very thick air.

"What is that?" I ask.

"An energy field. I'm sorry the house is so small. Angels are not materialistic like Demons and Vampires."

"How do you pay for things?" I wonder.

"I just ask for what I need. I will teach you to do it, but first you must be able to call forth your inner light."

"You mean that I will glow like you do? How is that possible if I cannot recharge from the sun?"

"But I believe that you can," he says.

I remember feeling the sun burn the flesh from my foot and now he wants me to walk out into the burning light on purpose. "You can't stop it from hurting if it doesn't work."

"No, I'm sorry. I cannot. You are Angel, not Fallen. Your powers and gifts may be limitless. We will have to figure out what you can and cannot do." He leads me into a small bedroom. "Daylight will be here soon. If you would like, I have a shirt that you can sleep in. I will wash your clothes for you and tomorrow, we can go to town and get some more things for you to wear. Now I have to prepare this room for you before the sun comes up." He turns to leave but stops.

"I will have blood ordered for two days a week so you don't have to drink from me each day. If I keep it in the underground tunnel, it should hold. I do not have electricity up here on this mountain top. There is a spring house for water and then you saw the ocean off to the side of the cabin. I prefer you to stay indoors unless I accompany you. Make yourself comfortable. This is your home now."

He leaves, and I begin to look around. The house is simple, not fully decorated, with shades of white and blue. Red and black are not among his color choices. There are no blinds or curtains on the windows. I know he enjoys looking at the sea and watching the sun rise and set. His furnishings are sparse but will do. The walls are made of logs and they remind me of my first home with Jacob years earlier. This home needs a woman's touch.

I hear banging on the outside wall and a shadow covers the floor. He is nailing the shutters shut over the windows. I leave the bedroom and walk into the kitchen. I open the cupboards. There are only two sets of everything—cups, plates, bowls, and silverware. The rest is bare. I think he must not have much company, and I think about what a lonely existence he must lead. He could not even speak to me until I became a Vampire. I do not know how often he converses with humans.

The living space does not have a television but has a large collection of books. I run my fingers across the binders and read the titles. A lot of them are non-fiction books about God, philosophy, history, and science. Although knowing the depth of his knowledge, he may call them works of fiction. When I am not learning the ways of the Angels, I may spend some of my time reading; that is, if I am not coupling all the time. So far, much of my existence as a Vampire has been in bed. I should seek celibacy, but I know that I cannot live without it.

Malachi stops pounding on the walls and comes inside. Holding a hammer and box of nails in his hand, he opens a trunk and pulls out several heavy quilts. He motions for me to follow him into the bedroom and hands a blanket to me. "Hold it up in front of the window so I can nail it up." I do as instructed.

"Why are you putting these up if you already boarded up the windows?" I ask.

"Someone can take those down from the outside. This is just a precaution."

When we are finished, he gets out a cotton shirt for me. It is a white undershirt that looks like it will barely cover my butt. I almost ask for something different, but the bed looks very soft and comfortable. I will be under the covers anyway and alone. He leaves the room for me to change. I fold my dirty clothes up and lay them in a chair, then crawl underneath the blankets. The linens feel so good against my skin. After having to sleep in a cave and then on the ground, I am happy to have a bed. He knocks on the door and comes in.

"Do you need anything?" he asks.

"Are you ever going to feed me?" I ask.

"No, not yet. You will not starve," he tells me. How does he know? He does not feel the ache in my stomach. I make a muffled noise and sink down into the bed. I do not like not getting what I want. He says sweet dreams and that he will see me later. I fall asleep shortly after he leaves the room. As the day moves into the afternoon, I feel my body warming. The house is not unbearable in the heat, but with no air conditioner, I kick off my covers. The trees outside help to shade the home well and the ocean breeze helps to cool it. I only wish I could open the windows here in the bedroom. I feel more comfortable and fall back into my deep sleep.

I feel something moving on my body. I move my legs and wiggle on the bed. I feel that it is close to dusk. My body is not as tired; it feels good. I wake up more clearly and open my eyes. Malachi is between my thighs repeating what he did last night. The bottom of my shirt is resting on my stomach. Jacob woke me up touching me once on the second step of my transformation. I close my mind off to all thoughts. My body responds to what it is feeling. I lift my pelvis for him. He brings me to the edge again and again but never pushes me over. I want him more and more. I fear that his plan is working. When he leaves me hot and bothered for the last time, he pulls my shirt back down and covers me up. He lies down beside me and holds me. I see my clothes are stacked neatly on the small dresser.

"Are we going to town tonight?" I ask, hoping to get out of the house and see other buildings, landscapes, people, or anything.

"Yes, a car will be here soon. It's time to feed you." I look at his neck and feel my teeth elongate.

"No," he says, "I will pour my blood out in a cup for you." I huff and pull out of his arms. He does not like me being a Vampire, or he is trying to make me into an Angel. I stand and walk over to the dresser. I know he is facing me but I do not care. I open a drawer and pick a dark blue button-up shirt. I pull it up in the back and tie it so it fits me better. I roll up the sleeves one by one. He gets up out of bed. He is already fully dressed. I think he must have done that on purpose so he wouldn't be tempted to have sex with me. As I watch him walk towards me, he opens another drawer and pulls out a small box.

"I want to give you something. I have collected pieces over the years that reminded me of you." He holds the box out to me and opens the flip-top lid. Inside is the most beautiful bluish-white piece of jewelry I have ever seen. I almost think it looks like it is glowing. "This is a rare blue pearl. I have had it for many years. It reminds me of you." He asks me to turn around so that he can put it on my neck.

"Thank you. I will cherish it always," I tell him. He kisses the back of my neck and squeezes my shoulders. Then he makes his way into the kitchen. I follow him. He takes out a cup and sets it on the counter. Next he runs his wrist across his sharp fang and draws forth his red warm liquid. I lick my lips as I watch it pour into the cup. After he has filled it to the rim, he hands it to me. I try not to grab it too quickly from his hands. I raise the glass and sip in my dinner. His taste is as pure as when I first drank from him. Jacob is no longer in his blood. We hear a horn honking outside. I turn my cup all the way up and drink it down fast. I wish that I had time to savor the flavor. Seeing a picture of water, I rinse out the cup and sit it in the wash basin. I am going shopping.

The car pulls up to a sidewalk in town. Shops are lining the street. The street lights give off an amber glow. Malachi gets out and comes around and opens my door. He helps me get out of the car. I am not used to riding in one of these, but the journey is faster and less jarring than on horseback. The car drives off and is supposed to pick us up back here in two hours. I enter the first store and see shelves lined with clothes and purses. Grabbing some things that I like, I meet Malachi at the dressing room. He has an armful of items also. I see that most of them are white in color. I smile. He wants me to try on a white skimpy-looking dress first. The neck line plunges in the front. Guessing that this has something to do with the male mind, I do not understand his thinking. One wrong move and I would topple out of it. I come out to show him.

"Quit staring at me. Why would you pick this? You said that we couldn't get a whole lot of things. I would at least prefer to be comfortable."

He smiles and lets out a soft laugh. "Come back in here," he says as he heads into the dressing room stall. He reaches down and slips the dress off my shoulders. Turning it around in his hands, he holds it out for me to step back into it. I hold onto his shoulders and slide my body back into the fabric. I had it on backwards.

"I feel like a fool," I say.

"You can wear it any way you wish, but my idea was that since the back was open..." He stops talking so no one can overhear us. "You know how sexy I think your shoulder blades are. I can have them add a strip of fabric to the top across the back of your neck. It should stay on nicely."

"But it is a dress," I remark.

"I know. I like dresses. We can shorten a few in the other colors to make tops for you. This white one, I will not alter." I look in the mirror. The blue pearl necklace looks exquisite against my skin and the white cloth. He bends his head to the dress and bites off the tag. "Will you continue to wear this for the evening?" I nod.

I sigh. Turning around, I pick up a pair of jeans and slide them on. He knows my size perfectly. I look at the rest of the clothes that he picked out. I know that they will fit. Picking out my favorite pieces, I let him choose the ones to buy. I want to try on my choices. He leaves me alone, and I settle on a few more items to add to our purchase. Leaving the dressing room, I look at the purses. I do not need one so I move on to the shoes. I pick out a sexy high heel pair that goes with the dress and put them on for the night. I need running shoes, boots, and a comfortable slip-on pair to wear around the house. I come up to the counter. He does not comment on how much it costs. I think that he is just going to ask if we can have it. I do not know how this works. Instead, he pulls out cash and pays the total. He tells the clerk that we will pick up our bags in about an hour. We leave through the front doors.

"I thought we were going to get that for free."

"When I need it, I can ask for it. Since I had money, I did not need it."

"Where did you get money?" I ask.

"I do jobs here and there to get some cash. I got paid well the other night."

I think back to the night in question, and I remember that Jacob paid him for his blood. He must have given him extra when he figured out his importance. "What will we do now?" I ask.

"We have enough time to go into a few more shops. I want to take you in this one up here," he tells me as we turn up the sidewalk. He takes my hand to hold. I feel like we are on a date. When I look into the storefront windows, I blush. He has taken me to a lingerie store. He opens the door for me, and I hesitate. He stands there and waits until I am ready to enter.

"I am not trying these things on in this store for you."

"No, you are not. I will see them later at home."

I finally come inside when I see that they have bras and panties. All the hot sexy stuff is out front. I head to the back. He says that he is going to look around and leaves me alone to explore. I run my fingers over the satin and lace. Instinct draws me to the black ones. I choose one anyway even though that is the favorite color of many Vampires, Jacob included. Next, I get a couple of different white sets. I get a few strapless bras; maybe they will make it easier to transform. I get two bags of socks and a couple of pairs of panty hose in white and nude. Finally, I get the courage to look at lingerie. I look to see if I spot Malachi, but I do not. I grab one that catches my eye, and then I see something that Malachi will like. I pick it up and put it under the pile in my arms. He doesn't need to see it now. I approach the counter and see that he already has a bag in his hands. He must have picked out something he wants to see me wearing. I can only imagine. He sighs when he sees that my arms are full.

"Too much. I can put some things back."

"No, it's all right."

"Can I just have some money and get this without you standing here? I would be uncomfortable with you watching her ring it all up." He looks at me and then hands me his wallet.

"Take what you need." He turns around. "I will be outside."

I thank the saleswoman and carry my purchases out to the curb. Malachi is standing there with my clothes from the first store. The car pulls up and the trunk opens. The driver leaves, and Malachi places our bags inside. We get in the front seats so Malachi can drive.

"Are we going home?" I ask.

"Yes," he says.

"Why won't you make love to me?" I ask.

"Do you want me to?" He looks at me.

"Yes. You have wanted me for a very long time and now that I am here for your taking, you still haven't made a move to have sex with me or satisfy your need. Do you want me?"

"Always," he says. He takes my hand and holds it while he drives back away from the city and towards our home. The drive home from the shops is long, including a half hour driving up the mountain. I have tried pleasing him before, but he has always stopped me. Looking down at his pants, I think about undoing them. I do. He leans back away from the steering wheel to give me more room to work. Taking the length of him in my hands, I make him moan with need. The act takes longer than I expect. I did not think this through very well. This is only making my loins ache. I want him. He does not stop me like usual. Taking him into my mouth, I complete what I started. He leaves his pants undone as we are now making our way up the winding mountainous road. At least he finally got something out of this exchange. We ride in silence the rest of the way.

The car stops, and he fixes his pants. After carrying in all the bags and putting them in dresser drawers, he tells me to change into my running shoes. "Should I change my clothes?" I ask. He tells me to keep on the dress. He wants to see how it wears during flight. I look silly. He removes his shirt.

"Come on," he tells me. "You have much still to learn. I am going to work on your stamina before teaching you the sword." We go out onto the porch. He stretches his neck muscles side to side and rotates his shoulders. I stand there watching his body move. "I will give you a slight head start before I chase you. If I catch you, then I win a prize. If you win, then you get to choose what you want."

"Where is the finish line?" I ask.

He laughs. "You cannot outrun me. You must outsmart me. I will catch you every time." He pulls out a watch of some kind from his pants pocket. "You have ten minutes each time. Go." I hear the click of the watch, and I run for the trees. He is still standing on the porch. I make a beeline for the cliff. When I get there, I will jump and transform. About a minute later, there is a loud howl coming from the house. He is after me. I never make it to the ledge. He wraps me around the waist and tackles me to the ground. Once down, he has his way with me, but as usual, I do not climax. I stand.

"I guess I know what prize you are after." I put my underwear back on. He clicks the button on his watch again. I run. He gives me two minutes to get away this time. I make the cliff easily enough and jump. As usual I scream when my wings emerge. He is right. I need to work on that. I just gave away my position. He is after me again. I see him above me in the sky. I fly for a rocky ledge. I land safely but he quickly slams into my back. He slides down my underwear while I am pinned to the side of the cliff. His wings hold us up on the small landing. I am flustered that he keeps winning. Although I am more than willing to give him his earnings, I want to win. When he is satisfied with what he has done to my body. I pull up my underwear once more. He beats his wings and retreats back off of me.

"I guess the dress is working nicely for your easy access," I say.

"At least you are covered up top so I'd say the dress is a good option for transforming. Now quit stalling. Again," he says as he starts the timer. How does he expect me to think with a clear head when all I am thinking about is his cock? I fall from the ledge and look back to see him hovering in the night sky. He is patiently waiting to assault me again. Who knows when this will stop? I make my way back to the trees, hoping to lose him in the woods. Several minutes later, I still do not see him. I swerve back and forth dodging the branches. I run smack into him. He is in front of me.

"How?" I ask as I remove my panties for him.

"Think," he tells me as he backs me into a tree. My heart is thundering. When he is done, he picks up my thong and hands it to me.

"What's the point? Just leave them here," I say.

He puts the garment to his nose and inhales. The word think comes to mind. He is smelling out my location. I shake my head. "You are cheating."

He puts my panties in his pocket. "Use everything you've got," he tells me. "Go."

He does not give me time to rest. I guess this is the stamina part. I run back towards the cliff, taking flight before I get there. I fly higher and higher into the sky. I am not going to like this. I stall out and fall back towards the Earth. Turning over, I nose dive towards the ocean. I fold my wings tightly to my back as I hit the water. I sink further and further. The light is nonexistent. I cannot see. Using my instincts, I slow down and upright myself. My feet touch the sandy bottom. I have never felt so vulnerable or so alone. I almost swim to the surface, but I really want to win one. Thinking about my choice of prizes, I already know what I would pick. I feel like I have been down here for hours. Time is ticking by slowly as I continue to stay hidden. I hear him calling my name. It must be my imagination. There is no way that I could hear him from underneath the sea. I close my eyes and search for his voice in my head. No, he cannot talk to me that way. I hear my name again. I know it is him. I bend my knees and jump. I plunge several yards upwards and begin stroking with my arms. Kicking my legs, I make good time. I am a good swimmer. When I break through the surface, I see him circling up in the night sky.

I hear a piercing sound that sounds somewhat like my name. I wave my arms in the air. Since my wings are soaked, I cannot fly. I may have won this time, but I am the one all wet. He sees me and comes down to the water. "What were you thinking?" he asks me.

"I won, didn't I? You hinted to me that you were following me by scent. No one can track smell in the water."

"You look like a drowned rat. Darling, I cannot smell like a Vampire. Scents are useless for tracking. I just did that because..."

I interrupt him before he has a chance to finish. "How could I hear you under the water?"

He considers my question. "Some winged animals have sonar. I was searching for you. After I looked for about an hour, I knew you had to have gone into the ocean."

"Are you going to help me out?"

"No," he says. "You got in, you get out."

I want to curse at him, but I realize that it would not be very Angelic of me. I laugh inside until I see him fly off, leaving me where I was, treading water. All I know how to do is swim. I am mad. I think I should ask for another prize than the one I had envisioned. I make it to the shore and climb up the rock surface. My wings are heavy to carry. They cannot fold into my body this wet. My legs and arms shake as I climb. I reach the summit of my mountain and head towards the house. It is almost daybreak but I cannot go any faster. I am exhausted. I wonder if he will come and get me back into the darkness safely if I am trapped. My white dress clings to my body. If I still had on my panties, I would take off the dress and just wear my underwear. I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing me coming home to him wet and naked.

I break the clearing of the trees and see him standing on the front porch. The sun is to my left, not quite high enough to break over the cliff, but enough to hurt my eyes. "Were you just going to leave me out there to fry?" I say as I walk up the steps and past him. I reach the doorway but stop. I cannot go in. He touches my shoulder and pushes me through the entrance. I shake his hand off as soon as we break the threshold.

"I was on my way when I saw you coming through the tree line. I will not harm you, you know that, right?"

"I need a bath," I say.

"The ocean is where I bathe. There is no bath."

No wonder he smells like the sea all the time. "But there is sand and dirt on me."

"Do you want this back?" He pulls out my thong from his pocket. I walk over and snatch it from his hand. I turn from him quickly. "What is your choice of prize for winning the last race?"

"I do not know. Let me think about it," I tell him.

"You mean all that time under water, and you still need to think about what you want?"

I turn on my heels to face him. He is closer to me than I thought. "I want you." He kisses me before I even finish the last word. His force on my lips is so strong that I start backing up. He follows and does not let up. I cannot be angry any longer. We pass through the bedroom door. He pulls my dress off, and I help him remove my bra. I reach for his pants. He does not stop me. His hands are all over me. When we reach the bed, he quits kissing me and turns down the covers. I climb in, expecting him to follow. He does not.

Drawing the covers over my body, he kisses my forehead. "You're tucking me in, but what about my reward?" I am tired of his hot one minute, cold the next games.

"Tonight, we couple. You are ready." He goes over to the door. "You will not see me until then." I close my eyes and try to go to sleep. My body is tired enough, but my mind is raging with fantasies.

Chapter 8

Waking up alone, I stretch my legs and look around for something to do. It is early afternoon and I dress and head into the living room. I notice that all the windows are covered for my protection. The air is cooler today. I walk over to the chest with the quilts in it and open it. Under the blankets, I see a notebook bound in leather. The pages are very old and yellowing. I see more notebooks in the bottom of the old trunk. I realize that Malachi has written years upon years of journals, and I know that my past is in these pages.

Flipping through the first book, I see mostly words about Arthur and Merlin. He has spells written down. I do not wish to recall my time spent with them. I know most of it anyway. When I start to close the book, I see something that catches my eyes. I walk slowly to the couch, reading the pages as I go. I snap the book shut. I close my eyes when I realize that he has written the truth. I was pregnant with Jacob's child when I was first kidnapped by Arthur's men. Hiding my secret well, Arthur thought the child was his. I never had much contact with my baby since Arthur took my child away from me as soon as I delivered. I do not know if I had a boy or a girl. What happened afterwards, the journal does not say. As much as I want to read on, I find that I have stumbled upon too much information. Jacob and Malachi were right. I should try to remember on my own. I am distraught by this new discovery.

I almost fall back asleep on the couch, but I decide to read some of the books on his shelves. I pick out a book on mythology. Opening the pages, I turn to a section about Angels. I glance and see the word Angel-hybrid. I am shocked to see the phrase mentioned on paper. I read:

"The Demon will break through the barrier of Hell and bind Lilith in silver chains, thus, making her call forth Lucifer, setting him free to save her. Once freed, Lucifer will make the World his domain. An Angel-hybrid will take it upon her shoulders to stop this event from taking place. A war will follow. It is believed that this war will be the end of days if Lucifer is unbound from Hell. The future outcome is nowhere found in any literature, text, or documents."

I hear two car doors shut outside. Looking out the window, I strain against the setting sun. Malachi is talking to someone. I do not know his origin--Angel, Demon, human, or Vampire. They are walking around the cabin, discussing some renovations. I feel that he is doing this for my benefit. Next I see them walk over to the spring house. Malachi points down at the ground, drawing an imaginary line with his finger towards the house. I hear the word bathroom. Now I know that he is doing this for me. My heart melts from the gesture. I decide not to pry any longer and go to bed to rest.

When I awake, Malachi is lying beside me. He is stroking my hair and surprisingly nothing else. I look in his eyes and see a softness there that I did not recognize before.

"Now?" I ask. "I need to freshen up, change, and brush my teeth."

"You are fine the way you are, relax. I've done this before," he informs me.

I had not really thought about it. He has been mine since the year I was born, five hundred eighty-three. If he has been around since the beginning of creation, then he has had plenty of charges in the past. I don't know why, but I am bothered by the news. I push my way out of bed and head towards the wash basin. I pick up my toothbrush and clean my teeth. He is watching me.

"Can you give me five minutes?" I ask, wanting him to leave. He does not answer, but gets up and goes into the living space. He leaves the door open. I remove my clothes and wash my body. There is nothing that I can do with my hair so I pull it back off my neck and clip it up. I walk over to the drawers and take out one of my lingerie purchases. I don't want to wear white even though I know it is his favorite color. I would only be reminded of the two times that I married Jacob. I see the bag that he picked out for me. It is a light blue lace gown that is a tight, short baby doll slip with spaghetti straps. He will be able to see straight through it to my body underneath. It matches my necklace.

I hear him enter the room and I turn around. He smiles at my nightgown.

"You look amazing," he says as he walks slowly over to me. I notice that he has changed from his pants to a thin white cotton pair. The fabric clings to his body. I do not look away. He throws the covers up to make up the bed. I guess I cannot hide in the sheets. He reaches up to the back of my head and removes the hair clip. Picking me up in his arms, he carries me to the bed and lays me down. He covers the top of me with his body. I hear him cracking his bones and his wings emerge. I did not expect him to do that. He is beautiful.

"Just look into my eyes. Do not look away no matter what happens. I will not let any harm come to you. You are safe here."

I did not think this was going to be painful. What do I have to fear? He slowly beats his wings to lift slightly off my body. His abdomen and muscles harden as he keeps his body straight. I do as he asks and look directly into his eyes. After a few minutes, I see him starting to glow. He encases me in his light. I feel the energy, the heat, and the electricity flow through my body. After several moments of staring into his eyes, I see inside him. I see his soul.

He is standing against a bright blue sky on a grassy knoll. In front of him is a wooden cross. Nothing else is around. His hazel eyes stare at the cross, never to look away. He cannot close his eyes, and he cannot blink. Tears stream down his face. The sun disappears beyond the hill. A whip cracks across his back. Still he cannot move or look away. The torture does not stop until the sun rises behind him. His hazel eyes turn crystal blue, the color of his tears.

I am crying now. I know that this is his penance. Realizing that it was for five hundred years day in and day out makes me weep uncontrollably. He is crying now too. His tears fall onto my face and hair. I do not look away. A salty drop lands in my eye and burns. I do not close them or blink. He raises his hand and places it on my forehead. His wings are still moving the air around us as he continues to hover above me. I feel a jolt resonate in my mind. I project the one memory that is blocking them all.

I am being held by two knights, and I am struggling to get free. On the ground several feet away, I see Jacob on his knees with his hands bound behind his back. He is screaming at the top of his lungs. His face is strained and his muscles are flinching. Looking in the direction that he is yelling, I see two small boys being led out of the house. They are mine. I scream as they are brought before Jacob. The knight draws his sword. I hear Jacob tell our children to look at him. I am looking back and forth and trying to get free. My guard hits me over the head. I get dizzy but do not go down. Jacob is struggling to free his hands. I see blood seeping through his shirt and realize that he has been stabbed. I look back to my boys as the blade is drawn out to the side, ready to kill them.

Something is blocking my vision. I think it is the blow to my skull. I cannot see my kids. I try to look around. All I see is Jacob crying and screaming. The pain and anguish on his face is unbearable. I hear the slicing of the blade against their necks. I hear them gurgling for air as they die. Jacob never looks away. I try to look but I am blocked. When I no longer hear them breathing, I turn to them and see a quick flash of a bright light. There on the ground lie their tiny broken bodies. I scream and kick but I cannot get free. One knight throws me over his shoulder and carries me to another man on a horse. I am laid across the saddle horn looking at the ground. When I look back, I see that they have set fire to our house. Jacob is crawling his way to our children. He is knocked unconscious before he gets to them. The pain that I feel inside is unbearable. I pass out. I didn't even get a chance to tell him about the baby on the way.

When I finish recalling this tragic event, I realize that I have been holding my breath. I let out a sigh. Looking into his eyes now, I know that Malachi was the flash of light that I saw and the one who was blocking my view. He told me that he got there too late. My mind sees other images from the past. I still feel Malachi's hand on my head, and I know that he is healing me. I cry and cry. I do not stop. My memories are flooding back to me. I see glimpses of Malachi here and there. He has never left my side. I just did not know that he was there. Several hours pass and we are still in the process of coupling. I am feeling completely connected to him. I do not know where he ends and I begin. Our bodies, minds, and souls are one. We are coupled. I am now his at last.

He lowers back down on top of me. I did not know that you could couple without even touching each other. From day one, he has been working up for this night. The night he was going to have sex with me, yet there was no sex. We lay there in silence for the longest time. He tells me to go look into the mirror. I am almost too weak to stand. I go and look in the mirror and I too have crystal blue eyes.

"Will they glow?" I ask.

"I do not know for sure, but I believe they can once you energize. I think that they will be brown at night."

"Can we try in the morning?" I ask. There is no point putting it off.

"Yes. Come lie down."

I climb back into bed with him and we snuggle in close together under the covers. "Since this worked, you will not have to worry about betraying Jacob. I do not have to touch you anymore. I will not please you again." I am hurt by his words. I start to cry.

"What's the matter? I didn't mean to bring him up, but I thought you would be happy," he tells me.

"Maybe I don't want to stop. I love you. I don't know if I am ready to have sex, but you better not stop before I am finished the next time you touch me."

He laughs. "You are asking for it. No mercy."

"None," I demand.

He dips his head under the covers, and I feel my nightgown rising. I am in trouble now. We do not have sex but he brings me to orgasm again and again. He doesn't stop. He was worth the wait.

The sun appears, and I am ready for bed. I protest when he reminds me that I wanted to take a lovely stroll about to see if I would fry in the light. I take off my nightgown and go out onto the porch naked. There is no point burning my clothes to a crisp. He comes up beside me and holds my hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm not going to let you go out there alone."

He calls forth his wings, and I start to transform as well. My own wings spread forth and flap behind me. They seem bigger to me somehow than before. I jump off the porch and fly low in the shadows of the trees. Malachi closes in on me quickly. He warns me to move slowly. He comes in front of me and stops me in flight. Straight up we go into the sun, his back protecting me. He takes me to the top of the trees and spins me towards the sun. Opening his wings, I feel the rays on my back. For a brief moment, I do not feel anything but the heat. Then I hear the crackling of my flesh. I scream as I am burning.

"Control it. Call it into your body, past your flesh."

All I feel is the pain. It is killing me. I feel his lips press to mine, and he exhales his cool sea breath into my body. I start to relax. My skin feels better. I feel radiant. I feel the sun for the first time in several weeks. My skin will fry, but my body welcomes it. I just have to draw it into my center and away from my flesh. Malachi is all smiles as he spins me in the air. He releases me, and I fly out to the ocean. He tells me to head over to that rock ledge. I shake my head no. I do not want to be fondled up against the cliff again. He goes in that direction anyway. I will tell him no when I get there. After he lands, I see him pressing on a rock. A small cave door opens and he goes inside. I land on the ledge uneventfully.

He closes the door. The tunnel is dark. He tells me to try to glow. I do not know how to begin.

"Think of love," he tells me. At first I think of Jacob—I couldn't help it—but I did not glow. Next, I think of Malachi, but I still did not glow. And then I see the faces of my boys. I light up immediately. "Now you know what does it for you. That knowledge is yours alone. I do not need to know and do not ask me how I do it." He pauses. "This tunnel leads back to the house. The door is under the area rug in the living space. Use this to escape if we are surrounded. Otherwise, just do not leave the house."

"How am I to win this war when I do not know everything there is to know? I feel I am weaker than you and Jacob put together."

"My dear, you should not doubt yourself. Why do you think a hybrid is so taboo and unheard of? No one knows what you can do. Some among the races believe that you are unstoppable, that you cannot die. An Angel cannot be killed by anything alive or dead. Your Vampire side makes you strong at night, yet you have no aversion to sunlight, silver, or wood. You have control over sun, night, air, earth, water, and fire. The combinations are deadly. We have much time to learn everything that I know. We will step up our training now that we are coupled."

We make our way back up the stairs and into the living space. He spends the next several months teaching me. My stamina has been tested time and time again both outside and in the bedroom. My knowledge of Demons and Angels has vastly expanded. I think less and less of Jacob. I do not know when or if I will see him again. He is my first love, but I feel that Malachi is my greatest. My choice is getting more and more blurred as time goes on.

One evening when we come home, there is a note nailed to the front door. It is from the committee. There is a hearing. The time is for tonight at three in the morning. We cannot make the time. Malachi pulls me into his arms and starts his inner glow. He tells me to do the same. I light up quickly. Once we are fully charged, he hugs me tightly and tells me not to fear. I feel disconnected from my body as I see particles of light flying around us. We disappear. Materializing again, we are standing in front of the committee building. It is raining outside. Malachi holds his jacket over me so that I do not get very wet. We make it to the top of the steps before we are pulled apart by the guards.

We are put in separate rooms. I am nervous about seeing Jacob for the first time. I have practiced lying so much that the word no should roll easily off my tongue. I pace back and forth as I wait for my appointment with the committee. I think they are going to talk to us one by one. I hear someone talking to the guards, and then the door squeaks open. I turn and see Jacob standing there. He is wearing all black, the color of his eyes. My heart skips a beat and I gasp in his presence. His hair is longer and touches his shoulders. He looks good, but his face is hardened.

"We do not have much time. Take off your clothes."

After all these months apart this is the first thing he says to me. I blink at him. "Get undressed or I'll do it for you." He closes the door and turns the locks. I remove my shoes and slide my pants onto the floor. He watches me. After unbuttoning my shirt, I slowly draw my arms from the sleeves. I stop and look him in the eyes. "All of it," he says. He wants me naked.

"Jacob, I don't know..."

"All of it." His voice grows louder.

I take off my bra and panties. He stares at me. I look away. Walking over behind me, he pulls my hair through his fingers until it all lies upon my back. He runs his nose up my neck and into my hair. I feel the air being pulled away from my skin as he inhales. Still behind me, he strokes his palms up and down my arms before lifting my hair and tenderly touching my shoulder blades.

"Can you fly?" he asks me. I do not know if I should lie to him. I do not.

"Yes."

"When did you learn?"

"After the last committee meeting, Malachi let me go from the sky. It didn't work the first time, but when I told him that my spine felt like it was twisting, he took me higher and dropped me again."

He laughs. "And here I was trying to get you to transform from jumping out a window. Do you know what you are?"

"Yes, Malachi told me"

"Has anyone else seen your wings?"

"No."

"Have you coupled with him?"

"Yes." I close my eyes. Jacob kneels before me and smells my scent. I open my eyes when I realize what he is doing. He lifts my leg and drapes it onto his shoulder. He steadies me as I balance on one foot. His face gets closer to my center, and I hear him draw in a deep inhale. I think he is going to stand back up but he takes his tongue and runs it along my opening. I hold onto his shoulders, getting ready for him to make love to me. He only licks me once more before standing up. My hands are still on him.

"How is it possible to couple without having sex with him? Did you find a way?" I do not know how he can tell.

"Malachi told me that there are other ways and that we could try those first," I inform him.

"He is a fool, but an honorable and noble one. I may just start to like him. I wish that I could touch you more than this. The other committee members will know. Do not say that you have wings. Do not mention what you are."

"I know what I must do," I tell him. "Do you think that we will be together? Will they rule in our favor?"

"No." He does not offer any other words than that. I do not know why we are here then. "Have you drunk from Malachi recently?"

"Yes, last night," I answer.

"He will not say anything to endanger you, but if they ask him directly, he must speak the truth. I will do my best to intervene if need be."

"How is it possible that I am an Angel?" I ask him, not knowing if he will tell me.

"You were not sleeping like I told you, at least not entirely. They killed you over two hundred years ago. I lost you. I was so struck with grief that I was listening to my Demon side more and more. Deborah got worried. She offered me a choice. She would bring you back if I made her my Vampire bride. I did not think my actions through because I was blinded by my love for you. I would have done anything. That very night, I started the transformation process with her. She had always wanted me. She believed that once turned she would become the hybrid. When she refused to bring you back to me, I never touched her again. She went back to her Demon lover, and they planned my death. When I learned of the news, I threatened to kill her mate. She offered me the choice once more. I told her that it couldn't be done. She told me that she did not have a special flower petal that was needed for the ritual. I told her that I did not believe her, but Angels cannot lie, not even the Fallen."

"Rebecca was able to cast the spell to help Deborah get into Heaven and bring you back, but it didn't work as it was intended. Rebecca protected your body by magic but you were not inside. I banished her Demon lover out of my anguish but let her live in exile. When Deborah came back to bed me again, she tried to kill you. I stabbed her. I just didn't know at the time that Vampires could not kill their Guardians. As soon as she vanished, your body became more alive, yet you still slept. About a decade later, Jessica advised me to start giving you my blood. I put an IV catheter in your arm and gave you a small dose each night. The rest you already know."

"I thought that no one could travel between realms."

"Adam and Lilith can easily. Deborah had a spell that only halfway worked."

"Can you?" I ask, thinking that he is on the panel also.

He pauses before speaking. "I have never tried." He steps up to me. "Bite me. I want my blood in you once more." I struggle with my choice. He will be in my mind again. As I near his neck, I feel my heart wanting to explode. I have longed for him. Seeing him standing in front of me within reach is more than I can handle. I sink my teeth into his flesh. I drink his blood too quickly for my liking, but we have little time left together. It is almost three.

"I'm sorry that I have caused all of this. I just couldn't live without you, and I cannot live without you now. This time apart has been torture for me, knowing that you were in his arms and not in mine." Vampires are jealous creatures, and territorial. I know he must be in pain. I take hold of his hand and run the backside along my cheek. He sighs.

"I have to go. You and I each need to shower. We have touched each other too much. They cannot know that we have spoken. There is so much more that I would love to do with you if we only had the time." He pauses. "I love you. Whatever happens out there today, do not fear. I will hold you once more."

"Alexander." I call him by his given name. He steps away from me.

"I haven't been called by that name in a very long time. Do you remember?"

"Malachi is healing me. Soon I will know everything." I do not tell him that I know everything already or that I was pregnant when I was kidnapped. Our children are long gone anyway. I kiss him once more before he lets go of my body. I reach for his hand but his fingers slip through mine. He does not look back as he leaves through the door. Standing there all alone, I look around for a bathroom. I pick up my clothes and try a couple of doors before finding the one I need. I take a quick shower and dress. I do not have a hair dryer so I pull my hair tightly into a bun upon my head. I hear the knock on the door and get back into the room before the guards come in. It is time.

When I see Malachi again, he is wearing only a pair of tight white pants. I can tell there is nothing on underneath them. His wings flutter behind him slightly as I approach. He notices my wet hair. His eyes flash with a brief moment of anger. Not being able to look at me, he turns away. I walk over to my place on the floor. Speaking without being spoken to by the committee is a crime. I know he thinks that I have just made love to Jacob. He needs to regain control of himself before he ruins everything.

One by one, the committee members enter, and I see that Jacob's hair is also wet and slicked back away from his face. My tongue involuntarily licks my lips. I hear a muffled noise from Malachi. I do not know if he will believe it when I tell him that nothing happened.

Adam begins. "Alasdair has called this meeting to appeal the earlier verdict on the status of your union. Marion, have you coupled with your Guardian, Malachi?"

"Yes," I say. I know not to divulge any more information than is required.

Lilith speaks next. "It has been only seven months since we were last here, and yet Jacob was celibate for over two hundred years without you. Tell us; on what night did you couple?"

I swallow hard before speaking. I want to kill her for her implications. "Night five."

"Who do you choose?" she asks me.

"Jacob. I will always choose him." I have spoken too much. Adam squints his eyes at Malachi before speaking.

"You have coupled with her. She has said as much. You have made her yours completely?" Adam asks. I see the corner of Jacob's mouth rise. He looks down and away. He knows the truth before it is spoken.

Malachi cannot lie. "In all ways but one."

Lilith speaks as Jacob remains silent. "How can you be certain in your choice if you have never truly been with an Angel? You cannot make an informed decision without experiencing it firsthand. Jacob should know. Frankly, I do not believe him when he says that he only did it once with his Guardian Angel, Deborah."

I smolder inside. "Malachi has pleased me many times in bed and I him. He loves me and I...." I do not want to speak the words.

Jacob talks for the first time. "Say it."

"I love him."

"But you cannot love Jacob with all that you are if you do not know what you are leaving behind. You will always wonder in your choice. You hold Malachi back when he could do so much more to you. Only a few people in existence have made love to an Angel."

Adam, surprisingly, is agreeing with Lilith. He tells me, "I cannot make you. If I could then I would order your union." Adam looks at Jacob. I guess Jacob is the only one who can order it.

"Can you fly?" I didn't expect to hear that question coming from Jacob. I have never lied to him.

"I can only jump high and fall far." I stare him directly in the eyes.

"Do you know of the legend?" Adam asks.

"Yes, Malachi told me," I answer.

"Some believe that you are the hybrid. It is too coincidental that both the leader of the Vampires and the leader of the Fallen are in love with you." Lilith pauses before continuing. "Remove your shirt." I see worry stream across Jacob's face. I do not know what she is doing. I obey her request. I will die if I do not. She motions for a death punisher to come over. "Turn her back to us." She must not believe my lie. "Slice her open," Lilith demands.

Malachi is helpless. If he steps towards me, he will die. Jacob stands. I feel the blade slice my flesh, making a V shape with its sharp edges. I cry out in pain. I hold my wings tightly in their secret hiding place deep within my bone structure. They do not emerge.

Lilith smirks at my pain. "Bring me the blade."

"No," Malachi yells. Adam stands up beside Jacob.

"You dare to speak out of turn?" Adam's face registers with the knowledge that we are trying so hard to keep away from Lilith. "I have had enough of this. My ruling is the same. Deborah is Jacob's Vampire bride. Unless she wakes up and declares him otherwise, you are not to be together. We will review the issue in five years' time." I see Jacob sink down in his chair. He could barely stand our seven months apart. He cannot make it without me for five years. I see the pain expressed on his face as Lilith hands down the same verdict. He is outvoted again. Adam asks Jacob if there is anything else he would like to say.

"Marion, Malachi." He looks at us one by one. "I accept your union. You are to fully be a mated pair. I cannot ask you to wait for me any longer. Only after you have sex with him will I accept your decision to be with me and me alone. I will not share you after you make your final choice." He stands and backs away from the tall table. "There is one more matter of business to be addressed. I, Alexander Alasdair Jacobs, hereby vacate my seat on the committee and announce Jessica Elizabeth Jacobs as my heir." Just then, Jessica enters, wearing a black robe. Her wings maneuver through two slits in the fabric. She glides up to Jacob and kisses him on both cheeks. She looks like she has been crying and is about to break down at any moment. Both Adam and Lilith acknowledge her before she sits in her newly appointed seat. Jacob backs away and comes down the steps towards me. He takes my hands.

"Do not fear. I will come back to you. You must obey my ruling and live out your days and nights with your Guardian. I can no longer make you mine. I told you once that I have a plan. Maybe it is not the right thing to do, but it is the only solution that I have found." He kisses me strongly on the lips. I embrace him in my arms. Tears are rolling down my face. I hear people shouting at us and the death punishers are closing in. Jacob removes his soft lips from mine and takes my throat in his mouth. I struggle to break free. I am poison to him. Malachi's blood is in me. He bites down on me quickly. The bite is hard and not one of pleasure. Jacob pulls me closer and holds me tightly pressed to his chest. I feel him trembling in my arms. He swallows three times. The death punishers pull him off and in doing so, rip my throat slightly open. I clamp my hand to my neck. Jacob is held still with his arms behind his back. Malachi steps away and has a look of horror on his face. Adam and Lilith both stand. Jessica is sitting in her seat with her head in her hands, crying.

I look at Jacob. His skin is burning before my eyes. I can tell he is holding in his screams. He does not want to upset me or his sister. He is dying. I hear his pain in my mind and feel as though I am on fire. I lunge forward towards him to hold him one last time. I scream as he falls to ash.

Chapter 9

"Go to her." I barely hear Adam's voice above my sobs. I feel Malachi's arms embrace me. I slump against him. Just then a door opens, and I see a short blonde woman with white wings enter the large banquet room. I know that she is Deborah. She does not look like a warrior to me. I do not know how she could battle Charles and win. She is led over to face the committee.

"What are your intentions, Deborah?" the Angel asks.

"I wish to release Jacob from his commitments to me and I to him. Marion is his, I acknowledge her."

Lilith makes an evil laugh. "If you'll excuse me, my time here is done. I have an important matter to attend to. Deborah, I release you. Marion, when and if Jacob can return to you, he is yours and you are his." She laughs again before vanishing in plain sight.

Jessica and Adam both release Deborah and Jacob from their union. Adam stands and walks down to Malachi. "Take the sword with you. I will not ask you if she has wings. I do not want to have the burden of that knowledge. You know what you must do if my assumptions here are correct. You must take her to the ice mountain and make her a warrior like you. Teach her the sword quickly. Through love, you must teach her pain. Protect her blood and that sword that bears it with your life."

Adam turns to speak to me. "Marion, you truly are a sight to behold. I pray for your sake that the legend is not true. I am sorry for your loss here today." He takes the sword from the death punisher and hands it to my Guardian. Malachi slides the sharp blade across his tongue and licks off any blood. He then runs the length of the blade across his chest before he turns it and swipes the other side, making an X mark in his flesh. Adams nods with approval at my protector. Malachi is trying to disguise my blood and hide the truth that would be revealed to anyone who tastes it. Adam says goodbye and leaves.

Jessica rises and leaves without speaking to me. I do not blame her. I know that Jacob's actions here tonight were because of me. Deborah walks over to us. She speaks to me. "The prophecy is true. He released me from Purgatory just like I released you from Heaven when I made the deal in Purgatory to return. His resting place is beyond. Instead of a penance, he will lie in Hell. Lilith will enjoy taking her time with him, trying to turn him into a Demon. I'm afraid that she will succeed. No one can survive her torture for too long."

"Enough," Malachi warns her with a growl from deep within him. I clamp my hand over my mouth. "Deborah, take your leave. You are free of your charge. Peace be with you. I will call upon you when the time is needed." She tilts her head towards him, acknowledging his leadership, and silently leaves through the doors.

I cannot walk or move. Malachi takes the blade and slides it into its sheath. Then he swings the sling across his shoulder and rests the sword upon his back. He walks over and picks me up. We leave through the doors and down the steps.

"What now?" I finally ask him.

"I have a room reserved for the night. We must go to the mansion tomorrow night. Jacob came into my room also and told me what to do after this meeting. We should find Rebecca. She is the only one who can help us now. Her magic can help free Jacob like it did with you."

"But it didn't work quite right before." I inform him. "I was killed by Arthur. Deborah came to Heaven and stole me. Jacob told me that my body was in a deep sleep but my soul was in Heaven. When she served her penance, she arranged my return somehow." I swallow before asking, "Do you think Lilith knows that I am the hybrid?"

"Maybe, but she never tasted your blood. Her excitement to receive Jacob into her prison made her forget about the sword. Unless Jacob tells her...."

"He won't," I interrupt. "I can walk now. Put me down." He does as I ask.

"Marion, you do not know what they will do to him. Thousands upon thousands of Demons will mark him. Lilith will torture him. When he does return, he will not be the same man." Malachi turns away from me. "There is something else about the prophecy. It says that the hybrid will take to her bed Vampires, Angels, and Demons. I thought Jacob was the Vampire, I the Angel, and Charles the Demon."

"But I did not choose to bed Charles."

"That is what bothered me until now. I'm afraid that Jacob is the Demon, and that he will come back for you and Hell will be unleashed."

"No. He would not do that. He will come back for love, that much I believe." I stop and think for a moment. "Jacob is my charge, isn't he? But how could he turn Demon?"

"Yes. I believe that he is the charge. I don't think he can turn Demon. He will just have Demon characteristics." We walk in silence. "Did you drink from him?" he asks me.

"Yes. Right before the meeting in my room."

"Did you...?"

"No. We kissed. That is all." I know that he is relieved. How can I save him when my loyalties are divided? He leads me up a small gravel road. I see a large white farmhouse come into view. "Where are we?" I ask.

"A friend's house. He is Fallen also. You are safe here. I will tell him who you are. He will help us. We may stay here for a while to train. He used to be an army sergeant when he was human." The door opens to the house, and I see a small woman appear on the front porch.

"Who is she?" I ask.

"That is his mate. She is Fallen as well. They do not have charges and are not Guardians. They watch the meeting house of the committee."

"Hello, Harrietta." Malachi greets her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Good early morning to you both," she says as she looks me up and down. I am standing in only my bra and jeans with dried blood all down my back. My shirt lies on the banquet room floor at the committee house. "Welcome, take my hands and enter." I pass through the invisible force field and into the large sitting area. "Come, Marion; let's find you something to wear before my husband gets home. He always did have a wandering eye." She walks up the staircase, and I follow. Malachi does not seem uncomfortable with separating from me. When we enter a bedroom, I hear the front door open once again and know that her husband must be home.

"My dear, let's get you a shirt." She opens a big closet door and comes back with a T-shirt. The letters across the chest say Angel of Mine. I laugh when I see it. She giggles. "I can find something else."

"No," I reach out my hands. "I love it." When I turn around, she sees the blood on my back.

"My goodness, what happened?" she asks.

"Lilith had me cut open. I'm fine."

"No, child, you are not fine." She walks over to me and hugs me tightly to her chest. She is warm. I have not had many friends. I immediately like her. "I have a bathroom down the hall. Let's get you all cleaned up."

When we head out of the bedroom, my Vampire ears hear her husband whispering. "...half-Vampire, she will heal quickly. The process may even work better if we break her bones, and then insert the metal pieces. She will heal around them. The pain may not be as bad."

Malachi speaks. "There has to be another way. Her body may be strong, but her mind and heart will not be able to withstand the torture. She will never look at me the same."

"If she truly loves you, she will understand what you must do and why. The legend..."

Harrietta closes the bathroom door and turns on the faucet. I can no longer hear them discussing me like I have no say. "What is it that Malachi needs from the two of you?" I ask her. I know that we are not here for a sleepover.

"I shouldn't say, but my Gerald, he's an army sergeant from generations ago. He is Malachi's right-hand man. You are here for training. Gerald has no feelings for you. He will show you no mercy. You are just another recruit to him. I assume Malachi cannot do what is necessary." Harrietta is telling me this as she tenderly washes my back. After air drying, I put on the T-shirt. We head downstairs and both men stand to greet us.

"Marion, please sit," Gerald says. "We were just discussing the details of your stay."

"You mean how you're going to beat me to death and then implant weapons into my broken bones? I heard."

Malachi takes my hand. "Marion, I am so sorry. I haven't decided anything on the weapons."

"It's okay. I know what I must do. I do not feel like company tonight. I'm ready for bed. Since this house is so large, I assume that you have a bedroom for each of us." I do not want Malachi beside me tonight. He lets out a sigh. Harrietta starts to stand. "I can find it, just point me in the right direction." She tells me where to go.

"I will wake you at noon to recharge. Good night," Malachi calls after me.

I know that I didn't make a good first impression, but I am not here for their entertainment. As I walk up the stairs, I hear Gerald ask him some more questions;

"How is it that she can go into the sun if she is Vampire? What all have you taught her? What else can she do?"

"You will find out tomorrow," Malachi answers. I close my bedroom door and cry. I fall asleep with my face still wet from my tears. Several hours into my slumber, a scream shatters through my mind. It is Jacob's voice. I can hear him even in Hell. I sit up in the bed and grab my temples. My heart is breaking. I know that he controlled the pain projections when he was in the dungeon with Charles until he couldn't any longer. My flesh crawls with what Lilith could be doing to him. I close my eyes and show him my memories of our past together. It is all I can do. I send him my love. If he receives it, I do not know.

I hear a knock on the door. Malachi enters. He holds out a cup full of his blood. I turn my nose up at it. "You must drink. You will need your strength." I take the cup and sip twice before handing it back to him. He pushes it back toward me.

"No. I will not let you drink from me, and I will not let you dilute him from my blood. He needs me more than ever." Malachi doesn't say anything or try to make me drink anymore. He sets the cup down beside the bed. I guess it is noon.

"Gerald is waiting. He will take you. I have arrangements to make. He is the strongest under me. I have given him instructions."

"I thought that I was only recharging, not fighting." I do not feel like doing this now.

"We are training your Angel side. Daylight is best. You will charge as you go."

"I guess that you can't stomach staying around and watching," I spit at him. I do not know why I am being so mean towards him. His answer surprises me.

"No, I cannot. I may intervene. If I lose it and strike him, I will kill him. He would not simply vanish. He tells me that it is better this way. I will be back tonight. We will leave for the mansion at ten." He gets up and leaves. He does not kiss me goodbye.

I rise out of bed and put on my shoes. I'm glad that at least I didn't have on heels. Coming down the steps, I see Gerald standing by the door. His shirt is off, and he is well built. He looks to be around forty years in age. I am starting to think that there are only beautiful Angels.

"Your eyes, they are blue. I thought they were brown last night," he says to me.

"Don't worry, grandpa. You're not losing it. Angel by day, vamp by night." He cringes when I call him grandpa. I like it. I step out on the porch and into the sun. I know today will be painful. I haven't sparred with Malachi in a long time and somehow I don't think Gerald is going to end each match with a tongue licking. I feel my skin singe in the daylight rays. I hear Gerald gasp. I decide to let myself burn longer than usual before I call the heat into my core. I need to get used to a little pain. That is why we are doing this after all.

Gerald comes up to me. "Do you do that every time?"

"Yes."

"I have blades on me and weapons in my backpack. You will have none. I do not wish to be dead or banished. You cannot be either so I will not hit you in the heart. No flying. There are almost one thousand acres here that are all fenced in. Those are the protected borders of the property. Do not go outside the boundaries. If you are ready, let's begin." I run.

It takes him about seven minutes to catch me. He is not as fast as Malachi. I am cornered against a steep, rocky hill. If I only had my wings I could fly up to the top. He is approaching with a dagger in his hand. I cringe at the thought of it piercing my flesh. Darkening my eyes, I become Vampire. My skin starts to burn. Gerald crinkles his nose at the stench. I leap for the top. I do not make it. The pain resonating through my body overrides my senses. I fall and land on my back. He crouches over me, ready to strike. He hesitates.

"Do it," I demand. The silver dagger burns through my side. I scream as it comes to a stop. I realize that I am still Vampire and my flesh still hurts. I breathe as I to try to relax. The air catches in my lungs. I jerk. My eyes return to their Angelic blue. The silver does not burn but the blade bites. I hear it grind against my bone and then I hear Jacob's scream. I do not know if it is because of his torture or mine. I try to send him a message that I am okay, only training. I am not being killed even though it feels like it. His scream subsides into a more manageable ache inside my heart. I gurgle and then expel all the air from my lungs. Gerald pulls the knife out slowly and wipes it on his camouflage pants. He does not offer assistance. I heal quickly and stand. I prefer Malachi's reward to Gerald's punishment. My flesh is now whole.

He instructs me. "Good thought, but you cannot transform to a full Vampire next time. You will fry before you escape. Hold it at bay."

"Whatever you say, grandpa. Let's do it again."

"Not before you jump out of this ravine. If you don't make it this time, I'll gut you open."

I call forth my darker side, but my eyes stay blue. I feel the strength return in my legs, and I jump up, clearing the landing. Looking down at him, I know he cannot jump this high without his wings. He does not cheat. Instead, he turns around and runs the other way, retracing his tracks. I head for the mountains. Twenty minutes later, he has me again.

"Are you just going to lie down for me again and let me stab you or are you going to fight this time?" I hadn't thought about it. Usually I just get naked when I am caught.

"I do not know how to fight," I tell him.

"Learn," he says as he lunges forward. I move quickly. I am faster than him. Since this is his land, he probably knows where I am going and the shortcuts to get there fast. He strikes against my shoulder as he comes back around. I fall to one knee. Silver hurts. I will have to fight him as an Angel. I call forth my light just in time as he lands the next blow. Malachi was right about the light being a force field. The blade vibrates in Gerald's hand, and he is knocked backwards onto his knee. I think that I surprised him. While he is down, I kick, claw, and punch at him like a madwoman. He falls to the ground. When I see him start to glow a white light, I know I am in trouble. He is a stronger than I, and he must have reenergized all morning. Seeing the rage in his eyes, I back up and my force field falters. He grabs two more daggers and strikes them through my wrists. He backs me up to a tree and pins my wrists to the bark. I cannot hold back my cry. I scream. Gerald circles me and looks at me.

"You are weak when you are pierced. Pain cannot control you. Your enemies will not fear you." He takes out a pocketknife and flips it open. The metal is long and jagged. It is an animal gutting knife. He raises my shirt to expose my abdomen. I suck in my stomach, hoping to make it disappear. He slices against me slowly. If I had any intestines, they would fall to the ground. Again, I scream.

"I will continue cutting you until either your voice is hoarse or you no longer make a sound." He grinds the daggers that are holding my wrists to the tree. I cry out again. He looks at me and shakes his head. Taking the pocketknife again, he jabs it in the top of my thigh. I hold in my scream, but gasp. He leaves the knife in place. He takes out a rope and ties it around my neck and to the tree. I cannot go anywhere so I do not see the purpose in this.

The knife in my leg is starting to expel itself as I heal. It is not made of silver. My stomach tingles as the flesh closes. I can heal quicker than I thought when in deadly situations. Only the silver holds strong in my body. Gerald steps away and unzips his backpack. I fear what is inside. He lays a case upon the ground. When he opens it, I see many small silver throwing blades. Picking one up in his hand, he flips it to hold the sharp end. He throws it at me. It rams into my left shoulder and into the tree. I bite my tongue. He throws another, and it lands in my side. I am not screaming. I do not know why he isn't stopping. I grow weaker. I do not fight to stay conscious anymore, but I do not pass out. Gerald finally runs out of his tiny spears to target practice with. I have about ten of them in my body. The sun is getting lower in the sky. I do not think he wishes to be caught out here in the dark with me. He knows I am more dangerous when I am Vampire. They have a darker, almost Demon side to them. I do not know if I can control myself. I think of killing him already. He walks up to me.

"Get down," he orders me.

"I cannot do what you are asking."

"When the night comes, the silver will only hurt more. Now get down. I will not help you." I hadn't thought about the silver. I am numb to it now. I do not know where to begin. I stretch against the daggers and involuntarily let out a shriek. Gerald does not punish me. He only places his finger to my lips. In his eyes, I am seeing the enjoyment he is getting from doing this to me. He steps back and watches me. I try once more only to fail again. His next words chill me.

"If you do not get down before the sun sets, I will strip you naked and take your body. Then I will leave you bloody and beaten for the animals to feed upon."

"Malachi would never allow it."

"He is not here. He may have ordered me not to touch you, but the prophecy says that you will bed Angels, Vampires, and Demons. The words are plural. Malachi is not the only Angel to satisfy you."

"Never," I yell back. After I try again, the daggers move against my wrist. He marches up to my face and grabs the knife in my thigh. He does not have to pull hard since it is almost free from my muscle. The jagged teeth still tear my skin. He raises the knife to my neck. Taking hold of my collar, he rips my shirt open with the teeth of the knife. Next, I feel the back of the metal against my sternum. He cuts open my bra. I am exposed. He steps back as if to admire me. I grow angry.

Thinking that I cannot escape silver as a Vampire, I think of love to try to make my aura glow. It does not work. I am too hostile. When I feel Gerald's hand move across my breasts caressing me, I think of Charles. Never again. The fury rises up out of my blood. Taking all the strength that I have, I send a jolt outwards from my center. Gerald flies through the air and hits a tree. He is unconscious. My light shines brighter than I have ever seen, so white that it appears silver. Sending out another pulse of energy, I expel all the silver throwing knives outward. I am left with only the rope and the silver daggers in my wrists. I brace against the tree and the length of the silver passes through, and I free myself. I take the blade and cut the rope. I do not check on Gerald. I do not care if he lives. This will never happen again.

Still glowing with rage, I pass through the front door of the house very easily. When Malachi returns, I am upstairs soaking in the bathtub. He enters without knocking. I guess we are beyond having boundaries. I am enveloped by red liquid, and my body is trembling. He reaches his hand in the water to see if it is cold. I am not quivering because of the temperature. My body has been abused. I am shaken to my core.

"I'm sorry," he says as he sits down beside the tub and rubs my arm.

"For what? Isn't this what you wanted? No wonder you were too chicken to do this yourself. Don't worry, I didn't disappoint you."

"What happened?" he asks.

"If you want to know, then you should have been there."

"I cannot harm you," he says.

"No one else will lay a hand or blade to me again. I trust you, so either you do it or I will leave right now."

"Please tell me what happened."

"No." I focus my gaze back to the water and sink down below the surface. I stay there for the longest time, hoping that he will leave. The water is cooling, and I am ready to get out. The smell of my blood is making me nauseous. I rise back up, and he offers his wrist to me. I know he would prefer me to drink his blood from a cup. I swat his wrist away.

"No. I am a Vampire, and I will drink as such. If you want me to have your blood, you will submit to me and offer your neck." He backs away, looking flustered, and stands. I pull myself up out the tub. I do not rinse even though the water is bloody. He looks at me and sees the faint lines of scars that mark my flesh. He closes his eyes. He cannot even stand to look at them, let alone be the one who causes them. He picks up my towel and brings it to me. After he wraps it around my body, and I secure it tightly, he kneels down and offers me his neck. I think of Jacob.

"I am truly sorry," he says. "I have been treating you like an Angel this whole time and not nurturing the side that holds your heart. My blood is your blood however you wish to take it." Malachi's eyes glimmer in the soft light. I want to give in to him more and more.

"Can you heal me with your light?" I ask.

"Yes, if that is your wish."

"It is for now." I do not want to lose my connection to Jacob.

He stands. "Come here." He embraces me in his arms. I start to cry. Picking me up, he carries me to the bed and sits me down. He takes off his clothes and gets under the covers. I am still in my towel and lying on top of him with the covers between us. He takes my head in his hand and lays it in his lap. He is petting me as he runs his hand across the side of my hair. I relax and give in to him. I close my eyes and sleep.

When I sleep is when I hear Jacob the loudest. My mind is more susceptible. I feel his anguish and his torture. Images enter my mind—horror, fire, and silver blades. Lilith is mocking him. I tremble as I sleep. Tears stream down my cheeks.

A couple of hours later, I wake up to him healing me. My scars have disappeared. My thirst is no longer controlling me. It is almost nine, and we must leave soon. I get up to dress and head for the closet. I pick out some of Harrietta's clothes and put them on. Malachi sees my old bloody clothes on the floor and walks over to pick them up. My jeans are lacerated with holes and tears. The shirt and bra are torn in two down the middle. He lets out a scream in a voice that I have never heard.

"What did he do to you? He was never allowed to touch you with his bare hands or gaze upon your flesh. Tell me now. I will kill him if he—"

"No, he didn't go very far. I don't think he would have gotten past my breasts. He wouldn't...."

Malachi storms out of the room. He still is not dressed. I follow him quickly down the steps. The front door opens as we near the entryway. Gerald steps in with his gear in his hands. He is covered in blood, my blood. Malachi's wings break out of his back. His spears spring outward. He backs Gerald up against the wall and advances. I cannot see my Angel's face, but by looking at Gerald, I can tell that he is scared. Malachi pierces his right shoulder with one spear and pins him to the wall. He raises his other wing behind him and slowly draws it towards him, stopping only inches in front of Gerald's heart.

"No, he is a great ally. You do not wish to harm him. We are done here." I walk over and put my hand on Malachi's shoulder. "He has taught me well today. I know why he did what he did. I told you that I didn't think he would have done anything. He needed me to do something and by the looks of him, I think I did pretty well. Now please release him."

Malachi slowly draws his spears back into his wing tips. Harrietta is now watching from the kitchen entry. Her mouth is open, yet she does not speak. Gerald places his hand over his wounded shoulder. Gerald dares to speak. "Malachi, you do not know what she is capable of. She had given up. I threatened her, that's all. It worked. She can project her light outwards as a weapon. Knocked me out for several hours and fried my brain a little. If I would have had the guts to do it, I would have stabbed her in the heart. You are right. I do not think she can be killed. With proper training..."

"I am taking over from now on. I would appreciate your discretion, of course. Everyone knows what's at stake. We are leaving now. Harrietta, if you would, please retrieve my clothes from upstairs. We have another stop to make." Malachi walks away from Gerald and over to me. He touches my face and kisses me. I feel uncomfortable in front of our guests. "And Gerald, I told you that she is mine. We are coupled. If you touch her again, I will not stop my spear from touching the inside of your heart." He kisses me again for emphasis.

I want to smile, but I do not. When I try to walk up to Gerald, Malachi grabs my arm. I look at him to let me go. "While I do not agree with your methods, I did learn from you. Malachi could not have taught me the sting of the blade. It would be an honor to fight alongside you. Can I count on your loyalty when the time comes?"

"Marion, the honor is all mine. I touched you against Malachi's orders. I crossed the line. Can you please forgive me?" He holds out his hand. I take it as a peace offering.

"Gerald, you are forgiven from the both of us." I hear Malachi snort behind me. Harrietta returns with Malachi's clothes. He puts on the pants but carries the shirt. I guess that we are flying. I reach for the bottom for my shirt to pull it over my head, but Malachi stops me.

"No, I will carry you."

"But I can—"

"No," he snaps sharply. "Harrietta, Gerald, thank you for the hospitality. I will see you at the gathering place." They all nod their heads at each other, and we leave through the front doors. I feel the force field as we walk through. After throwing the sword sling across his shoulder, he hands me his shirt to carry. We make it about a mile up in the sky before I start asking my questions.

"Why didn't you let me fly?" I ask.

"I did not want him to look upon your wings and bow to you. There is a time and place for everything."

"I do not think that man would bow to anyone. He is not kind like you."

"He serves his purpose when I need him. I would not have objected to his methods if he had not torn your clothes. I did not tell him about Charles. He would not have done that if he had known."

"Did you order us not to fly during training?"

"Yes, I know that it limited your resources."

"It's not your fault," I say.

"Marion, I still don't know if I can hurt you."

"If you do not train me with all that you are, then I will be too easily killed in battle. Then it would be your fault, and I will not forgive you." I stare into his eyes as I speak.

"I will do what I must. Failure is not an option. But...I am afraid that you will think of me like the way you looked at Gerald. You will not want me to make love to you."

I forgot about the ruling with everything that has happened. "Honestly, I do not know how I will feel. We will take it day by day. If I become scared of you, we will stop." I stay silent for a little while. I do not like to be carried when I can fly myself. I think he just wants to be close to me. "I thought you said that Fallen never sleep, but I heard Gerald snoring from my bedroom."

"No, I said that I never sleep. There is a difference. Gerald and Harrietta are coupled for life. Once you find your mate, you find peace and no longer are in search of him or her. You rest."

"But we are coupled. Doesn't that mean that I am yours?"

"I pondered that. I came close to sleeping a few times. Maybe it is because I have never had you completely. But soon..."

"I cannot tonight in Jacob's house."

"I didn't mean it like that. I would never."

"When will you adorn me with silver weapons?"

"I do not wish that for you."

"You have them," I remind him.

"I told you how painful it is."

"But would it help me?" I ask. He does not want to answer. "Malachi, would it make me stronger?"

"Yes, but you are not ready."

"When?"

"If I believe that you are ready when we go to the gathering, it will be done if you wish. I will not ask or tell you to do it. You have to carry the pain. You take the risk of killing yourself with the metal inside your spine. The weight alone is hard to carry. Maybe you should strap blades to the outside of your body for now. We will try that first."

"Who does the procedure?"

"I will do yours. No one else will touch you but me. You do not have to decide today."

"How many of them are there like you, warrior Angels?" I ask.

"There are only several hundred Angels that have done it."

I see the mansion coming into view. I close my eyes, not wanting to cry. Malachi drops down from the sky and lands on the front steps. I look over to the patio where Jacob and I last made love. Malachi follows my line of sight and lets out a breath. He recalls the memory just as well as I do.

The front door opens, and we are led up to the third floor and to the hidden door. Once inside, we make our way towards Jessica's bedroom. The doorman leaves. A few knocks later, Jacob's sister opens the door. I do not know how she will react to us being here.

"Marion," she says as she hugs me. She is happy to see me. I squeeze her back. "You are pale and thin. Malachi, are you not taking good care of her?"

"She will not drink, only a few sips here and there. We have come to discuss a plan to get Jacob back. Is Rebecca here?"

"She just returned last night. She did not find what she was sent to locate."

"You mean the flower petal?" I ask.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"Jacob." I look away. "Do you think that Deborah will tell us where she found it years ago?"

"Maybe, if we can find her," she says. "We could split up our search and double our efforts. Rebecca and I could try for the flower again, and the two of you could find Deborah."

Malachi speaks. "Do you have someplace that we can go to talk instead of the doorway here?"

Jessica nods. "But of course. There is a dining hall down this way. I have already asked Rebecca to meet us there." We go to a set of large double doors. Once inside, we take a seat at one end of the large table.

"Jessica," Malachi says, "I hate to ask but I will need to feed tonight."

"What about your charge?" she asks.

"I need another source—Vampire, female—if you don't mind?"

"No one has fed from me since Nathanial. I do not know."

"I'll do it." Rebecca's small voice enters the room before she does. I have things to settle with her. She walks over to Malachi. "Do you want to do this now or would you prefer later when we are alone?" She traces a finger over his bare collarbone. I rise up out of my seat. Everyone is looking at me. I am acting like a territorial Vampire. "Careful, honey," Rebecca says. "People might get the wrong idea and think that you don't give a damn about Jacob." Her hand is resting on his shoulder. I want to kill her.

Malachi raises his hand and swats her away. "Maybe now is not the best time. Later, but we will not be alone. Marion will be by my side. We are coupled. Do not forget that, Rebecca."

"I did not realize. I was out of town, remember? Why does she always get all the best men?" She stares at me. I sit back down.

Now is just as good a time as any. "Why did you try to kill me?" I ask.

"I needed your flesh for a spell to try to locate the flower. After you and Jacob left for your date, I went into the bathroom and retrieved a vial of burned skin from the tub. I would have closed the curtains but you figured that out on your own. I got as far as China before I ran out of my magic potion. I will need to ask you for another donation."

"Why? You did not know what Jacob would do."

"I see the future. I will go back to where I left off and start from there. The spell I will make from that flower will bring back Jacob's body. Without his body, Lilith and her Demons can do little harm to him. He will only be a spirit in Hell, and he will not be able to feel physical pain. I do not know how to get his soul back."

"I've been thinking about that. Deborah said to me that every time someone is banished, someone returns. It's like they bargained for their soul or something. I don't know for certain."

"You may be onto something. But why would Deborah want you to wake up? We all know why Jacob wanted her to awaken, so that he could fight his marriage to her and so he can be with you." Malachi ponders. "We will see her at the meeting. It is required for all Fallen to attend."

"Good, we will try to find her before that meeting and you find that flower as soon as you can. I do not want Jacob down there too long. How much flesh do you need from me?" I ask Rebecca.

"Enough," she responds.

"Malachi." I hold up my arm.

"No, I will not cut you," he says.

"You will do as I ask."

"Only if you drink my blood. It has been too long. I will not heal you any other way."

"Fine," I spit. I feel like a child being forced to eat her vegetables.

"Not here. I will have her skin to you by in the morning. Do you require anything else?" he asks Rebecca.

"Yes, but I can handle it."

"Do you have a room for us?" I ask Jessica.

Rebecca has a quick tongue. "What's the matter? You don't want your new lover in your old bed? If Malachi can replace Jacob between your legs, then sleeping in his bed shouldn't be a problem."

"Rebecca, enough," Jessica growls. "You will behave yourself. I apologize," she says to me. I feel sorry for Jessica. She has a spiteful two-year-old on her hands. "If you will follow me." We all get up to leave. When we get to our door, Jessica says good night. She needs to go pack for their departure to China. Rebecca follows us into the room. I turn and look at her.

"Is there something else you need?" I ask her.

"No, but I need to satisfy your Guardian since you don't," she says. I step towards her but Malachi stops me.

"Sorry, but I really need to drink tonight." I want to tell him to drink from me, but I am not ready to let Jacob go. He needs me.

Rebecca starts to unbutton her shirt. Malachi takes her by the hand and stops her. "No," he says as he raises her wrist to his lips. He pierces her skin and drinks. Rebecca stares at him. I really need to find that horny girl a man, preferably one that isn't mine. After he is satisfied, he lets her go. Rebecca licks her wrist like a lollypop and closes her wounds. He watches her tongue move over her flesh. "Has Jacob ever fed from you?" he asks her.

She averts her eyes. "No, I am Jessica's property. He is not allowed."

I do not know why he just asked her that question. I no longer want to stay in this house. "Rebecca, one more thing before you leave. I heard that you were the keeper of the Biltmore Hotel. Perhaps Malachi and I should stay in one of those rooms for privacy, you know."

"There will be a key waiting for you at the front desk. I will have a car drive you over. Give the driver your flesh to return to me. The sooner I have it, the better." She adds a little tone in her voice to the last part. Malachi nods to her and thanks her for her gift of blood. I want to vomit from the nausea of watching him feed. I need to eat something soon.

We ride in silence over to the hotel. He gets the key from the clerk and we ride up to the fourth floor. He opens and closes the door to our room. "Marion, we need to talk." He seems serious.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"It's about Rebecca."

"I know that she is a problem..." I start to say.

"No, it's not that...it's—"

"Spit it out," I demand.

"She's your daughter."

Chapter 10

"How do you know that she is my daughter?" I ask.

"Her blood."

A flash enters my mind. "Jacob is her father. I was pregnant when we were separated."

"Yes, I know."

I start to cry. One child is alive. Malachi holds me in his arms. "She doesn't know. Jacob said that she made small passes and innuendos but he did not see her that way. Arthur kept her from me, and Merlin hid her behind his magic. I only saw her a few times. I felt sorry for the children who were kept under lock and key. They were Merlin's apprentices. They were always looking for the next great wizard."

I do not wish to tell her without Jacob. He should know first anyway. I wipe my tears.

Just then, there is a knock on the door. Malachi opens it and the driver is standing there. "Just a minute," Malachi tells him. He closes the door and calls forth his wings. He reaches inside his feathers and pulls out a silver blade.

"I can do it," I tell him.

"No, I have to get used to it sooner or later." He takes my arm in his hand. Sliding the blade across my skin, he cuts a large triangular portion. I do not scream or cry out. I feel him scrape the bone as he digs out a chunk of my skin and muscle. I close my eyes to the pain. Somehow it is not as bad as before when Gerald cut me. Malachi opens the door and hands my skin to the man. He cringes as he takes it in his hands. "I guess you should have thought about bringing something to put it in," Malachi tells him. I find it funny. The driver turns and leaves. He heads for the service elevator.

My Angel turns to look at me. Walking up to me, he hugs me and lifts up his neck. "No," I say.

"You promised you would drink."

"I will, but later. The wound is almost healed. I want to take a shower. This room is too nice not to use all the luxuries." Malachi follows me into the bathroom. I notice that there is no shower curtain, only a glass panel. I undress and turn on the hot water to steam up the room. Malachi leans up against the vanity. "You can join me if you wish," I tell him.

"I will watch, if you don't mind."

"You should already know that I don't mind," I remind him.

I open the glass door and step inside. I do not linger in the shower. Every now and then I glance over to him. He does not look away, but I quickly turn each time. His heated gaze is too much for me. I wish he would just join me. The glass steams up to where I can no longer see him. I do not know how much he can see of me. I rinse my hair and wring it out. After turning off the water, I wipe my hand across the glass. He is no longer standing by the vanity. I get out and wrap a white fluffy towel around me.

When I enter the bedroom, he is lying under the white hotel comforter with his back resting on the headboard. No wonder white is his favorite color. It brings out the blue in his eyes. I place my knee on the bed and swing my other leg over his hips to straddle him. I am inches from his throat. I cannot resist. Leaning forward, I circle my tongue around his beating jugular and draw his skin into my mouth. He does not resist my bite as I sink my teeth into him. I haven't been fully satiated in days. I feel like I could ravish him. Instead, I release pleasure hormones into his blood stream. He moans as they take over his whole body. I feel him harden beneath my groin. The comforter is restricting him. He raises my body and pulls the covers down to free himself. I lower back down and he slides into me for the first time. I am stretched to receive him. I haven't had intercourse in months. The pain is a welcomed pleasure.

I rock my body against his hard shaft as I begin to drink. He reaches his hands up to my breasts and pulls down my towel. It falls around my butt. He grabs the ends of the towel and moves me faster as he pumps up to meet me. I can no longer hold his throat by my fangs. I release him in order to scream. Blood trickles down his neck and onto his shoulder. I lick his flesh clean before I bite him again. This time I am sucking his jugular right above his collarbone. I know that this location of my teeth hurts. He shifts his legs underneath me and rises to his knees. I hold onto his shoulders as he flips me backwards onto the mattress. I do not release him, and he is still tight within me. I close my eyes as he rotates his pelvis, pushing himself deeper inside. I feel an electrifying jolt to my center. The air is cooling all around me. I do not have to open my eyes to know that his wings are expanding and contracting above us. Our bodies are encased in his light.

He sends a shockwave to where my teeth are sunken into his flesh. Realizing that I have taken too much, I stop my drink. If he were a mortal, he would be dead from my Vampire kiss. I pull back my dark side and call forth my light. The combination of the two of us is tantalizing. I give in to my passion and surrender to its release. My bottom lip quivers. He places his hands over mine and we clasp our fingers together. He raises my arms above my head on the mattress. I stretch beneath him. He stares into my eyes as I spasm out of control. I cry out his name. I beg him not to stop, to go faster, harder, and deeper. He does not disappoint me. Lifting his upper body, he raises my legs to rest my feet on his chest. The position makes me gasp as the length of him purges my senses. Immediately I have my third orgasm. He moans my name.

He lowers my legs into the cradle of his arms. The sex was definitely worth the wait. He withdraws and before I realize it he is licking my slick flesh. I try to get away. "No," I say as I squirm. "I do not like to be cleaned this way after sex."

"I haven't even finished yet, I'm just getting started." He pulls my thighs closer to him and kisses the inside of my leg. I look down and see that indeed he is still erect. I jump when he bites me. He never liked to bite while pleasuring me. My body tenses as I feel my blood being pulled into him. I lay my head back down and my breasts rise and fall with my quickened breaths.

He is busy concentrating down below. I take my nipple and tweak the pebble. My stomach tightens again, and I shake uncontrollably. I am on the verge of losing all consciousness. When I ride my wave back down, I can no longer move. He positions himself to enter me again.

"Wait, no more, I can't," I beg.

"Are you saying that you are fully satisfied?"

I hesitate at his question. He should know that I am beyond fulfilled. I do not answer him. He mistakes my silence as an invitation for more. My flesh accepts him again. I gasp. His rigid rod is rubbing my nub in just the right way. Moving faster and faster, I peak again, bringing him with me this time. He rests his head on my breasts as I run my fingers through his hair.

After he catches his breath, he kisses me gently at first then elevates me with a heart-melting passionate kiss that leaves me wanting more sex. I push him up off of me, and we are kneeling, facing each other on the bed. We lock lips again. I realize how tired I am and slow down my advances. We do not have to make up for everything all in one night. I crumple over and sink into the mattress. Resting my head on my pillow, I pull the comforter up to my chest. The sheets and blanket feel good against my naked flesh.

"Come here," I tell him. He puts his wings back to where they belong and settles beside me to rest his head on top of my abdomen. The sun is rising in the east. I send out a mental image and close the heavy curtains. Malachi has never seen me move objects with my mind. I do not know why I haven't shown him.

"Do you think that you can move blades and spears with a thought?" he asks.

"I assume so, but I have never really tried to do much other than open and close blinds and curtains."

"We will try to work on that skill in training. It could give you an extra advantage." He wraps his arms round my waist and hugs me. I run my hand up and down his back, soothing him. His breathing slows, and I realize that he is sleeping. I start to silently cry as I acknowledge the meaning of his slumber. I am his life partner, yet Jacob is mine.

He wakes, wanting my body again. I surrender time and time again. When I go to shower, he is already sleeping again. He looks so happy and peaceful, but I am tearing in two. I do not reprimand myself for my actions. I will not deny my feelings for Malachi, and to do so now would be hypocritical. His tender touch is lovely, emotional, and soulful. Jacob is territorial, predatory, and raw. I find them both satisfying. When the water washes away the evidence on my body, I release my tears from my heart. I haven't heard anything from Jacob since I made love to someone else. I fear that he knows.

Not noticing anything around me, I feel Malachi wrap his arms around me. He holds me as I cry. No questions are asked. We wash each other and dry off. Night is almost here, time to train. I look around the room for my clothes. I do not find them.

"Where are my clothes?" I ask.

"I sent them to be cleaned. I transported back home and packed a bag for us. We are going to stay here to train. I do not want to miss them when Jess and Rebecca get back."

"When did you go back home?"

"After you were in the shower for so long, I thought I would be back before you got out. I didn't expect to find you so upset. I'm sorry if I am the cause of your tears."

I walk over to him and kiss him. "You are perfect. My sorrow has nothing to do with you. I just can't hear him anymore. I do not know what is happening."

Malachi runs his hand through his hair. "He is getting stronger rather than weaker. I believe he is blocking you now where he couldn't before. I think he knows your feelings towards me have changed and that we have been intimate together. He shouldn't be upset about it since he ordered us to have sex. He is giving you the space you need to make your choice. If that is the case then he knows he will be returning soon. He has found a way. Still, we will go about our mission just in case."

I am mad nonetheless. Jacob has no right to block me. He heard me say that I would always choose him, so why is he making me betray him this way? I march over to the duffel bag and pull out one of the two low-cut dresses. I bypass the white one and pick the black one. It is night after all and I am feeling very much like a Vampire. I put the dress on with the split in the front instead of the back. I am working with blades. I do not need to fly and if I do, I can just remove it easily enough. I turn and see Malachi holding out several leather straps with blades attached. He walks up to me and kneels down. As he straps the leather to each thigh, I watch him work. Next, he ties a belt around my waist that contains about a dozen throwing blades. Finally, he places bands on my forearms that each has a knife that runs from my wrist to my elbow. I am going to end up stabbing myself. After I am weighted down, he stands back to look at me.

"It's heavy," I say.

"It weighs the same as the weapons to be implanted. You should get used to running, jumping, climbing, and flying with the steel on you. Take the sword."

"Shouldn't we start off with less and then add more to it?"

"No," he says as he slips into his pants. He is wearing jeans. I have never seen him in a pair of denim. He looks nice. I go to hug him but he stops me. "No," he repeats. I do not know why he has an attitude. I watch as he goes into the small closet and comes back out with a backpack. I know that he has torture weapons in there. Gerald's backpack certainly did.

"Why do you need that thing?" I ask. "You are a walking weapon."

"I will not use my blades on you. They are a part of me. They will never touch your blood. Now you should go. I will follow close behind. I am your enemy once you leave the hotel doors. There is no surrender. I do not have to tell you not to hit my heart. Flying is permitted this time, but only after midnight. We are on a secured estate and everyone has a curfew here. We do not stop until morning."

I shake my head and sigh. I am no warrior, but he is trying to make me one. I fear that I will die before that ever happens. My stamina and strength are where they should be, but I cannot handle a sword. There is no slow process to his teachings. I do not say anything to him. Marching past him, I open the door and head for the elevator. Once inside, I pull a knife from my belt and cut my shoulder straps. Tying the front two around my neck, I make a halter dress. The back straps fall to my waist. I tuck the loose fabric into my belt and then replace my knife. My shoulders are bare and ready to transform. The elevator dings and someone steps on board. She stares at me, and I blink my eyes at her. She is the woman from the dungeon that wore the purple shirt, the one that I kissed. I look at the floor. I must look ridiculous.

"Hello," she says. "Good to see you're still hanging around. Jacob seems to be on another vacation. I haven't had to work in a week. Jessica and Becca are gone now too. I am running low on funds. If you are thirsty, I would be happy to offer." I feel that she wants me to say yes.

"I do not have any funds on me," I tell her.

"You can arrange for the front desk to pay me." She pushes the stop button on the elevator and advances towards me. I think she must really need money. No human should be this forward for a Vampire to drink from them. She takes a knife from my belt and raises it to her throat. As she slices her neck, I watch the blood flow down her neck and pool on her collarbone. The smell is sweeter than I remember her being. I think that the added blood could be to my advantage in my fight with Malachi. Licking my lips, I close my mouth around her skin and drink. After the first swallow, I know that I have been tricked. Her red liquid burns going down. I fall to the elevator floor. Her blood tastes of Demon. I scream inside for the only one who can help me, Jacob.

Chapter 11

When I awake, I see Charles standing over me. "Why am I not dead? I drank your blood." I cannot see clearly as my vision falters. I notice that my blades are gone but at least I am still dressed.

"I gave a human my blood. If you drank from a Vampire or from me directly you definitely would not be here."

"But I thought you want me dead, so why I am I still alive?" I try to sit up. He comes over to help me.

"Jacob could have killed me twice, but instead he gave me more chances than I deserved. You mean everything to him. I will not try to take you away from him again. You have my word and my service." He bows his head to me while sitting on the bed.

"You know what I am? Did you tell anyone?"

"No. I went to Purgatory but I never revealed your identity. Jacob had both me and Deborah released. I am to train you to fight Demons. When you are ready, you will strike me down. I will not be banished but will die instead. Only a death can release Jacob from Lilith's hold. I can demand anything I want and it has to be honored."

"Why would you do this for us?"

Charles looked at me intently. "I deserve to die for what I did to you. I will gladly die for Jacob. I may be his Demon but I was a good Guardian for him. With Deborah no longer acting as his Angel, you will be assigned to the job as protector. He will have no Demon. It is the best chance he has to make the right choices to save the world."

"What makes you so sure that he will want to save the world and not release Hell on earth?"

"What makes you doubt it?" He spits the words at me. My vision is getting clearer. I look at his gray eyes. I do not know why he is on the side of good versus evil. I do not say anything. He continues to speak. "Do you know what his name means?" he asks.

"I know that he is called by his last name," I say as Charles shakes his head.

"No, not Jacob, his Vampire name, Alasdair. It is a derivative of his human name, Alexander. It means 'defender of mankind.' He has always known that this is his fate. Lilith told him centuries ago that he would be hers to ravish in Hell."

"You mean that she is down there having sex with him." Lilith is beautiful with her red hair and feminine curves. She has bigger breasts and hips than I do. She is taller and her skin is perfection.

"You do not think of her as a Demon. You see only her human facade. She is red and muscular. Her feet are talons and her flesh will burn you. If she touches him, he is being tortured. Rest assured, it is not the sex that you are imagining."

I feel ashamed for thinking that way. "When do we start training?"

"When you are fully rested, we will start. I had Claudia bring some clothes for you. She will be your meals while you are here. Her blood is already purified, but I will not let you drink from her until tomorrow. Rest now."

I cannot believe that Charles is going to sacrifice himself in this way. I still hate him, but a little less now. Malachi will worry when he cannot find me. I wonder if he can track me from the blood that I drank from him. I know Jacob could but he is a Vampire. Maybe this is all a trap. I will only learn sword play from Charles. He will not see my wings or my light. I will make him only train at night so that he does not know that I can go out in the sun. My guard will be up the entire time. I sink into the bed and rest, but I do not sleep.

Charles does not overload me with weapons. He teaches me one at a time, and his methods are ruthless. He moves like no Angel or Vampire, and he fights dirty. Never does he make any advances towards me. He is strictly professional. I will dread killing him when the time comes. Although he flashes his teeth at me a time or two, he never breaks my skin. Malachi's blood should be long gone by now, but then I realize that my blood is poison to Charles now that I can switch from Vampire to Angel.

For four nights, we have battled. He never takes me out in the daylight. I am glad he does not know the extent of my powers. After seeing him fight, I know that Malachi was right before when he said that Jacob was able to banish Charles too easily in the dungeon. Charles did not fight up to his potential.

I am in full weapons mode. He is circling me with his sword drawn. I have my arm bands on with their slicing blades protruding outwards. I also have my leather straps on each thigh. I can hold my own against him now, but I have yet to beat him. Tonight, I will. I throw my dagger quickly into the air, followed by the one attached to my leg. I run at him screaming. He does not know whether to follow the daggers with his eyes or to look at me. Finally, he turns to me. I smile. I mentally force the daggers to change course and fall as I slice him with the blade on my left arm. He swings his sword but I move quickly around. As he turns to face me, the dagger propels through his right shoulder and lodges against his bone. He kneels to the ground, and I cut him again. I knock him over onto his back, and the ground jars the dagger deeper into his flesh and bone. I hold my hand up towards the sky, waiting for the second dagger to fall into my palm. I straddle him and drive the blade down with force just inches from his heart. He gasps, but does not move.

"You've been holding back," he grits through his teeth.

"A woman can't reveal all her secrets," I tell him.

"You are ready. I've sent Claudia to bring Malachi here. She should be there by now, and it should take him about an hour to fly out here. We are not far from Jacob's estate."

I was about to inform him that Malachi could travel faster without his wings when I see the trees flash to the side of me. I release Charles from my dagger and help him to get to his feet. Once standing, he reaches over his head to his back and pulls at the dagger lodged in his shoulder.

Malachi appears and looks at the both of us standing there covered in blood. After assessing the situation, he rips out his wings and charges us. As I move to block Charles, I see Malachi frown as he spins around me. Charles turns as Malachi drives his spear into his neck, severing his jugular.

"No, Malachi. He is helping me," I yell at him.

"He kidnapped you. If his intentions were pure then he would have come to me instead of stealing you in the night like a thief." Malachi pushes his spear into Charles' rib and through his lung. I hear Charles let out his breath, but he still stands.

"Now, Marion. The time has come, but it has to be you who kills me," Charles gurgles in his own blood.

"I am sorry, Charles. I hope your journey is well and that you can find peace." I stab my bloody dagger through his back and pierce his heart. He crumbles to the ground and his flesh disintegrates. All that is left are his bones. Before, when he was stabbed by Jacob, he just turned to ash. This time, I know that I have killed him.

Malachi backs away from me. "What happened to you? I have been searching for days. I thought you were gone." He retracts his spears and folds in his wings. In his hurry, I hear a ripping sound from behind his back. I see the grimace on his face, and I know that his weapon just sliced him internally. I walk over to him as I see him starting to glow.

"Drink my blood," I order. "It will heal you quicker." He does not need to be offered twice. Pulling my head back by my hair, he latches onto me and bites. I close my eyes and draw in his scent. I have missed him. The blood on my sliced-up shirt is staining his bare chest red. I break his hold on my neck. He is taking too much too quickly. I do not think that he has had any nourishment since I left.

"Come. I need to get my things from his house, and we will be on our way. It is time that you take me to meet the Fallen. I am ready," I inform him.

"Well, I just got you back, and I am not ready." He draws my face upwards and kisses me. I melt in his arms. Careful not to cut him with my arm bands, I lift my hands over his head and wrap my arms around his shoulders. I kiss him back just as eagerly, pushing my tongue past his lips. His hand is slipping under my clothes. I have to stop this before it goes any further.

"Malachi, we do not have time. Charles is going to bargain for Jacob's release as he passes through Purgatory. We have to implant the weapons before he crosses the barrier."

He steps back away from me. "Marion, what have you done? Mankind is better off as long as Jacob stays in Hell."

"No, you mean that you are better off if he is not here to take his rightful place by my side. The longer he is down there the more damage is done to his soul."

"You cannot fix what is already broken. Yes, I know you will leave me the moment he returns so yes, it is safe to say that I prefer he never comes back."

I move to slap him across the face. He grabs my arm to stop me. The blade on my arm band slices through his hand. He does not let go. His eyes glow a deeper blue than I recognize. Tensing his jaw, he opens his mouth to speak to me in a slow growl. "No." I see his fangs flash in the moonlight. My heart skips a beat as I realize that I am seeing his anger directed at me for the first time. He is fierce. I blink my eyes quickly as tears stream down my cheeks. I have always told him that he is my second choice. To be so close to losing me must be devastating to him. I am to him as Jacob is to me. I should show him some respect.

"I'm sorry. I never should have raised my hand to you," I say as the anger leaves his face. He lets go of my arm and closes his hand into a tight fist to try to stop the bleeding.

"I lost control. It is I who should be apologizing. Jacob has been nothing but kind to me. I have no right to claim you. I'm sorry. The time has come for me to be your Guardian once more." He looks down at Charles' bones lying on the grass in the shadow. "I need to disperse what is remaining of the Demon so Lilith cannot raise him from the dead. You do not need to go back to the house. I have a residence near the meeting place. None of your clothes would work there anyway."

"I am not going back for clothes," I say as I reach up to caress my neck. He has to notice that the necklace he gave me isn't there.

"That is of little importance now," he says as he starts to pick up bone fragments. I grimace at the sticky substance that stretches among the pieces as he breaks them apart. The juicy noises alone are making me sick.

"I can't stay here and watch, and who are you to say what is important to me or not? It is my gift, and I choose to retrieve it." I turn my back and head towards the house.

"Are you going to wear it for him when he makes love to you?" His voice is like a knife cutting through the air. I do not turn back to look at him. The sight would only break my heart as his words just did.

When I reach the house, I enter and grab all of my belongings, which is not much considering they are mostly Claudia's clothes. I change quickly into something that is not covered in blood. I put my necklace in my pocket. When I am done, Malachi is standing outside. "I told you not to worry about your clothes. Put them down. Did you get the necklace?"

"Yes, I told you that it is mine. Everyone will just have to get used to it. Where are we staying?" I ask.

"We are going to transport to the ice mountain; thus, you will have to leave your belongings here. It is located on top of a glacier up north. I know you prefer the cold but your clothes just will not do."

"Why didn't you just say so instead of acting all secretive?" I drop the bag on the front stoop. "What did you do with the body?"

"It is best that you do not know all of the locations, but he is scattered all over the world. If you cannot contain Jacob, you must kill him and do the same."

"Never," I say before swallowing hard.

"Then maybe you are not the right Guardian for the job. I will have to find an alternative."

"I didn't ask for any of this," I remind him.

"No, your Vampire husband did. Congratulations, you are a newlywed once more."

"What are you talking about? You are acting strange."

He steps up to me and looks directly into my face. His eyes search for my reaction as he speaks. "Instead of making love to you like I wanted, we spent our last night together fighting. I can no longer touch you, caress you, or kiss you." He closes his eyes. "Your plan has worked. Jacob just broke through to this realm. We will see him at the committee in five days."

I breathe in deeply as I stroke his face. A single tear breaks free and falls onto his chest.

"We need to go." Before he even finishes the last word, he flashes his light as he grabs my shoulders. We disappear from the night.

When we form back together, it is daylight and the brightness hurts my eyes. I strain to look around before I realize that my eyes are still brown. I need to recognize the need to shift a little quicker from Vampire to Angel and vice versa. I shiver against the cold even though I should be immune to it. Malachi apparently is used to it. His is shirtless and the light caresses over each ripple of his muscles. I catch myself before I reach out to touch him.

"This way," he says. We walk up some carved-out steps towards a large rectangular opening. The ice is sculpted beautifully and the blue of the sky and the gray of the sea make the glacier look like a little piece of Heaven.

I do not speak as I enter the massive space. Inside, there are thousands upon thousands of Fallen. Some have their wings expanded but most do not. Malachi grabs my hand and leads me to the front to a large table where eleven men and women are seated. He sits down in the empty chair and leaves me to stand behind him.

The group of gatherers whisper amongst themselves before Malachi raises his hand. Silence fills the air. Malachi addresses the crowd. "The legend is true. I am here today to seek approval to perform the necessary operation to anoint the Angel-hybrid with weapons, making her a warrior. The woman you see behind me is the chosen one. Her charge just broke through the barrier, and I assume he will seek to find her. We must vote quickly. I will perform the procedure myself and will take it upon myself to kill her and her charge if she fails at her task. You have my word..."

The rest of his words blur together after he says that he will kill me and Jacob if it looks like I am failing. I guess that is the alternative that he came up with since I will never kill Jacob myself. I know that Malachi will do as he promises. I regain my composure when I hear him ask if anyone objects.

"She is part Vampire. How do you know that you are not just making the charge stronger?" someone says.

"You are coupled with her. I have seen your bond. You almost killed me for even touching her." That voice belongs to Gerald. I look and see Harrietta nodding in agreement.

"She is no longer my mate. I am only her Guardian." Closing my eyes as he says it, I try not to cry.

Gerald does not let it go. "How can you protect her if you cannot couple with her to make your bond stronger? You do love her?"

"Always. Our bond was not formed based on sex," Malachi answers.

People start whispering all over the room. Gerald speaks again. "Malachi, I am sorry. I did not know."

"Are there any other doubts as to my love for her?" No one opens their mouths to protest against him.

"You may know that the prophecy is true, but how do we know for sure?" a woman calls out.

Malachi rises from his chair. "You will not believe me on my word alone?" People in the crowd start nodding their heads. Most are in acceptance, but enough waver in their decision. He steps back to me and reaches for my shirt. I know he means to remove it.

"Now, in front of everyone?" I whisper.

"Immortals do not mind nudity, but I forget how long you were human. Besides, you will not be totally exposed." He pulls my shirt over my head. I see him look me over as he steps back. He is no doubt noticing my scar lines from Charles, but then he pauses at my breasts. I know he can see my nipples constricted in this icy cold environment. His eyes start to smolder and lighten. I move my arms to wrap around my chest and ribs. Malachi shakes his head no. I obey and drop my hands to my sides. He turns back to the audience.

"You can sense that she is Vampire. Yes?" They all nod in agreement. "Good. You shall see that she is also Angel." He turns his head to me. "There is a time and place for everything." He reminds me of something he said once before, and I know his meaning.

I call forth my wings. They rip through my shoulder blades and expand into the space behind me. I hear people gasping, but a few people are grumbling. Not feeling like I convinced everyone in the room, I beat my wings to hover above the crowd. I call forth my light. The ice walls are so bright. People start to shield their eyes with their hands. Listening down below, my sensitive ears pick up a derogatory comment about Jacob. I am angered to the point of projecting my light to strike them down. Needing to pull myself back so that I do not attack my allies, I try to calm myself. Instead, my aura is getting brighter and hotter. My wings look almost silver as they gleam out to my sides. I cannot afford to blow up like a bomb.

Malachi is watching in awe and fascination. I do not think that he realizes that I am putting everyone in jeopardy. I fly back to the front of the room where he is standing, and land on the table in front of him, my back to the crowd. He is glowing as he runs his hand up and down my leg. "You amaze me more and more every day," he says.

"You have to get me out of here. I do not know how to stop from sending out a charging pulse. I am controlling it but I do not know how to stop it from going off."

"Turn around," he tells me. I do so slowly. The fallen Angels are bowing to me in what looks like a ripple of a wave. I look at Malachi and see that he too is on his knee.

I think that I should address the crowd. I take a deep breath and speak. "The challenge that lies ahead will determine not only the fate of mankind, but victory will also give you all a second chance at judgment. Your loyalty and service mean a great deal to me. I will send word when the war begins. Now rise. Spend time preparing for battle but also spend time holding your loved ones."

One by one the people rise. "I think that it is time we leave," Malachi says. "I assume the vote for the procedure is yes." The other eleven people at the table raise their right hands and nod yes. Malachi starts glowing before he wraps his arms around my waist. We both flap our wings and head out the large rectangular entryway. He directs me over the sea and releases me.

"When we are underwater, let off your charged energy when I am far enough away. Fold in your wings before you hit the surface. The entrance to my home is against that iceberg over there about twenty feet below." Malachi pulls his wings in tightly behind him and nose dives. I follow. Before I breach the water, I collapse my wings back into my body and hit hard. The force makes me lose control of my energy, and it explodes outward like a bomb. The sandy ocean floor swirls all around me. I am temporarily blinded.

When the substrate clears, I see Malachi is unconscious and floating to the surface. I swim over and up to him. Grabbing his leg, I pull him down to me. I pound his chest to expel any water that he may have swallowed and quickly kiss him before he tries to breathe again. I try to imitate how Jacob saved my life at the waterfall. Parting Malachi's lips with my tongue, I close my mouth around him and breathe. I feel his chest rise and fall with my hand. We are too far from any shore so I head in the direction of his home.

I struggle trying to move him through the cold water while continuing to breathe for him. Once I find the opening, I drag him up and break through the surface. We are inside some kind of ice cave. I pull him up the steps and onto a ledge. There is no door but I feel Malachi's force field. Remembering how I was able to get into Gerald's home, I turn on my light. Once I realize that I can indeed go in, I grab his shoulders and pull him through.

I keep moving until I reach his bed. Propping him upon the mattress, I remove his wet pants. His skin is a bluish iridescent color. He cannot keep himself warm while unconscious. I swing his feet up and position him under the massive amount of covers. I strip off my clothes to join him. Once I climb on top of him, I give him several more breaths of my air. He is slow to start breathing on his own. I pound on his chest.

"Where is your necklace?"

I turn to see Gerald standing outside the doorway. "How long have you been here?" I ask, mortified, as I flatten myself against Malachi's chest.

"No time for modesty, child. I've seen them before and like he said, immortals can walk around nude all day and no one would care. Now where is your necklace?"

"It's in my pants pocket."

"Put it on and warm him up with your body. I know you two had a fight, but he will die if you do not do as I say. You are not married to Jacob until the committee says it is so. Do not hesitate with what is required of you now."

"How do you know we had a fight and that we are no longer intimate?" I ask as I reach down to pick up my jeans.

"Malachi called for me when you went missing. I was close by when Charles died. I arrived moments later and watched the whole thing. After you left, I helped disperse the remains. It is better if no one person knows the location of where all of the bones lie. I will leave you to your task."

"What do you want me to do?" I do not completely understand.

"Wear your necklace and make love to him like you mean it."

"But he is unconscious."

"If he is to live, then he will respond in time." I watch him jump off the ledge and back into the water. I do not know why they chose this desolate place for a home. I sit up and put the necklace around me. I lean back down on top of Malachi and kiss him again. I give him another breath, but as I come back up, I pull on his bottom lip. I move my body against him, and I kiss his nonresponsive lips. My fingers curl through his hair. I kiss his eyelids one by one. My breasts graze his chiseled chest. I close my eyes and feel my love for him that I have been trying so hard to deny. My pelvis is rubbing and grinding against his hips. My need is growing even though he does not touch me. I call forth my aura and encase him in my light. His body is starting to warm. I see a flash of light come out of my chest and into him. He stirs beneath me and moans. His voice is weak at first but grows stronger as he calls my name. I feel his hands slide up and down my sides as I continue to move against him. He is starting to harden in reaction to me. I clasp my hand around his shaft as I kiss his neck and shoulder. I rub him in a soft then hard, long then short pattern. He opens his eyes.

"Marion, what are doing?" he whispers.

"I need you again," I say.

"No." He tries to push me off, but I slam him back onto the bed.

"I am not taking no for an answer. I have a growing need between my legs, and you are going to attend to it."

"I cannot satisfy you. You do not want me." He shoves me harder, and I roll over onto my side.

"Then you should leave now while I take care of it myself." Malachi watches as I slip my hand beneath the covers and spread my legs. My breasts rise and fall as I stroke my nipple with my free hand. I sigh. He lifts the covers to get a peek and then lowers them back down. Looking at the door, he gets up to leave. He turns back to look at me. His side profile shows off his massive erection against the white of the walls. "Please don't go. I need you, and I want you to make love to me."

"You are a married woman."

"Not until the committee announces it, and I proclaim Jacob to be mine."

"That is just a technicality. You know you are his in your heart."

"Well, in that case, my heart belongs to you too. You must know that is true." He comes back around to face me. I am resting on my side, propped up on my elbow. My hair falls behind me toward the pillow.

"You are beautiful. And I do love you. You saved my life just now. You do not know how much I appreciate that."

"Then show me," I say as I raise the covers for him. He accepts the invitation and gets back in bed with me.

"Now what was it you were doing with your hand under the covers?" He smiles.

"Your tongue is much more thorough," I purr.

He dips his head beneath the blankets and pulls me up towards him. I raise my thighs for him as I feel his fingers spread my flesh wider. His tongue is warm and moist against me. I relax and give in to his skillful techniques. My stomach is already tightening with anticipation of my orgasm. I do not take long to surrender to my pleasure. I cry out as he quickly pulls me to the side of the bed. He throws the covers off his back and thrusts into me with a fury. This is not his usual style. It is Jacob's. He is being dominant and rough. I ride the bed as it moves side to side as he pounds into me again and again. I scream as his size is hurting me. After several more cries, I get accustomed to him being so deeply inside me. He leans down on top of me and grabs my shoulders, pulling me down to meet him as he drives forward. I gasp when he bites me. He is being a predator. My eyes darken and I wrap my legs around his waist. I want to bite down hard on his shoulder, but I choose not to. I do not want his blood in me. His voice turns into a pleasurable growl. I feel him release his seed into me and the thought of it makes me shake uncontrollably.

I lower my legs off his back. He stands. His smile turns quickly hostile, and I see his wings expand behind him. His spears emerge from the tips. I close my eyes for a brief second. The sight of him like this is frightening. He turns quickly around. I see black wings with shiny blades flashing before I hear the sound of metal clanking together. Jacob and Malachi are fighting right in front of me. They could kill each other. I sit up in the bed and shout at the both of them. No one is looking at me. They are cutting each other to pieces. After I have seen enough of this behavior, I rise from the bed and try to leave. I feel my shoulder get slashed. By whose blade, I do not know.

When I wake, my head is in Malachi's lap. His light is all around me, and his still naked manhood is under my head. I am drinking Jacob's blood from his wrist. He is sitting beside me. My eyes are looking between the two of them. No one is injured or dying. I wish that I could just disappear. I push Jacob's wrist away. I do not wish to drink too much now. I prefer to drink from him during sex. I lift my head and try to crawl under the covers.

"No," Jacob says as he grabs my wrist to stop me. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. Please do not hide from me now." I turn my gaze to Malachi, who is getting up off the bed.

"How did you get past the door anyway?" I ask as I see Malachi leave to find some clothes.

"What do you mean? I just walked up the steps and heard him hurting you. After a few minutes I knew it was pleasure instead so I got outraged and charged after him."

"But there is a force field, and he was only hurting me at first. How long have you been there?" I realize that Malachi probably held him at bay until he finished having sex with me. He must have been aggressive because he knew that Jacob was on his way here. My temper flares at the thought.

"I know you well enough to know that he satisfied you completely." Jacob stands and walks away. "Have you made your choice?" he asks me with his back to me.

"Turn around," I say as I get up to move towards him. When he faces me, I kiss him. He responds by taking me in his arms. I know that I smell of Malachi, and I also know that he detests the taste of him on my lips. His kisses are hard, almost bruising my mouth. My lips are swelling in response. He backs me up towards the bed. I panic. I cannot do this in Malachi's bed. Realizing that I have on the necklace, I reach up and remove it. While placing it on the bedside table, I notice that the blue pearl is now a dull gray color. My thoughts quickly turn to Jacob. I can read his mind now that I have had his blood, but he cannot read mine. He wants to bite me so he knows for sure that he is the one I want.

"Jacob, I cannot do this here, just as I could not stay with Malachi at your house."

"You mean our house," he reminds me.

I cringe at my choice of words. Malachi walks back into the room in a pair of shorts, and he is carrying a waterproof bag. "I have to go make preparations for the procedure. We will begin at dusk. You have permission for the use of my room for the day. Do with it as you wish. Jacob, I am truly sorry for my behavior. Marion is yours. I acknowledge you as her mate." Malachi sees the necklace on the table and sighs. He knows that I took it off. "The stone may not shine anymore, but you should wear it. I may need to make it glow once more for you." He leaves through the door and jumps into the water.

"What does that mean?" I ask Jacob.

"He did not tell you what the necklace represents?" After I shake my head no, he tells me. "Malachi placed his essence into that stone. If you were to die, his soul would enter you and revive you."

"But what would that mean? I do not understand how he could be living without his soul."

"He would have to die in order to bring you back to life from a total death." I gasp at the knowledge.

"So when Malachi was dying, that is why Gerald told me to put on the necklace and make love to him. Once I started there was a light that shot from my chest to his heart."

"I would assume that his essence is no longer in the stone. The fact that he hasn't replaced it yet means that either he is too weak to do so or chooses not to at this time." He takes my hand in his. "Marion, I cannot make love to you with you smelling like him, and I choose not to before he performs this procedure on you. He will know if I touch you, and he does not need those thoughts running around in his head while he is cutting you open and snapping your bones."

"Will you be there?" I ask.

"I will stay if you insist and only if he doesn't mind. It will ultimately be his choice. Your life is in his hands. I have to trust him and so do you."

"Will you hold me?" I ask him.

"Of course." He climbs into bed and settles under the covers. I rest my head on his chest and wrap my arm around him. I breathe in his scent. He smells masculine, woodsy, and of the sea. I know that he has been to the estate because of the smell of pine trees.

"How did you get here?" I ask.

"Deborah transported me."

I scowl at the mention of her name and the fact that they embraced so closely during the teleporting process.

"Does that bother you?" He must have noticed my reaction.

"It shouldn't, considering, but yes, it does upset me."

"Good, at least I know you are still territorial towards me."

"Jacob, I love you. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't throw me up against the wall and reclaim me even with him here."

"The thought did cross my mind, but I've waited so long for what I want to do to you. I am not going to rush things now. Plus, I believe we have another wedding coming up."

"But that is five days from now. I can't wait that long."

"Marion, I need some time to adjust. Consider it foreplay." He smiles down at me.

With everything going on, I had forgotten about what he must have gone through. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. In time, maybe, I don't know. It's not something you want to hear, and I don't want to relive it. You should probably get some rest."

I close my eyes and snuggle up closer to him. I am almost drifting off to sleep when his voice breaks into my mind. I didn't smell Malachi's blood in you when you were bleeding. Is it safe to drink from you? I do not answer him. He does not need to hear my thoughts, and I am too tired to block them.

Jacob wakes me as the night approaches. I dread what lies ahead for me. He tells me to just put on something simple since there will be a robe waiting for me when we arrive. I hesitate to get back into the icy water. The coldness takes my breath away. I follow Jacob as he swims straight up beside the iceberg. I notice that he has reached a ladder and is now climbing to the surface. I follow. He helps me up and onto a platform. His wings are already out and ready for flight. I go to remove my shirt.

"No, I will carry you," he tells me. I look at him standing there as the moon is rising behind him. I swear I see reddish sparks in his irises. I blink at him.

"What?" he asks as he seems uncomfortable.

"Nothing," I comment quickly as I wrap my arms around his shoulders. He bends down and swoops up my legs. His wings create a chilling air around us. I shiver and move closer to his bare chest.

"You're freezing." He speeds up his flight, and we land a few moments later. I am shaking and trembling all over. Harrietta runs over with a robe as I am rushed into another carved doorway. I do not understand how anyone could survive more than an hour outside. Jacob grabs the robe and holds it out to shield my body as I remove my clothes. Once naked, he wraps the warm terry cloth material around me, and I slide my arms inside.

"Come. It's warmer in the room." He leads me towards a big wooden door that is somehow attached to the ice. Once inside, I am about knocked backwards by the heat. The walls are insulated to keep the ice from melting, and there are three stoves that are heating the space. In the center of the room, there is a six-foot-wide stainless steel table that is about eight feet long. Ridges in the table run lengthwise and lead to a bucket hanging on a hook at the end of the table. I gulp as I realize that the bucket is to catch my blood. The room is brightly lit.

Malachi is not there yet. I need time to warm up. Jacob wraps his arms around me from behind and draws me back into him. I lean my head towards his shoulder and close my eyes. He sways back and forth, soothing me. I jump when the door opens.

"Jacob, are you staying?" Malachi does not even look at me.

"Yes."

"You know what I will do. You may need to hold her down. The procedure will take less time if you do one side and I the other. You will need to give her your blood since I assume that she will no longer drink from me."

"I will do it," Jacob answers.

"Good. Then get her in position and let's begin."

Jacob unties my robe and pulls it off my shoulders. He leads me to the table and helps me to lie on top of it. Surprisingly, the metal is warm beneath my skin. Malachi pulls the drape off of the first tray and and I see surgical instruments neatly lined from smallest to largest. The second tray is larger and contains the weapons and hooks. I breathe in deeply as I look at them.

Malachi turns to face me. I see his eyes graze up and down my body. Jacob looks down at the floor. "Sit up and expand your wings." I rise to a seated position and thrust my wings out to the side. I hear Jacob draw in a breath as he sees their bluish-gray color. His hand runs down the length of the wing closest to him. I smile at him as I lay back down. The position is uncomfortable with the bulk of feathers at my back. Stretching my right wing tightly out to the side, Malachi places his hand in two locations about six inches apart.

"Look at me," Jacob says. As soon as I turn my head, I feel pressure and then hear the snapping of bone right before the pain shoots up my appendage. I scream in pain. Blood oozes from the break and onto the floor. Malachi grabs a steel hook and maneuvers it through my feathers and into my bone. He closes the break around it and holds it in place. I turn my head to look at Malachi in time to see him nod at Jacob. I scream as Jacob breaks the bone in my left wing. He takes a hook from the tray and repeats the process of placing it in my bone.

Just as my right wing fuses back together, Malachi moves up to the midpoint and snaps my bones again. Tears roll out of my eyes as Jacob quickly does the same to his side. I do not scream this time, but my legs are crawling up the table as I squirm in pain. After the two new hooks are in place, Malachi pauses as he grabs the thickest part of the bone closest to my head. "The humerus bone hurts the most and is the hardest to break. It will take the both of us to do one side. Come around."

Jacob hesitates. "If you do not assist me then I will have to get out the saw. You should know that the healing is slower if I have to cut the bone." Walking around my head, Jacob comes to my right side and grabs near my shoulder joint. Counting up to three, they each pull down. I jerk my broken wing away and sit up on the table. My voice is hoarse from screaming.

"Hold her down. We have to align the bones before she heals." I shove Jacob away from me and swing my feet off the table. Jacob is right in my face. His eyes are simmering a red hue beneath his almost black irises. The sight reminds me of campfire embers at night.

"Lie down," he hisses at me. He places his hand on each shoulder and lowers me to my back. I grimace as my wing shifts and the broken end pieces grind together. "Be still. Be quiet. I cannot take anymore screaming." Malachi bites his tongue from speaking. When my bones are in the proper place and the metal hook is inserted, I do not even whimper. My body trembles, and I feel cold even though it is almost a hundred degrees in here.

Jacob walks over to the left side. Malachi stops at the head of the table and stares down into my eyes. "One more time," he says as he brushes the hair away from my face. I nod my head up and down, signaling that I am ready. Malachi lifts his arm over my head and rests it on my chest. I hear Jacob growl low in his throat. "I have to hold her down. You need to be ready to give her your blood. Now on the count of three. One, two..." I hear the snap and shout out once more. I try to rise but Malachi holds me down with his arm across me and his hand now on my shoulder. My teeth extend, and I bite hard into his arm tearing away at his flesh.

Jacob is now standing against the door. I hear his thoughts. He is struggling to stay in the room. He wants to be here for me but the heat and my screams remind him of his torturous ordeal with Lilith. The fact that he is causing this pain in my body is too much for him. Malachi is not fighting my malicious chewing of his flesh, I release his arm. "Go," I plead with Jacob through my clenched jaws.

"No," he says as he steps forward. Malachi looks towards him. "I've got it from here," Malachi says. "You should wait outside. She's already swallowed my blood so your purpose here is done." Jacob runs his fingers through his hair and then opens the door. Once he has left, Malachi places the final hook and holds my bones together to mend. I bite my bottom lip and moan in pain. My body is exhausted, my mind is in turmoil, and my heart is torn in two once again.

Malachi releases my left wing and tells me to lie still. He walks over to the sink in the corner and pours cool water and soap into a large stainless steel bowl. After getting a towel out from under the sink, he heads in my direction. I did not think that I was capable of sweating anymore, but I notice that liquid drops are pooling on my body. Malachi dips the towel in the bowl and squeezes out the excess water. Going to the head of the table, he starts by washing my face. The coolness of the cloth startles me but I relax into it quickly and close my eyes.

He runs the rag down my neck while caressing my face with his free hand. When he reaches my breasts, I open my eyes. He is staring directly at me. The light is dancing across his blue eyes. I cannot look away from his beauty as he lowers his hand to clean my stomach. Then he comes around to the side of the table and rinses out the cloth. He raises one leg at a time by bending my knee and placing my foot on the table. I lift my head to watch him move his skillful hands across my body to cleanse my lower half. He rinses out the rag again before he urges my thighs apart. I am too weak to stop him. I do not voice my protest. I turn my head as he slowly encircles my center and inner thighs. He finishes and drops the rag into the bowl. Walking over to the stoves, he turns two of them off so the room will start to cool. My wings are still hurting from their abuse. Malachi picks up the rag again and gently washes my feathers. The water runs red as it drips down the ridges and into the bucket. His touch is delicate and I only notice a dulling pain as he finishes both sides.

"Drink," he instructs as he holds his wrist to my mouth.

"No," I say as I swat and miss his arm entirely. I am too weak and slow in my movement.

"You need your strength. You have already had my blood so you might as well take more. You will sleep for several days anyway to recuperate. My blood will be gone before your committee meeting if that is why you are hesitating."

"How do you know that he is waiting until then?" I ask.

"He will want to make a proper woman of you once again. He is old-fashioned that way. I assume Adam will marry the two of you that night. That is the plan?"

"Yes," I say. He turns and walks away. His back is to me. "Malachi, I am sorry. If you think that my feelings for you are false then you are wrong. I love you tremendously."

"But not enough to leave him?" he asks.

"No. Maybe if I just met the two of you on equal terms, but I have a history with him. He was my first love. We have spent over a millennium together. I know you were there watching over me and have loved me since the day I was born, but I only met you less than a year ago. You did not know that you would spend any more than maybe a good eighty years with me, but the fact that I was spellbound not to age and then turned immortal is too long for any Angel. You should be free to move on with someone else. Jacob had sacrificed going to Hell to get me back. I cannot deny him my love."

"Should I go get him then?" he asks as he looks over his shoulder. I sit up on the table and stretch my wings. They are still tender.

"No, I am not yet ready to say goodbye to you. I know that after I leave this room our contact will be minimal. After the committee meeting, I do not wish to see you until the time comes for war. I need to focus on Jacob." He turns to face me. His eyes are moist but he does not cry. I watch as one by one he unbuttons his shirt. "What are you doing?" I ask as more and more of his chest is exposed.

"Fold in your wings. They are dry enough in this heat." He continues to undress as I try to focus on his command. The first attempt fails and my shoulders sting as my wings flap back open. "Again," he says as he takes his arms out of his shirt and drops it to the ground. I succeed this time. By the time I look at him again, he is completely nude and erect.

"Malachi, no. Jacob could come in any second. He will kill you."

"He can try. Lie down. Trust me, Jacob will thank me for this later." I open my mouth to protest but he quiets me with a kiss. I do not kiss him back. He pulls on my lip and suckles. My heart is fluttering. Widening my legs with his hand, he strokes my opening. My breath is heavy, and I start panting. I try to blame it on the hotness of the room and not the heat rising between my loins. I start responding to his touch. He sighs my name upon my mouth as he brushes my lips softly. I slide over to one side of the wide table, and he climbs up to join me.

"Drink of me, Marion, one last time." He arches back to expose his neck. I roll him over onto his back and tug his hair to angle his head in the position that I want. My fangs stretch out towards his jugular. I penetrate his skin as he penetrates my flesh. I take my time with my drink, coordinating my rocking on his rod with the drawing of his blood. He arches beneath me and moans in pleasure as I force my sex drugs into his blood. Releasing my mouth from his throat, I quicken my pelvis with my Vampire speed. I have never gone this fast with him; only Jacob can match me perfectly. He groans louder and louder. I do not know if it is pleasurable or if I am hurting him. I slow down.

"No, don't stop," he pants at me.

I pick up my pace as I bring him closer to the edge. I have already peaked and am climbing again. I cry out. There is a banging on the door. I feel Jacob on the other side. I cannot stop until Malachi is mine once more. Just before we climax together, my Angel raises his hand to my face. His eyes and hand emit a blue glow. Once he touches my cheek, he closes his eyes and blows a cool sea breeze onto my face.

"Marion, I release you just as you have released me. Go in peace." Tears are rolling down my face. Our bodies are trembling in the aftermath of our lovemaking. Malachi waves his hand at the door, and I see it swing open and bang against the wall, knocking a hole in it. I realize that he was blocking it to keep Jacob out.

I hear Jacob scream as I feel his arm wrap around my waist. He is pulling me off of Malachi. I shout and kick at him. "Marion, no. You are mine. What have you done?" Jacob is yelling at me. He pins me up against the wall and turns to face Malachi, who has just gotten off the table. Jacob grabs a dagger from the surgical tray and backs Malachi into the wall and strikes him in the shoulder above his heart as Malachi expands his wings. His spear pierces Jacob's side.

I scream. "No."

Malachi speaks. "Remove your dagger, you fool, before I thrust my spear upwards and into your heart. Don't think that I wouldn't hesitate. All my problems would be solved with your death. You cannot come back from my blade."

Jacob complies and slowly draws out the dagger. Malachi's wound does not bleed very much. I realize that I have taken more blood than I had intended. Malachi still has Jacob pierced with his spear. Jacob threatens him anyway. "You dare to bed her twice in my presence. Never again."

"If you hadn't interrupted me earlier the first time, then maybe I could have severed our bond then." Malachi withdraws his spear, and Jacob grabs his side. "Her connection to me will fade over time. She is released from our coupling. She has told me to move on and find another love. I have requested to be released in the past when you two were inseparable, but I am glad the committee refused. I finally got to experience her love the way it ought to be. She was worth waiting for. Now take her and be gone before I change my mind."

Jacob nods his head at Malachi. I cannot believe that he is actually thanking him like Malachi said he would. Backing away from him, Jacob does not turn his back. I look back and forth between the two of them. I need some time alone. My body has been tortured and my soul connection to Malachi has been severed. I ache with every fiber of my being. Reaching down, I pick up the robe and open the door. I hear Jacob calling after me as I run as fast as I can into the night. Malachi is yelling. His voice grows softer as I get further away. "Let her be. She will show up at the committee meeting. Give her space. When she comes back, she will be completely yours. Don't..." His voice is gone.

I notice Jacob is no longer following me. I swing my arms into the robe and tie it around me. Closing my eyes, I try to imagine a place that I could go to where I could be left alone and safe. The first thought that comes to mind makes me smile. I energize my body into a bright white shine. A spark ignites, and I disappear. I am heading home, to England.

Chapter 12

When I come through the doors at the committee house, Jacob and Malachi are standing on opposite sides of the lobby, each wearing pants of their chosen colors. Their wings are fluffed up like roosters. I laugh inside at their display and wonder if I just entered a cock fight.

Jacob notices me first. His mouth opens before he smiles. My hair is layered short and barely touches my shoulders. I have outlined my eyes with black eyeliner, and my lips are red. My shirt is silk and strapless. It is tied tightly above my chest by a string that wraps around to my back, which is open and bare. The front of the shirt flows freely down to my black pants. I have on black heels and nothing on underneath my clothes.

I hear Malachi sigh before looking away. Jacob comes up to me; his flesh looks unhealthy and his cheeks sunken in. He appears thin but retains his muscle mass. "You haven't eaten," I comment.

"No, I was waiting on you," he says.

"Don't be foolish. You didn't know if and when I was coming back. I may have left you both. I pondered it."

He closes his eyes after I said that. I know my words hurt him. "I will not let you. You chose me before and once you remember, you will choose me again." He smiles as he reminds me of his response to my question back during my transformation process—what if I chose death instead of him? "Besides, I knew you would come here tonight," he says as he lifts up my short hair to bounce it around in his fingers. "You're beautiful."

I blush and smile at him. "I guess you like my new look?"

"Very much so." He kisses my cheek and lowers his head to my neck. Drawing in a deep breath, he inhales my scent. I know not to wear perfume. He prefers my natural aroma, and the factory concoctions are too powerful for a Vampire's sense of smell. He kisses my jugular. I know that he is starving.

"Go ahead," I say. "You need your strength."

He stops before biting me. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes, a woman at the boutique. I did not know how to do it as a Vampire so I just bit her and then asked her to forget about it."

He laughs. "And that worked."

"Yes, that is also how I got clothes, a hotel room, and a haircut. I just asked for it."

"We will have to get you access to some money."

"It would make things a little easier," I joke.

I run my hands up his well-defined arms as he leans his head down to bite me. I stroke the back of his hair with my hand. My breath increases as he sends his pleasure my way through his fangs. He does not care that we are in public or that he is making me want to unzip his pants and free him for my taking.

"Careful, you must not drive me over the edge. There are people watching and no time to satisfy my needs." My voice is low and sexy. I feel his eyelashes flutter open on my neck as he spins me around. His hand spreads out across my bare back. He sucks in more of my blood. I know that he is staring at Malachi, taunting him. I push him away, and he hisses.

"Behave yourself," I say.

"I apologize." He takes me back in his arms and licks my neck to clean and close the wound. He looks instantly nourished.

"Don't go without again," I say as I turn around to see Malachi looking at us. I nod my head at him, and he returns the gesture. We walk up to the double doors that lead to the banquet room, and the guard opens them. As soon as we pass through, we each head for our destined spots on the floor. This is our third time before the committee. Malachi had said that he only appeared before them once when the Queen ruled the Vampire seat. Now I know that it was to ask to be released as my Guardian.

I call forth my wings and flap them out to the side. I am stronger now and they grow bigger as time goes on. Jacob and Malachi both look at me and are shaking their heads no. Too late; I am tired of hiding who I am. I am Angel, and I am Vampire. Bring it on.

Adam comes through the door first. He sees me and shakes his head side to side as he smiles. Maybe this wasn't my brightest idea. Next, Jessica comes through the door wearing a black spaghetti strap dress. She smiles at the three of us, but I notice she lingers her gaze a little longer than needed on Malachi. I stop myself from growling. He is not mine.

Adam begins to speak. "Lilith will not be here tonight, and I think by the way you are all presented that is for the best." I know he is talking about me. "Alasdair, do you wish to be bound to Marion by marriage?"

"Yes," he says and bows his head.

"Marion, do you wish to be bound to Alasdair by marriage?" Adam asks me. I find it funny to be staring at Adam and not at Jacob.

"Yes," I say and bow my head.

"Then since you come before me as Vampires already, and you do not need the transformation process to complete your union, I will warn you of choice. Eternity is a long time to commit to a partner. Adultery is not something tolerated in marriage or by your species. Death could be your punishment if it is proven as truth in front of the committee. Are you both ready to make that commitment? You may speak freely."

I do not dare look at Malachi. I have made my choice. "I do have a question but I think it is foolish to ask."

"Feel free to speak. No one believes you to be a fool," Adam says.

"The prophecy says that the Angel-hybrid will bed Angels, Demons, and Vampires. I do not know why I bring this up. I do not wish to bed anyone, but most of what I have seen of the legend has been true." I hear Jacob snort from my right side.

"Alasdair, would you like to clear up the matter or should I?" Adam asks.

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 vein. 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 my 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.

"This is a pleasant surprise," I hear him say as he discovers my wedding present for him. "It seems your pussy has lost its fur."

Laughing, I just reply, "I knew you would like it."

After all these years together, I am shocked at what he does next. I feel his moist wet tongue drive deep into my center before making a trail backwards up my bare folds and across my other hole. He lingers his tongue there a little too long for my liking. The sensation feels strange but not unpleasant. His hands are kneading my cheeks, stretching me as wide as possible. I feel his teeth graze my flesh.

"No," I cry right before he sinks them in. I jerk in response as he injects more into me again. He holds me upright as I notice his tongue is back between my legs. He dances across my pink flesh more slowly this time and makes tight circles. Pulling my hip bones back into him from the front, one hand holds me still while the other reaches down between my legs. I feel his fingers rubbing my nub. He does not bring me to orgasm, only teases me a short amount of time before I feel his hand leave and once again he is spreading my butt cheeks wide as his face makes its way back up my crease.

He pauses before biting the inside of me again. "This okay?" he asks.

I do not say no again. Instead, I shake my head up and down, giving him permission. He spreads me as wide apart as is comfortable and pierces my skin. I take the pleasure in it this time. I know that I am more than wet and am ready to receive him into me. His hands run up my sides and cup my breasts as he stands up behind me.

I hear him removing his shirt before unzipping his pants and sliding them off. It is a shame that I cannot see him. He is walking around to face me. My breathing is increasing and my breasts rise and fall quickly. He helps me step out of my pant legs one by one. He plays with one nipple by hand and the other by mouth. He is making my skin wet from his salivating tongue. He moves down to my stomach and bites the soft part of my abdomen.

I reach out and grab his shoulders with both hands. He suckles slightly before injecting me in that spot. I lean forward and balance myself. His tongue finds the front of my bare mound and lavishes the entire surface. I open my legs for him to encourage his journey forward. He picks up one leg and lays it across his arm. I feel his bicep muscle flex underneath my thigh. I expect to moan as his tongue enters me, but I cry out as he takes my fold in his mouth and pierces me with his fangs. He does not do the other side. I can tell he is standing now in front of me. Expecting for him to touch me again, when he does not, I start to get confused.

"Jacob?" I say as I reach for my makeshift blindfold. He grabs my hands and locks his fingers in mine.

"Wait for it," he says.

After five more seconds, I discover what he did to me. My mind turns to mush as his injections in my neck start to make their way through my body. I swoon with feeling of sex, love, and raw pleasure. I smile from ear to ear.

"There you go. Now just ride it out." I cannot speak to answer him. I am in a state of euphoria. His pleasure venom creeps down the front of my body and into my breasts. I raise our hands together and rub my hard nipples up against the back of his hands.

"Yes," he urges me.

I lay my head as far back as it can go and tense my whole body upwards as I feel the pleasure explode in my ass cheeks. I press one of our locked hands between my legs as my lower abdomen releases my orgasm. I moan and cry out loud. My body convulses, and I collapse when his love bite on my waxed fold pulses every last drop of nectar from my core.

Jacob picks me up and carries me in the direction of the bed. He lays me down and removes my blindfold. I keep my eyes closed as I feel shockwave after shockwave of the aftereffects of what he just did to my body and mind.

"Marion." He calls my name gently as his fingers stroke my face. "Are you okay?" I shake my head no as I start to quiver and spasm again. I am having uncontrolled orgasms as his juices from his bite marks keep releasing slowly into my body. Jacob lies on top of me to hold me down.

"Put it in." I manage to get the words out of my lips. He hesitates, not knowing what to do. "Now," I yell at him. He tries to enter me but I am too tight. I grab hold of his muscular ass with both hands and force his entry. I shriek as he tears me. The walls of my tunnel constrict and undulate up and down his shaft. He arches his back and raises his head to the ceiling. He cries out in either pain or pleasure or both. I cannot tell anything anymore. He cannot move inside me, and I cannot let him go. I squirm beneath him as I feel another tidal wave coming.

"Jacob, oh, my Jacob. What have you done?" I sigh between my breaths. Then I start to scream. My stomach tightens so much that my head rises from the pillow. I bury my face in his shoulder to muffle my yells. It does not work. Another orgasm follows quickly, and I tremble with its quake. I go to bite him but my fangs tear at his flesh. My aim is thrown off by my jerking body. I do not recall how many times I bit into him before my teeth latch on to stay. I drink from him quickly and release him. I think that my body has been healed by his blood, but I thought too soon. My eyes roll back in my head and my whole body tenses. My back arches and my breasts rise up to touch him as he rests on his elbows. He still cannot move inside me. He just watches me fall over the edge time and time again. I cannot take another hit like the last one. Each time it gets better or worse, depending on the person's point of view.

My inner light starts to glow and an orb surrounds us. His pale flesh tingles on my fingertips. I know better, but I cannot pull myself back knowing that my orgasms could last the rest of the night and into the day. I pull his head down to kiss him. A jolt of electricity brushes across our lips. I stick my tongue in his mouth and zap him. He instantly softens enough inside me and is able to withdraw.

He rises up to his knees on the bed with one hand on his mouth and the other hand covering his erection. "What the hell was that?" he asks. "I was enjoying myself riding your waves of pleasure."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't take it anymore."

"Chicken," he says. "Why did they stop so soon?"

"I healed myself with my light. I guess I finally figured out how to do it."

"Pussy. You were never in any danger. The contractions would have stopped in a few more hours. I told you to ride it out. And that was excellent timing on learning something new." He sits on his knees, staring down at me.

"Why don't I do it to you and see how long you can take it?" I tell him.

"You already did. Remember the dungeon and the blood all over my lower half?"

"I didn't know what I was doing at the time, and I only bit you multiple times and only injected you once."

"Yeah, I remember quite well what you did. I just figured if one love mark could do what you did to me then several should drive you over the edge multiple times. I told you that I would pay you back one day."

"Yes, you did. Now it's my turn. Lie down on the bed." I get up on all fours and hover towards him. Calling my wings and my inner blue glow to expand from my body, I force him to lie down on the mattress.

"Marion, you're scaring me with all that glowing. Just turn that thing off. The wings are sexy, but no light."

"What's the matter? Are you chicken?"

"No, just please don't...not again."

"Don't what?" I crawl up his body and encase him in my blue aura.

"Please don't shock my cock."

I smile ear to ear and elongate my teeth. I like his little rhyme. My only response is one word. "Pussy." Then I lower my red lips to take him in my mouth. He shudders as I slightly buzz him with my energy when I move my tongue up and down his shaft. My taste is not as present as when I take him immediately after he comes out of my body, but I can still find the flavor on him.

Groaning deep in his throat, his voice quivers when he speaks. "Go ahead and do what you wish." I smile against his hardness. His eyes widen as I turn my inner light from blue to a bright white. Our honeymoon looks like it is going to be full of surprises. I do not shock him immediately, and he looks confused.

"Wait for it," I say. "Just ride it out." He lets out a curse before he closes his eyes.

Chapter 13

He settles into the tub and leans back against my chest and abdomen. I wrap my legs around his hips and cross them over his thighs. I feel a nervous tremble resonate within his body. Only someone this connected to him would have noticed. I run my fingers through his hair and settle my hands on his broad shoulders and massage his neck and shoulder muscles. He trembles again in my arms ever so slightly. I know that he is trying to hide it. Seeking the answers, I invade his mind.

"No," he says, shutting me out. "You do not want to know about my time in Hell."

"Jacob, I know that horrible things were done to you. I felt your pain on multiple occasions. I cannot even imagine what Lilith did to you, but please don't close down on me. You need me now more than ever. I am here for you. I love you."

He takes his hands and touches my fingers that rest on his shoulders. "Try again. I will not block you this time. Only go in as far as you can handle."

I close my eyes and peer into his subconscious. Images are flashing in my mind. The temperature alone is miserable. Jacob has silver chains crisscrossing his chest burying into his muscles with their sting. Occasionally fire erupts in different places on his flesh, and he screams. His arms and legs are unbound, and he is completely naked.

Lilith approaches in her human form and requests the information she seeks. When Jacob refuses, I see the wall tilt to where he is lying down. Lilith makes a command in another dialect, and Jacob grows hard. He tosses and turns on the table, making the chains burn deeper into him. Lilith climbs on top of him and straddles him. She moves against him with him inside of her. I am mortified. When Jacob does not finish inside of her, she grows furious and takes the form of her Demon self. Everywhere that she touches him turns to flames. Jacob screams, and she laughs. I know he is burning inside of her.

Tears are streaming down my face. I hug him tightly and push further into his painful recollection. When she is done with her torture, hundreds of spirits are called forth to mark his flesh. He quivers and shakes. Lilith says it could all end if he would just tell her what she wants to know. He refuses. She eventually calls off the spirit Demons and the wall uprights itself. She leaves him alone in order for him to heal.

The second day is exactly the same as the first one, except once he is standing again, Lilith elevates with her wings and slashes at his body with her talons. Jacob loses his right arm. He screams in pain as the healing process moves slowly since she is not feeding him any blood. The next day, she finishes by removing both arms. On the fourth night when she utters her magic words to get him to rise up for her torturous pleasure, he does not. She grows angry and taunts him with the deaths of our children. She tells him that if he tells her the information that will set him free, she will go to their graves and raise them from the dead. Jacob tries to spit in her face, but the saliva evaporates before even touching her.

She laughs as she wraps her hand around his genitals and sets them on fire. She tells him that he doesn't have to be inside her for her to burn them off. He does not scream, only smiles. This is the night that I realized I could no longer hear him in my mind. He is growing stronger against her torture and threats.

I release my query into his mind and hold him as I am breathing hard against his back. We are not able to speak to each other. I pull him tighter to me with my legs and arms. I never want to let him go. He did this so we could be together.

When my voice returns, I ease up on my hold and run my hands across his chest. He kisses my arm. "Jacob, I never should have shocked you. I will never do that again."

"Oh yes, you will. I trust you, Marion, not to hurt me." When he quivers in my arms again, he notices that in my mind I thought that he was trembling because of Lilith and that was why I went searching for answers. "I was shaking because of your electrical impulses and what they are still doing inside my body."

"I can stop that if you wish."

"Don't even think about it. I've never been this satisfied. But you are not doing that electric charge thing you do in a tub full of water. You'll fry me for sure."

"It doesn't work that way unless I'm angry. Can I ask something about what I saw in your mind?"

"You can ask. I will try to answer if I can," he replies.

"How did you turn off the pain?"

He shifts his weight in the tub and turns to face me. Since the faucet is on the side, he can lean back on the other end. I have to rise out of the water to make enough room for him. My breasts are now about the surface line. His gaze lingers on them, and he licks his lips.

"Jacob," I say to stop his thoughts that are entering my mind. "Is it something that you can tell me?"

"After she spoke of our children, I felt the pain of losing them all over again. She can project detailed images of certain events and that was one of them. I knew that she could make good on her promise to bring them back to life, but they could never age. They would forever be in childlike form. I would never do that to them. In that moment, I knew that whatever she did to me, whether it was burning, amputation, or marking me with Demons, it would never compare to watching our sons die. I'm sorry that I could not defend them, or you, or our home."

"Jacob, there were six of them. No one could have fought them off. They were the chosen knights of King Arthur. I have never felt like you failed us so don't you dare think it." I pause for a moment. I do not wish to talk about it anymore. "We should get ready for bed. Daylight is almost here."

"I'm not quite ready for sleep," he says.

"Who said we were sleeping?" I smile teasingly.

When the sun is high in the sky, I remind Jacob that we should perhaps leave to go back to the estate at nightfall.

"Can you transport us there?" he asks me.

"I have never carried anyone with me before. I do not know how. Plus, I didn't go out to recharge today. What if it doesn't work?"

"What do you mean?"

"My light source comes from the sun. My eyes glow blue in the daylight and return to brown at night."

"You mean that you can walk in the light?"

"Yes, but after last night, I do not know how much energy I have left."

"Lilith has access to this place. I do not wish to stay here for another night. I fear that she can track my location now that I have been in her domain of Hell."

"But how? You cannot drink from her."

"No, but she branded me with her blood. I do not know how to break the curse."

"Where did she mark you? I've seen your flesh."

"I do not know," he answers.

"I think that maybe I do. Your eyes are the only thing that is different about you since you returned."

"How so?"

"Jacob, they glow red like fire embers when you are angry."

He looks away from me. "I'm sorry if I have frightened you or made you think that I am angry with you. I did not know."

I walk over to face him. "That's not the only reason they light up." I force him to look in my eyes. "I know when you desire me or lust for my blood." I kiss his lips, but he pulls away.

"Go ahead and take a shower. I have a few phone calls to make."

I head into the bathroom and turn on the water. Jacob's voice carries through the room. "Ethan, old friend. I need help. Could you possibly gather the boys to meet at the estate in four nights? Yes, the time has come."

I shut the door and step into the steamy shower. Unfolding my wings, I knock off several sample bottles of shampoo, shower gel, and soap. The shower curtain clings to my feathers. Maybe this isn't the brightest idea. Maneuvering around in the tight space, I figure out the right angles to hold my wings and clean them. I stay in there a long time.

When I open the shower curtain, I shake off the excess water. I scream as I see Lilith's face in front of me in the steam. She laughs, and I feel a force of energy knock me back down into the tub. I cling to the curtain, pulling it down, rod and all. Jacob is banging on the door but he cannot enter. I do not know why because I did not lock it in case he decided to join me.

Before I can get my feet underneath me, I am lifted up by my hair. I kick my legs, but I do not scream. I have no weapons hidden in my wings. Pawing above my head, I cannot feel her arms that are holding me. When I look for her, I only see her reflection in the mirror. She is a manifestation. The mirror is her window into this world, not Jacob.

I grab the shower rod with my dangling feet and kick it up to my hands. Taking it by one end, I bash at the mirror. I hear Jacob busting through the drywall at the side of the door. Lilith gets off several punches to my face before I am able to shatter the glass. I fall to the tile floor. Before I pass out, I see Jacob's arm sticking through the wall as he continues to pull off big pieces of the Sheetrock. My mind opens the door for him, and I feel him picking me up. Then I lose consciousness.

My eyelids filter the light through, and I know that I am lying in the sun. I am not burning so I must be in Angel form. When I open my eyes, I see Malachi staring down at me. The rays are straining my eyes. I am protected by his light, but I need to completely change over to Angel. I try to get up but pain forces me back down.

"Lie still. I am not done healing you." I close my eyes as I remember Lilith's attack.

"How did you get here?"

"I am drawn to you by the necklace. If you are in trouble, I will know, and I will come."

"But it is no longer your job to protect me."

"As long as I live and breathe, you are mine to protect. No ruling will convince my otherwise."

"Where's Jacob?"

"He's close, in the meeting house. I told him to rest and give you to me. He healed what he could. You were not recognizable when I got here."

"And now?" I say as I lift my hand towards my face.

He grabs my wrist to stop me. "Better," he says. "You will be back to normal soon. It will take longer since I cannot heal you in the way I prefer."

I start to blush, but the blood rising to my face causes too much pain. When I was attacked, I was naked but now I know that I am wearing a bathrobe.

"Malachi, can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he answers.

"Are you falling in love with Jessica? I mean, you did ask to drink from her when we visited the estate together."

"I find her attractive, yes. I find her comforting. Will I protect her? With my life. But I do not love her. I will not take her or any other woman to my bed, not after you." Tears flow slowly out of the corners of my eyes. He wipes them away. "I do not mean to upset you or make you cry. I waited a long time for you. I filled my nights with many human women trying to get you out of my mind. I envisioned some of them to be you. I'm sorry. I know how wrong that is now. I will wait as long as it takes to hold you again. No one else can compare or fill your place in my heart."

"I do not wish a life of celibacy for you. No man can go without. I want you to be happy and if Jessica can do that for you, I want you to be open to loving her."

"Marion, I was celibate until I fell from grace. I was a created Angel, never human. I did not know the taste or smell of the flesh."

"Promise me that you will not pass up love when you find it again. I could not live with myself if you are unhappy."

He gets up and walks closer to the edge of the courtyard. I stand and follow him.

"I cannot promise what you ask."

"Take me to Jacob, now."

"As you wish." He takes my hand as he speaks and leads me into the house. He leaves.

As soon as I see Jacob I tell him of my former Guardian's plans.

"If Malachi is going to be celibate and wait for you to return to him, then I will have to talk to Jessica," Jacob says. "He seems interested in her. He will only get more dangerous as his anger and frustration build. With both our influences, they may stand a chance for happiness."

"Why does that matter?"

"Angels have no need for sex, but the Fallen...Well, that's just who they are. If Jessica isn't interested then maybe Rebecca..."

"No." I hold my voice back from breaking down with emotion. "Jessica will do. She hasn't loved in a very long time. He will not hurt her." Jacob does not catch on that I said anything wrong. I will tell him about our child when the time is right.

"How did she attack me?"

"Demons and ghosts can use reflections to manifest themselves in certain locations. I should have thought of it. I thought she had killed you. I gave you my blood. I was about to carry you out into the sun when Malachi showed up. He took you from my arms and carried you away. I had to watch you leave with him again. I did not think that you were so vulnerable to her attacks."

"Jacob, I did not even try to fight her. She was testing me to see what I could do. I know that she was setting me up. I'm not going to play my cards before it is time."

"I did not realize what you were doing."

"She will think that I am weak and easy to defeat. As long as I do not give her anything to expect, she will not know how to fight me."

"I still get the first crack at her," he says.

"It is your right," I say. I will not deny him the right to avenge what she did to him. My only job is to make sure she doesn't call forth Lucifer.

"We will leave as soon as it is dark. Tonight, we will train."

"But I have trained for this for months."

"With Malachi?"

"And Gerald," I say.

"I'm impressed that he let Gerald touch a knife to you."

"Gerald almost died for it," I say. Jacob does not ask the meaning behind my comment.

"Anyone else train you?"

"Well, Charles, but you already know that," I comment.

"What? How? When did you fight him?"

"Jacob, I don't understand. You sent him to train me. He told me that you released him and Deborah when you went to Hell."

"You can only trade one soul for another. Tell me everything that happened."

"Claudia showed up and said she needed to get paid for her services so I drank from her, but I passed out because she carried Charles' blood in her system. When I awoke, Charles explained that he was to train me. After four days, I finally defeated him. He told me to kill him, and he would trade his soul for yours. He owed you his life. I didn't know why Lilith would prefer him to you, but since you came back, I figured it must have worked."

"What did you reveal to him?"

"He knows my speed, but as a Vampire, he would already assume that one. I never flew. I never pulsed him with electricity. I never used my light as a force field. I only moved daggers with my mind."

He sighs. "This is not good."

"Why?" I ask. "I held back with Charles. I did not reveal all my tricks."

"If I did not send him, then Lilith did. She wanted to find your strengths and weaknesses."

"What would she want with him to release you?"

"I did not tell Lilith what she wanted. I did not break to her torture."

"About me?"

"No. She wanted to know about Arthur. She sought the location of his bones."

"So she can raise him from the dead. But why?"

"If I fail to bind her, then Arthur will. I did not tell her where his body lies, but Charles knows the location. He helped me dispose of him. He probably told her the locations so she would become his ally. Did Charles turn to ash or bone?"

"Bone," I say.

"Is he scattered about?"

"Yes, Malachi and Gerald split his remains all over the world. Neither one knows where the other one went."

"Very smart. I wish I would have thought of that."

"You did not know that you would be betrayed."

"She will come for them. Charles will want to be resurrected. Malachi will not break but I fear Gerald will."

Nighttime falls and we stand outside in the courtyard getting ready to transport to the estate. "Just hold onto me tightly and try not to drop me," Jacob teases me, but I do not find the humor in it.

When we reform in our bedroom, I am squeezing the air out of his lungs. "Marion, let go. We're here. It's okay." I ease up and touch his chest and abdomen before feeling below his waist. "I'm all here, you didn't lose anything, but I'm happy to know the parts of my body you like the most." He grows hard in my hand. I smile as my fangs emerge from my gums.

"It's good to be home," I say as I lead him over to our bed.

About an hour later, we leave the comfort of our bedroom to find the others. I hear loud music coming from Jessica's room. We knock on her door loud enough for her to hear.

"Oh, you're done. Good," she says as she opens the door.

"Don't you mean to say you're home?" I ask her.

"No, trust me. I knew you two were back. The whole house did."

I blush when I realize that everyone heard us having sex again. "Where is Malachi?" I ask while trying to see into her room past her.

"Did you expect him to stay here and listen?"

"I have no expectations of him. He is yours."

"We both know how far from the truth that is. Even if he did want me, which he doesn't, I am not ready."

"Jessica," Jacob interrupts. "You need to be available to him."

"I will not be his second choice, and I will not fall for a Guardian again."

I wonder if she was Nathanial's soul mate. I almost ask if he slumbered after they coupled but I cannot be so cruel, even though she did not show me any consideration at the committee meeting. "When he returns, gather everyone in the dining hall." She nods her head, and I leave with Jacob.

"What will we do in the meantime?" I ask him.

"I can think of a few things." He places his hand on my shoulder.

"Not until you soundproof our bedroom. I do not wish to have to mute ourselves."

"I've already thought of it and I am going to call someone in the morning. I'll arrange for us to stay at another house on the property."

"Still, I don't think now is the time to go back to bed and do what you are thinking."

"I'm always thinking of you in my bed, but that is not what I meant. We need to change. It's time for you to fight me."

"What? I have learned endurance from Malachi, pain from Gerald, and the sword from Charles."

"Still, you have not fought me," he says before adding, "Did you not fight with Malachi?"

"No, he put it off and took me to Gerald instead. I was taken by Charles on the night that Malachi was to train me to fight." He opens our door and after we pass through, he slams it shut.

"You are not prepared. I never should have trusted him to train you. Let me guess, he was so blinded by his love for you that he couldn't harm you." I do not answer him. He knows that he is right. "Marion, it is because I love you that I will do whatever it takes to make you strong enough to survive this war." He removes his shirt and pants as he walks into the closet. When he returns, he is wearing a pair of tight black cotton shorts. His legs, chest, and feet are bare. In his hand, he is carrying a black case. I have learned to fear what is inside—nothing but torturous devices.

"Open your wings," he says as he clicks open the case. I pull my dress over my head and expand my wings. He picks up a dagger and turns it around in his hands, inspecting it. "Come here."

When I reach him, he runs his hand over my wing before inserting his fingers inside to find the first hook. Once found, he attaches the blade to my bone. He hangs another dagger equally on the other side. "Fold them in carefully." I slowly do as he asks. It feels like something foreign is inside of me. I feel it is uncomfortable but not unbearable.

"Call them out. Do not rush."

I grimace as my wings emerge and one dagger slices my back in the process.

"Again, back in and out." I comply and do not cut myself this time. "Faster," he instructs me. When he is satisfied with my ability to control my wings and not get hurt, he stops me before I fold them back in again.

"Those two are the hardest and worst daggers to maneuver. The others are of no concern for you. They will not slice you as long as you remember the way to do it properly." He hangs the remaining blades in my feathers. The weight of the silver makes my bones ache. I fold them in and out one more time.

"Once you are used to fighting like this, I will strap on your leg and arm bands."

"Jacob, these are silver. I could pierce your heart by accident."

"Silver feels different and throws different than metal. I take it you learned with metal blades?"

"I only fought Charles with silver. I did not have any weapons with Gerald."

He growls. "Not exactly a fair fight. I'm surprised that Charles let you use silver, but then again he wanted you to kill him." I watch him go back into the closet. He calls for me to join him. Sliding a few items of clothing to the side, he opens a secret door. Weapons of all kind line the shelves and some are attached to hooks on the wall.

"This is my armory. There is also a hidden door that leads to the tunnels. If you are in a no-win situation, come here. I will find you. The wall will open with your command." He turns and lifts my chin to face him. "Promise me, Marion, you will protect yourself if we cannot win."

"I will not leave your side. If you want me in that room then you better bring me here yourself."

He hisses, grabs a sword, and walks away from me. "Get ready. You will be using your wings so dress accordingly."

When I emerge dressed in a short strapless dress, I see the window is now open. I walk over and look down. I don't see him. Climbing out onto the ledge, I jump. The ground makes the daggers in my body jostle, and I make a note to be more careful with my movements. If I was not accustomed to pain, I would have fallen to my knees. I inhale a breath of air to pick up his scent. He is heading towards the pond. Instead of flying, I choose to run. The air would be too easy for him to spot me, and I couldn't follow him with my nose. I slow my pace when his distinct aroma grows stronger. He is close, and he is somewhere above me. I listen for the beating of wings. The breeze is making it hard for me to pinpoint his location. I look up just in time to see him leap from a tree branch. I am not prepared. My daggers are safe in my body and out of reach.

I call out my light and shield myself from his sword as he swings it at my head. Doesn't he know that decapitation can kill me? I grab him by his arm and flip him over the top of me. He rolls and stands up. My wings emerge, but in my excitement, I slice my back. I do not grimace so I do not warn him of my injury.

"Good try, but I can smell your blood."

"Already healed," I say as he runs towards me, and I grab my first dagger. I turn quickly to avoid his sword as I slice at his shoulder. He is too fast. Before I know it he is back in front of me and his blade is halfway through my side.

"You can do better," he says as he starts to withdraw his blade.

"You're right, I can." I send a charged pulse his way and knock him over onto the grass. His sword is still clinging to my ribs. I do not waist my light trying to heal myself. I will need that for protection and offense. My Vampire blood will take care of my injuries. I pull the length of the sword back out of my body. With his sword in one hand and my blade in the other, I charge at him. I throw my dagger into the air. He smiles then leaps up off the ground and opens his wings outwards at the same time. He is going after my dagger. I let out a curse at my stupidity. He is smarter than Charles. I jump and give chase. When I see him stop, I see the silver flash in the moonlight. He searches for my location. When he spots me, he descends rapidly.

I mutter something foul under my breath. I have never fought in the air before tonight. He is right, I am not prepared. Drawing my sword crossways, I block his stabbing motion. When he comes back around, I have another dagger hidden in my hand. I swing with the sword and stab into his chest with my silver blade. He smiles at me before he starts to back away. I come towards him and do not release my grip. He hisses and growls. "This isn't a game of tag so stop acting like it," I say as I twist my dagger upwards for emphasis.

"Careful, love. You are about to breach my heart." I look at my wound placement in his chest. He lied, but I realize it too late. His fist hits me hard over my head, and I topple towards the earth.

"Marion." I hear Malachi call after me right before I see a flash of white. I am covered in soft feathers. I look up and see that Malachi has caught me. When I regain my composure, I order him to put me down. We land in the thick of some trees.

"Your head is bleeding and so is your side." He goes to touch me but I pull away. "What happened?"

"Jacob is teaching me. It's for the best that you leave."

"It will take him a moment to find us. I see you are training in a dress, my favorite, if you do recall. The color is lacking."

"Black is a color, my favorite, if you do recall."

"I have to hand it to the guy. I never thought to put you in something strapless, easy to pull down and easy to lift up."

"I dress myself. I'm a grown woman."

"I have no doubts that you are indeed all woman."

"Malachi, stop this. I can't protect you from him if you continue on the path you are on. He will eventually find a way to kill you and not just banish you."

"Death would be a release."

I gasp at his words. Jacob is right. This is not like Malachi. I am about to give him an earful when Jacob lands beside me. "You all right? I didn't mean to hit you that hard." I nod, but I do not look away from Malachi. "You could have trained her better, you know?" Jacob says. "I have a lot to make up for and there is very little time."

"Then let me help." Malachi draws all six daggers from his wings and throws them on the ground.

"You'll need those," I taunt him.

"I told you that I would never touch you with my weapons."

"But how will you fight?"

"I am a warrior, you'll see."

"Oh, so I guess that it is two against one."

"I don't believe the Demons will fight you in a fair one on one fight," Malachi says before smiling wide to expose his fangs. "If I win, I get a prize."

I almost choke on his words.

"What kind of prize?" Jacob asks.

"Nothing he can claim anymore," I say as I leap into the air.

Chapter 14

Around four thirty, Jacob calls it quits, and we head to the house. My black dress still looks good but it clings heavily to my body by the wet blood that is soaked up by the fabric. I cut Malachi a time or two but nothing that would be considered a death blow. Just when I think I know Jacob's fighting style, he switches it up on me. He did not fall for the sword and dagger trick again. I was able to stab his abdomen and leg and made a cheap shot to the kidney. I do have much more to learn. Malachi is supposed to work with us again. I cannot tell Jacob what happened when he had me alone.

Jessica covers her mouth with her hand when she sees the three of us coming down the hallway. Malachi goes to her, and Jacob and I go into our bedroom. "Let's get you cleaned up," I hear her tell Malachi before I shut the door. It's not his blood that is all over him. It is mine.

When I step into the shower, I do so alone. The water washes away my blood, and the faint scars appear. I know I will be completely healed when I drink blood. I will have human blood tonight. I do not wish for Jacob to know how Malachi covered me with his body and raised my dress up as his hand slid up my thigh. He softly rubbed my abdomen and dipped the tips of his fingers into my panty line before he came to his senses. I am ashamed because I did not tell him to stop. I do not know if I would have. I touch the place on my skin where I felt his hard shaft buried into my thigh. I moan as I slip my hand between my legs and close my eyes.

"What are you doing in there?" I jump at Jacob's voice. "Would you rather be alone or should I join you?" He has the curtain open watching me. I make room for him to step in and join me. "You need blood," he says as he sees my body.

"I crave human blood, male," I say.

"I will have Nadia and Phillip come to our room." He closes his eyes and opens them quickly. "They will be here in an hour. They are sleeping and need to shower."

"How is it that you are able to do that?"

"It's like an orchestra in my mind, and I am the conductor. When you are a stronger, older Vampire, it will be no problem for you. Now like I asked, what were you doing in here?" I go to touch him but he stops me. "That wasn't it. It wasn't me that you were touching." He sits on the tile bench and stares at me. I place my foot up on the bench beside him. He does not make it very long before I am slammed against the tile wall, and he is inside me. I definitely won this one. He does not have time to bring me to climax. He takes me so hard that I feel pieces of tile shatter behind my back before they fall to the floor at our feet.

This is exactly what I needed to relieve my stress and to get my mind focused back onto Jacob. As he is about to finish, I bite his shoulder and place a small amount of pleasure hormones into him. He does not say anything. I do not think he noticed. He devours my mouth as he pumps several more times. We finish washing off and get dressed. I comb my hair and wear it wet to the dining hall. We are late enough as it is now.

When we enter, there are about twenty people seated at the table. Jacob and I stand. I notice several men that I have seen over the years. Ethan was a former knight who befriended Jacob and never betrayed him to Arthur. Gerald and Harrietta are here, as well as George, Rebecca, Jessica, and Malachi. I am introduced to David, a Fallen, and his mate, Erin, and also Vampires Trevor, Lucas, Aaron, Stephen, and Keith and Kelly, who are just about sitting on top of each other. The last Vampire is female and I notice Jacob look away from her as he says her name.

"This is Shayne." She smiles politely enough at me, but her gaze moves all over Jacob's body. Oh, she definitely knows my husband. Jacob takes my hand as I tense up and get ready to pound in her pretty little face.

"These are the Demons who are leading our cause." Okay, he got my attention by saying that.

"Why will you align yourselves with us?" I ask.

"Not all of us are evil. Sure, we are made Demons because of our misdeeds but one can reform, even the damned. My name is Marcus. This is Ashley, James, and Gary."

"How do I know you are not traitors?" I ask as I feel Jacob squeeze my hand.

"Love, they have given up a lot to be here. Please do not insult them."

"It's okay, Jacob. I expect her to question our loyalty. You are right, we are traitors, but to Lilith and not to you," the man introduced as Ashley speaks. "I am new to being a Demon. My crimes are unforgivable. I am here because my loved ones still walk this earth. I do not wish to see them perish in the eternal flames. I will not fail you." I nod my head at him.

"I've given Malachi detailed plans for upcoming changes to be made for the estate. He is in charge of the battle plans." I listen intently as Jacob continues with his commands. He informs everyone about Charles and Arthur and to sound the alarm if anyone spots them. He also warns Malachi and Gerald that their lives are in danger. Lilith will try to take them to torture the information as to where Charles' bones are located. Malachi does not flinch. He orders one Demon and one Vampire to protect each man. I do not think that Jacob is totally trusting of the Demons either.

I notice Jacob's breathing is increasing, and he is having a hard time focusing. Maybe I should not have bitten him and let him walk in here with a time-released orgasm. When he looks me up and down, I know that he understands what is happening to him.

"The sun will be up soon. Go rest and recharge," he says. Some people leave right away but others linger to discuss the operation in more details. Jacob's pants are stretching in the front, and he is forced to take a seat. I come up behind him as he is listening to Ethan talk about the old days. I place my hands lightly on his shoulders and lean over to suckle his ear lobe. I slowly squeeze my injection site to release the hormones more quickly and to disperse them throughout his body.

"Everyone, please leave now," he grits through his teeth. Several more people scatter towards the door. His warning is not enough. Malachi, Gerald, Ethan, and Shayne are all that remain in the room.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" Ethan asks.

"I will not warn you again. If you choose to stay then you choose to watch. I am still on my honeymoon." Jacob abruptly stands, and his chair flies against the wall. He grabs me and lifts me onto the dining room table. He is unbuttoning my shirt and his hands are inside my bra. His mouth covers mine, and I kiss him back. I find it erotic.

I unbutton his shirt as I see Gerald leaving. Ethan is no longer sitting in his seat. I slide his shirt off as he rips my buttons open and pulls my jeans down my thighs. When he lays me back onto the table, I see Malachi and Shayne are still in the room. Jacob frees himself from his pants and is about to take me.

"Jacob, wait," I say.

"They had their warning. Let them watch. It would do them both some good." I feel Jacob push his way inside me as I hear the door open. Shayne walks out, but I make the mistake of looking in Malachi's eyes as my body is rocked back and forth lengthwise as I am now making love to my husband. He closes his eyes and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.

"I'm sorry. I should not have injected you before the meeting." I am close to tears as I remember the look on my former Guardian's face.

"Don't apologize for anything you do. Now let me show you just how thankful I am." This time he goes extremely slow with my body. For someone who is about to explode, he shows great restraint. When I finally open the door to leave, Malachi is standing on the other side. He does not look at me. "I need to get my folder," he says as he brushes by me and into the room. "Took you long enough. You may be too worn out to fight. It's a good thing I pleasured you so many times as my prize for catching you that you know how to run with weak knees."

Jacob slams him so hard into the wall that the chandelier rattles and falls to the middle of the table. "If you do not show Marion the respect that she deserves then you are forbidden from these grounds. You can treat me however you wish, but if you ever speak to her again in this manner, I will see to it that you never lay your eyes on her again."

"You should show her some respect, throwing her down on the table in front of everyone. At least I savored her body for myself only." Jacob raises his fist.

"No," I say. "What happened in here is my fault. I enticed him to take me here. He could not control himself. Malachi, you should not speak in matters that you do not understand. I am available for his pleasuring anytime he wishes, and he is mine for the taking as well. We are Vampires. With you being a Fallen, I would think you would know the ecstasy of sex. You should try it again." Jacob releases him from his stronghold. My words are enough to crush him. I will make him hate me if necessary.

He grabs the folder from the table. "Marion, just so you know, Jacob may not have taken Deborah to your bed, but he can't say the same about Shayne. How long ago was that exactly and how many times did she lie with you?"

I grab Jacob's arm before he can reach out to strike him. "I know all about her," I lie to Malachi. "We have no secrets." He leaves the door open, and Jacob and I leave for our bedroom.

I am about to start a conversation with him when I notice Nadia and Phillip sitting on the couch. I bite my lip when I see Phillip. He is tall and has the broad shoulders I find so attractive. He is also blond and has green eyes.

"You must be Phillip. I'm Marion. It is so nice to meet you." He stands up to greet me and kisses the back of my hand. Jacob sounds off a warning. Good, he knows I like him.

"You'll have to ignore him. Vampires are the jealous type. Come, we will go into the other room for some privacy. Don't worry. We've been together so long that we seek other people to join us in our bed. I'm sure married women have propositioned you before." He nods as I lead him through the double doors and turn to close them. Nadia's mouth is hanging wide open.

"Marion, this is a dangerous game you are playing. I could kill him for even touching you."

"Fine, then, he won't touch me. But I know that you want kill me so I plan to touch him plenty. I can't promise you that I won't get him aroused; you know to sweeten the blood. Isn't that what you told me you used to do? Now you'll know how it feels not to be the only man in our bed." I slam the door shut as he runs towards me. I mentally lock it tight with my mind.

"I don't want you to get into some kind of trouble. And I would like to keep all my man parts." Phillip looks worried. He probably should be.

"He's the one in trouble. No harm will come to you. Now take off your shirt and lie on that bed."

He hesitates. "I could force you, but you will taste better if you comply without mind control, and trust me, you will want to remember this. He starts to remove his shirt and then takes off his pants as well. I take off what remains of my ripped top. "Remember, I can touch you but you will not touch me, you will not have sex with me. Can you obey my rules?"

"Yes," he whispers as I pounce on him. He is quick to arousal, and I drink fast from him. All I need is Jacob's imagination in order to drive home my point. I know that he will find a way in here. When I am full, I dress in a new outfit while Phillip lies on the bed catching his breath. Jacob comes storming out of the armory and throws Phillip out of our bed. He must have come in from the tunnels to breach the room. I anticipated his attack on my sweetened drink so I gave Phillip some of my blood. I also did it so I could call him to my side whenever I wish.

"You have no right to intrude. Do not touch him again."

"The hell I don't have a right."

"He did not touch me, as you requested. Really, you should be one to talk about my jealousy watching you drink." He marches up to me and smells my skin.

"I never once removed my clothes to arouse a female blood donor."

"But you can't say the same about screwing Shayne in our bed. Tell me, was that more than once?"

His silence answers my question. I walk over to the window and open it.

"Marion, please, we need to talk about this. It was right after you died. I was at a loss. I was not behaving like I should. I thought you were gone." I grow angry. His words are only making things worse.

"I guess you couldn't wait until I was cold and buried before you replaced me. Why did you even bother to bring me back? She's beautiful, Jacob. Clearly she loves you. She is here for you even now, to size me up and see if she can steal you away. You couldn't even look at her." I climb out the window and fall to the ground. He leaps out after me and lands right in front of my face.

"Don't go," he begs me.

"It's almost light. I can feel the sun rising. You cannot follow me. Let me go." I break his hold on my arm. Remembering something else that Malachi said, I turn to ask him. "What did he mean when he asked you how long ago that was?" I watch Jacob's Adam's apple rise and fall as he swallows. "You wanted to talk, so talk," I remind him.

"When you left with Malachi after the first committee meeting, Shayne came to my house once again..."

"You mean our house," I interject.

"Yes, our house. I was hurting and dying inside because I knew that he was going to make love to you. When she offered me comfort in her arms, I sought it. When the time came to move to the bed, I couldn't go through with it and I made her dress and leave."

"Go back indoors. I need some time alone. I'll be at the hotel."

The sun is relieving the shadows across the lawn. "You do not need to be alone. I will call and have the staff remove the mirrors from the room. Keep the blinds closed on the windows."

"Send Malachi to guard me."

"I will send David."

"No one but my Angel," I say. Jacob stands in front of me. I smell his odor burning into my nostrils. "Go inside now."

"No, not until I know that we are going to be okay."

I cup his face in my hand. "You know I love you. You cannot keep things like this secret from me. Shayne is here for you now. Find your comfort there once again." Tears are welling up in his eyes. I push too far, but he hurt me. I leave before I see the first tear fall to the ground.

I decide to walk to the hotel. First so I can think and second so I can recharge. He kissed her and touched her naked body. I did a lot worse while I was away. It wasn't like we were married. Did I think only I had a one-way ticket to pleasure and it did not apply to him? I was dead the first time. He did not know that I would ever return from the grave. I should not be angry at him.

When I enter the lobby, I see Malachi standing against the counter wearing black jeans and a gray V-neck shirt. His pale skin and blue eyes pop against the foreign dark colors. "Why are you here?" I ask.

"Jacob sent me to watch after you." All my anger dissipates. I know how hard that was for him to do, and I did not expect him to follow through. This is his apology to me. I take Malachi's hand and lead him to the elevators. Once we reach the door to the room and go inside, I let go of his hand.

He thinks that I forgot about his earlier comments to me. I just never had him alone to talk to him about it. "You are such a fool. How can you even think of giving up your life because you cannot be with me? Do you know what your death would even do to me? You say you love me, but Malachi, I would die if anything happens to you. I know that you think you cannot love anyone else, but I want you to try. You deserve happiness again, if not with Jessica, then with whomever and wherever you can find it. I will leave if you need me to. If being so close to me is driving you to this madness, which clearly your actions are indicating, then I will leave this estate and never come back."

"No, I do not wish that."

"Then what do you wish?"

"You, Marion. I wish for you."

"We've already been over this. I cannot be with you."

"You didn't stop me last night from touching you, and I do not think you would have if Jacob wasn't so close by."

"No, I would have stopped you. I wasn't clear in the beginning but let me warn you. The next time you touch me under my clothes, I will stab you myself."

"Has it come to that? Threats?"

"If need be, yes."

"Then goodbye, Marion. You will always have my heart even though you stab me through it now with your words. I will do as you ask. I will take Jessica to my bed and make her moan at my touch the way you once did."

I open my mouth to let air move freely in and out. He moves in closer and grabs me by the shoulders. His tongue finds its way past my lips. I do not kiss him back. When he finishes, he slides his thumb across my swollen lips and stares into my eyes.

"Something to remember me by. I'm sorry. I had to make sure, but now I know. I will not bother you again." He leaves me speechless.

I awake at nightfall to a knock on the door. Jacob is outside waiting for me to answer. Usually he would just storm in and attack whoever is in the room with me. I open the door wrapped in the blanket from the bed.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but Gerald has gone missing. Harrietta came to me late in the day. I thought Malachi would like to know."

"He is not here," I say. His face lightens and the corner of his mouth rises slightly before turning back into a frown.

"Then I guess I just missed him. I will find him back at the mansion."

"Jacob, wait. He did not stay with me, you must know that." I drop the covers. "Do you wish to smell me to make sure my chastity belt is still on?"

"No," he quickly answers. "I believe you. If you would like, I would be happy if you can join me back at the mansion."

"I need to get dressed. Do you want to come in?"

"No, if I do then we will never leave. I will wait out here." I grab my shirt and throw it on. Carrying my pants, I hobble through the hallway as I try to balance myself while pulling them on.

When we get back to the estate, Malachi and Jessica are heading out. "Where are you two going?" Jacob asks.

"We are going to see a movie," she answers. I just look at Malachi.

"What's wrong?" Malachi asks me.

Jacob answers. "Gerald's missing. He was taken just before nightfall. Harrietta thought he was out recharging but he never came back. I'm afraid Lilith has him. Once she gets her answers, which she will, she will come for you," Jacob warns him.

"I will not break."

"You do not know that for sure until she touches you and burns off your flesh. It is a pain like no other. I bit my tongue off twice to keep from almost telling her what she wanted to know." I turn and look at Jacob. I feel that he did not let me see all the things that she did to him. How can he control what I see?"

Malachi answers. "Well, unless we are going to go after her in Hell, there is nothing we can do. For his sake, I hope he tells her soon."

"You will be safer if you stay with others. I do not see your Demon and Vampire bodyguard."

He laughs. "I will not hide or run from her."

"Malachi, maybe we should stay here or ask if they want to join us," Jessica suggests. The three of us answer no at the same time.

"Jacob and I are training tonight. You should ask David and Erin to accompany you," I say.

"Fine." Malachi goes back upstairs to find his friend.

"Looks like the two of you are getting along well," Jacob comments to his sister.

"He seems different today, and I feel different. Maybe I am ready after all." She looks at me. I do not turn away.

"He is yours, Jessica. Do what you wish with him. You two have my blessing." I actually smile as I say the words. With Malachi moving on with his life, I feel a change in the dynamics of our relationship. Maybe I can finally let him go and not be torn. I leave and go up the grand staircase towards our bedroom. Jacob is telling her to summon him if anything should happen. I see Malachi above me on the landing. He waits for me to get up to him.

"You okay with this?" he asks.

"Yeah. I believe I am. I never thought we would live under the same roof. The two of them are fools for thinking we could."

"I agree. It would be easier in a different house without having to hear you enjoying your married life. I don't think we will all sit down for Thanksgiving dinner anytime soon, especially not at that table." He smiles.

I laugh out loud and know that they are watching us. "Unless it is a bloody turkey," I remark, making him laugh. "It's good to see you smile and hear you laugh again. Go have fun on your date. Thank you for trying. It means a lot to me." He nods his head and makes it down about two steps.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

"Yes," he says as he walks back up to me.

"Can someone go into Hell and bring someone back without being at Lilith's command?"

He thinks before answering. He cannot lie. "Yes, it can be done. I will not listen to your next question. If I am taken down below this realm, you will leave me there to burn. Do you understand?"

"I understand your wishes, but I am not yours to protect, and I do not have to follow your orders anymore," I say as he comes in closer to my face.

"You may not follow mine, but I know you will follow his orders. I will see to it that you are safe if it is the last thing I do on this earth." Before I realize it, Malachi jumps the railing and is at the entrance doors.

"No," I call after him. As soon as he is done speaking to them, Jacob looks in my direction. I run towards our bedroom, but I hear him close behind me. He catches me and pins me up against the wall. He covers my back with his body.

"You will not offer yourself to Lilith. I will see to that. If Malachi cannot escape in seven days, I will go after him myself. That much I will promise you. If I so much as think you will go behind my back and do something this foolish. I will tie you to the bed until he returns."

"He had no right to tell you. I was only asking if it was possible."

"I have every right to know. You are everything to me. Why can't you see that?"

"Let me go. We need to get ready to train."

"They are working on the renovations to our room, remember? I moved all our belongings to the other house."

"Let's go get armored up then."

"Not tonight. We are going dancing."

"But you hate to go out dancing."

"Not with you, I don't. Besides, I need to remind my wife why we are together."

"Jacob, I acted harshly earlier. I'm sorry."

"I told you not to apologize. You acted accordingly. I sent Shayne to stay in the wine cellar with the others."

"How many others are there?"

"Enough," he says. "George and Nadia have been busy keeping them fed with donor blood bags and live donors."

"No one is a killer, are they?" I ask him.

"I've instructed that my staff is not to be harmed. Someone's husband almost killed Kyle, but that's understandable."

"You need to talk to that boy. He thinks every Vampire wants to have sex with him."

"Yeah, because most of them do."

"Then he should know who's married and not push his luck," I remark.

"Even so, some do," he comments. "Eternity is a long time. Some couples get bored."

"You don't think that we would ever get to that point, do you?"

"Of course not. You are all I want."

We leave the club, and I am smiling ear to ear. I do not know why he doesn't like to dance, he looks good doing it. Jacob's cell phone vibrates.

"Yes," he answers.

"Jacob, thank God, it's Erin. We were attacked on the way home. David and Jessica are messed up pretty bad. They took Malachi. I'm sorry."

"Why didn't Jessica call for my help?" he asks.

"They knocked her out through the back window before they overturned the car. She never knew what hit us."

"How many of them were there?"

"About a dozen. We were able to kill five of them. I'm sorry."

"Where's my sister?"

"She's at the house. David is already healed and he is helping her as best as he can."

"We are on the way," he says as he closes his phone shut before accelerating the gas pedal.

"I guess you heard both sides of the conversation, and I do not need to tell you," he says as he puts his hand on my knee. I just nod my head yes.

The scene at the house is one of chaos. George immediately runs up to Jacob, and I go to find Jessica. I do not hear any of their conversation. I charge up the steps and into her bedroom, where it looks like David and Erin are taking turns trying to heal her.

"Why is it taking so long?" Erin asks me when she sees me standing in the doorway.

"Move over and let me try," I say as I sit beside David on the bed.

"Marion, it will weaken you. Leave her to us," he says.

"She is my family," I reply as I call forth my power. When my light grows bright and pure white, they step away from the bed to give me room.

"She was thrown from the car and attacked viciously by four Demons. Has anyone given her blood yet?" I ask.

"You already read what happened? You are fast," Erin remarks.

"Has she had any blood?" I repeat.

"No, we didn't think to give her any."

"Get Jacob. She cannot drink from me. He has the strongest blood here."

Erin leaves and David starts to tell me everything that had happened. When he mentions Malachi and how he killed three of the five dead Demons, I am not surprised. Lilith herself had to intercede and take him. Jacob enters the room and is already slicing his wrist with his fangs. He kneels beside the bed and forces his blood into her mouth.

With the combination of his powerful life source and my healing abilities, Jessica abruptly opens her eyes and pushes Jacob's arm away. "Where is he?" she asks as she sits up on the bed.

"You know she has him," Jacob says as he wipes the hair from her face. She looks at me.

"Save him," she begs me, and the pleading in her voice tears at my heart.

"I will do everything I can," I reassure her. She sinks back into the mattress and I pull the covers up over her. Turning to Erin, I say, "When she is stronger, see to it that she showers, and have someone change these sheets." She nods. I get up to leave and Jacob follows. When I go into the hallway, I see the construction workers and George removing all the mirrors in the house. If Jacob had not been so keen on protecting me from my own stupidity, then I would not have realized that the way to summon Lilith to offer myself to her would in fact be through the mirrors or a reflection.

"Tomorrow, I will charge all day at the hotel spa patio. Do I have a bathing suit here?"

"Yes, but I left it in our bedroom." We go into the room and see that the renovations are almost completed.

"Can we stay here tonight?" I ask. I do not wish to be at the other house alone.

"If you are sunbathing at the hotel then that is where we will stay so I can take my rest near you." I nod my head in acknowledgment. He is not going to let me out of his sight. I grab a few of our items and put them in a bag.

"Gerald's back," I say.

"How do you know?" he asks.

"I don't know. I just do. He's coming through the front door now. Give Harrietta time to properly welcome him home."

By the time we make it down the three flights of stairs, Gerald is starting to tell his story to the others. He is trying to cushion his ego by overstating how he refused to answer the red-headed Demon's questions. He was gone for less than a day before returning. Everyone knows how fast he led her to Arthur's bones. He has a patch covering his left eye. Lilith apparently removed it with a knife. When she threatened to remove the other one, that was the moment when he broke. He can heal himself. I will not touch him.

"Jacob, I need to lie down."

"We are done here." I walk out onto the front steps. Jacob picks me up in his arms and takes the bag from my hand. He carries me down the long staircase and opens the car door with his mind. He sits me down in the front seat and walks around to the other side. I see our ally Demons coming across the lawn towards the house. One of them would know how to get into Hell and escape. I will seek Ashley in the wine tunnel before nightfall. Everyone there will be in their slumber. The other fallen Angels have not yet arrived.

When we get to the hotel, he flies me up to our balcony and unlocks the door. The room is clean and the bed is newly made. There is still an empty spot on the wall where the mirror hung above the desk. We shower and dress for bed. Jacob hugs me tightly as I fall asleep. I know that he will not slumber until the morning.

When I come in from my sunbathing, I remove my swimsuit and climb into bed with Jacob. I want to spend a few hours with him before it is time to leave. He does not stir beside me. His sleep is too powerful. I will have to wait until he cycles into a lighter state of awareness. I close my eyes and rest. When his breathing becomes lighter, I roll over to face him and push him onto his back. He opens his eyes when he realizes what I am doing under the covers and a smile brightens his face.

When he goes back to sleep, I grab some of my clothes and leave. I cannot let another day go by with Malachi suffering in Hell. If I knew I could have done this when Jacob was imprisoned, I would not have hesitated then either. I hope that he doesn't see my actions as a betrayal, but no Angel belongs in Hell.

Chapter 15

I make the entrance to the well in record speed. I jump down the shaft and try to pinpoint the Demons. Their blood is sulfuric so I inhale deeply. I would think they would be kept in a different location than the other Vampires for their own safety. I notice that I am right. They are behind me in the opposite direction of where I stayed with Malachi in his room.

I turn and sniff them out. I feel like I should get a treat when I arrive at their door. I may never get used to being part bloodhound. It takes several knocks on the door before Gary opens it in a pair of boxer shorts. When he sees me, he covers himself with his hands.

"Is Ashley here? I need to speak to him."

"Who is it?" I hear him call.

"It's Marion, I need your help. Please get ready and meet me at the exit."

"It's still light out," he says.

"I know. We will not leave until dusk. I have some questions for you that I hope you can answer." He says he will be there shortly. I leave and go to wait on him. I turn a corner and see Shayne coming out of Trevor's room. "I guess you found some company other than my husband," I say, not being so friendly.

"So I guess he told you," she remarks. I nod my head yes.

"Marion, he was so out of control when you died. He was a danger to himself. Jessica called me. Jacob didn't want to live anymore. I forced myself on him. He did not want me, but still I pursued. The first time we made love, he broke down. He had never been with anyone but you. I did not know. He was alive for over thirteen hundred years at that point. I almost didn't believe him but the look on his face told me it was the truth. He was mortified that he betrayed you even though you were dead and gone. He told me to leave and never come back. He told me that I could never be you no matter how hard I tried. That is when he started to draft architectural plans for this estate. He was going insane. This place probably saved him more than I attempted to anyway."

I stand there in shock at her story. "I'm sorry," I say.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"You tried to help him, to be there for him when I couldn't. He will never admit, but you did save his life. I am indebted to you always, but I will not thank you for returning to his bed when our marriage was pronounced null and void."

She hangs her head to the floor. "Then it is I who apologize to you. I had no right to him. I am sorry. I see his attraction to you now that we have met. I cannot compare to your beauty. I was so mesmerized by the chemistry and pheromones expelling off the two of you in the dining hall that I could not bring myself to leave the room. I've never seen him so happy as when you are by his side." I swallow and almost let a tear fall from my eyes. He will not forgive me for what I am about to do.

Ashley comes up beside us and interrupts our conversation. "Shayne, if you uncomfortable here, please join us back at the house," I say.

She looks at Trevor's door. "You are right, I have found comfort here." She smiles at me as she walks away.

"Looks like the two of you kissed and made up," Ashley comments.

"Does everyone know?" I ask.

"Pretty much," he says. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to ask. I know that it is possible to go into Hell and escape bringing a soul back with you. I just need to know how it is done."

"I'm a new Demon, perhaps you should ask one of the others."

"No, please tell me what you do know," I insist.

"Well, I have heard that you can enter through a reflection big enough to fit through. Lilith has to pull you in. When you are ready to return, you have to exit through the same portal. Only Angels have done this before." I only smile at his comment. He notices. "Marion, no. This is too dangerous."

"I have all the qualifications. Please, will you help me?" I ask. Jacob did not bother to warn the Demons not to help me.

"I will teach you what you want to know. The rest will be up to you. We will need a large body of water, preferably outside."

"I know of a pond on the estate."

"The moon is full so the reflection should work."

"Do you have any weapons inside of you?"

"Yes," I answer.

"You will need to remove those. The heat will burn the metal inside of your body," he informs me as I immediately think of Malachi.

We arrive at the pond shortly after dark. Jacob will be looking for me by now. Ashley tells me to kneel over the pond. When I am in position, he tells me to look up at the sky and burn the images of the stars into my mind.

"Use them to navigate your way back. Feel their placement in the sky and notice the pull of the earth. Gravity feels different in different locations around the globe. Let the water guide you. Use your sense of smell. You control all the elements to every breed. I would not have helped you otherwise if I didn't believe that you wouldn't be successful. I take it you are fully charged from the sun." I nod. "Good. You will have to use all of your light as well as any that Malachi has left to fly up through the fires of Hell. If you can learn to control the flames, then you will succeed. Good luck on your quest."

"Thank you, Ashley."

"Trust me; you will not thank me for this." His voice starts to vibrate low in his chest. He is using another language that is not of this world, at least not anymore. The surface of the water starts to ripple. Moonlight distorts my reflection in the pond. I see myself warping out of shape. I hear my name being called from above. I look up and see Jacob circling with his black wings stretched out. When he sees me, he nose dives in my direction. I look back into the water and see Lilith's face.

"Now, Lilith. If you want me, take me now." I offer her my body and soul. Her talons grab my shoulder, piercing me by the collarbone and under my shoulder blades from behind. I do not scream so I will not take in water as she pulls me into the pond. I feel Jacob's hand on my ankle trying to pull me back to the surface. I swallow as much water as I can without accidentally aspirating my lungs. Lilith is too strong for him. When we break through the realm of Hell, Jacob screams, and I see his arm amputate and fall into the burning flames.

"I did not invite you in this time Vampire," Lilith's voice shrieks almost birdlike. She closes the realm, locking Jacob out and entombing me in. "This is a pleasant surprise. Malachi will tell me everything I want to know as soon as he sees me touch you with his blade."

I am such a fool. I never thought my torture would be in front of him and used to her advantage. I fear Malachi will break after all.

She protects me from burning until we reach Malachi's tomb. He is chained to the wall and is in the same condition as I saw Jacob, naked and bloody.

"I brought you a present." He looks up and trembles when he hears her voice. He screams when he sees me in her arms.

"Let her go, and I will tell you everything you want to know." I close my eyes at his words. I have done this to him.

"Where is the fun in that? You'll tell me, all right, but only after I am ready to ask my question again." She makes a motion with her hand, and I see Demon spirits enter the room. Malachi tenses and grits his teeth. They turn on him and mark his flesh.

"He's drawing them all to him. Isn't that just precious? Look how much pain he would go through for you, yet you hurt him more by keeping him your second choice. Don't worry, honey; he will be well rewarded for what you have done to him."

I try to call the spirits to me. When half of them turn to look at me, I feel Malachi try to pull them back.

"You can't handle them all," I say to him.

When the first spirit is about to breach my flesh, Lilith stops them. I do not understand her actions but then I smile. "Your Demons cannot enter an Angel," I say. "Good to know. Now I can keep them off of him as well. What else have you got planned?" Malachi sinks in his chains. He is too weak to even look at me. I hear someone enter behind us. When I see his face, a cold chill washes over me.

"I see you were able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again." Arthur slaps me for my words. His eyes burn a bright red and his chest is tattooed in Lilith's blood. He is nothing but Demon now. He is her creation, her resurrection. Jacob was right not to grant her access to our children.

"Tie her to the table. Clothes or no clothes, you decide." She gives him the choice. I am surprised that I end up lying here with my clothes on.

"Wake her Guardian up," Arthur says. "I want him to watch me burn her clothes away from her flesh." So I guess that I am not that lucky after all. When I feel my clothes burning my skin, I hear Malachi name the location of the first set of bones. I close my eyes and do not scream. My noise would only make him talk faster. By the time he names the second location, I have got the flames under control. I use the water that I swallowed from the pond on the way here to extinguish the fire.

Everyone looks at me. My skin is untarnished but my black and crisp cloths cling to my flesh. Lilith waves her hand and the remaining fabric pieces float away. Arthur stares at my naked body. "Not yet, I told you that you could have her after I am done," Lilith says as she walks over to Malachi. She forces him to open his wings. In his struggle to keep them folded in, I hear his daggers ripping into his back. She stretches his span out to the side and rips the silver from his bones. I hear them crack but they do not break. He does not fold them back in.

She pierces each each of my thighs one by one as Malachi shouts out two more locations. Tears are streaming down both our faces. I do not glow to heal myself nor do I try to push the silver out. I will need all my strength to get us out of the hell hole. The way is very confusing. She took many turns and dips. I try to focus on keeping my center of gravity in check as Lilith stabs my shoulder with the third dagger. I am not prepared and cry out in pain. The next dagger hits my lung and I spit out blood. Malachi names three locations. I do not know how he made it to all these different countries so quickly.

"Stop. That was the last location where I buried the bones. Let her go."

Lilith raises the dagger above my heart and pauses. "I know that you cannot lie. You sure you haven't left anything out? I will pierce her heart. Did you tell me the last place on Earth that you dispersed Charles' bones?"

I see a slight smile curl in the corner of his mouth. "Yes," he says. Is it possible? Did he just lie?

"Very well then." Lilith lowers her hand from above my heart and throws the dagger on the ground.

Arthur looks at me and licks his bottom lip. He is going to rape me in front of Malachi. When he strokes his fingers down my body, I hear Malachi growl. "Stop," Lilith commands. "I have another idea. It's not every day that you get to see two Angels make love. I hear it's quite beautiful and majestic."

"But Jacob?"

"What about him? I am on the committee. I can prove that you were unfaithful to him through my projecting capabilities. He will be forced to order your death as well as your Guardian's. He will succumb to the grave like he was tempted to do in the past when you died. I will have his soul forever."

"No," I shout. "You cannot force us to make love. You have your information. There is nothing to hold over my head anymore." She laughs as I say this to her.

"Should you tell her or should I?"

Arthur leans down and forces his mouth on mine. I bite his lip and feel the sting of his slap once again. "You seem to forget, my dear Guinevere, I know who your daughter is."

"My name is Marion, and I will kill you for your threats."

"I'd love to see you try."

Malachi's chains rattle and his manacles fall from his wrists. Lilith and Arthur step away from the table, giving him plenty of space. "I told you, Malachi. You will be greatly rewarded for your services. Here she is for your taking. She will say yes. I have no doubt."

"Untie her so she can touch me," Malachi requests.

"I am not a fool," Lilith growls.

"I have longed to touch her ever since I lost her. Thank you, Lilith, for your offering. I do not care if the result is my death or hers. Jacob cannot follow us into Purgatory. He will be with you. Once he is not around, she will be mine and mine alone. Now untie her so she can touch me in return. I want her to find pleasure in my flesh once again. I will not invade her uninvited." I stare at Malachi. "You wanted to see Angels have sex, then I will give you the best show you have ever seen, and I know you have seen it all."

My lips part at his words. Dear Lord, I shouldn't have told him that he couldn't compete with what Jacob does to me. The look in his eyes tells me otherwise. I feel my chains fall aside. Malachi stands beside me and gazes over my body. My chest rises and falls with shallow breaths and I tremble.

He takes his dagger in one hand and grips it tightly. "Take a deep breath," he says. Before my lungs are fully expanded, he yanks the blades from my shoulder and my thigh. He licks my blood from the wound closest to my right breast. Next, he pulls out the dagger in my right lung at the same time as the one in my other thigh. While he cleans my abdomen, I realize that he is licking while also suckling my blood in order to heal himself. I run my fingers through his hair and let out a soft sigh. When my wound closes, he comes around to the foot of the table. He briefly looks at our audience. I glance in their direction. They are behind my head against the wall. When I look back at Malachi, he is hard and ready to take me. He climbs up to join me on the table, but he stops as his head is even with the injuries to my thighs. He lowers to lick me clean once again. His hand caresses my abdomen as he suckles his dagger marks in my flesh. I almost start to cry as I realize how much it must have pained him to see his weapons dripping in my blood.

When he touches my mound, I open for him. He brings me to an orgasm before he shifts to replace his fingers with his mouth. It takes longer to build me up this time. I hear Lilith vibrating behind us with excitement. The noise is enough for me to whisper.

"Malachi, we cannot do this. You mustn't enter my body."

"I know. I have a plan. Can you get us out?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Did you say something? No communicating!" Arthur warns.

"Yes! Yes!" I cry as soon as his tongue touches me again.

"Oh, let them have their fun." Her voice carries to my ears. She continues to speak in tongue.

When Malachi stops, I almost protest. "If I may, she really goes crazy when I buzz her with my energy source."

"Do it," she demands.

I look at Malachi as he smiles. He starts to glow and encases me in his light.

"Don't you dare," I warn him. When he is at full charge, I know that he has not wasted his energy protecting or trying to heal himself. With me being guarded by his light, they do not notice that I too have started to glow. Just when I think we are ready to bust out of our prison, he looks at me.

"Where would you like me to go" he asks me. He is really going to do it. He knows I will not be able to think clearly. When he lowers his mouth back to my center, I shatter inside when he shocks my flesh.

"Higher, up, go higher," I shout as I convulse. I close my eyes and summon the rocks above us to break and fall to the ground. The fools believe this is the result of our lovemaking. Malachi sees my intentions as he plows through the dirt ceiling. I'm glad he did not fold his wings back in his body. I know that my movement of the earth is not sufficient enough for his large wing span but he does not complain when he is jostled and bumped on the way upwards through my mind-made tunnel.

When we emerge through the top of the cave, I see flames and Demon spirits heading our way. Lilith growls and reverberates from down below. She is commanding our chase. Malachi's feathers start to wilt in the heat. I am busy trying to keep the ghosts away from his body. When he drops several feet in altitude, I look up and see that his wings are sparked with red and black embers. He is on fire.

I call my wings out and take over our flight. I close my eyes to get my bearings and head northeast. I remember Ashley's comments to control the fire and I will be successful. Malachi grows weak in my arms.

"Drink," I say.

"No." He strains the word through his voice.

"Malachi, you are dying."

He latches onto my throat and pulls in my blood fast and with great suction. My vision blurs for a brief moment. I blink my eyes as tears flow down my cheeks. Jacob could not cry or even spit in Hell yet here I am sobbing like a baby. I remember Malachi's tears as well during my torture. Angel tears are a powerful water source in this realm.

When my eyes clear enough for me to see, I notice the flames have died down. I see the portal approaching. "Hold your breath," I yell at him. He does not let go of my jugular but I no longer feel his air moving across my neck. We hit the water so hard that I almost lose my grip on him. If his teeth were not in me, he would have slipped back down below.

Lilith is following fast through the realm and will be here any minute. When I break through the water's surface, Jacob grabs my arm and pulls us to shore. He drags Malachi off of my naked body. His fangs gash my throat open. Ethan straddles me and lifts my head to his neck.

"I have plenty to offer you. Drink all you can," Ethan whispers. In my haste, I make two bite wounds. One is slightly higher than the other one on his jugular line. The higher marks bleed down into my mouth as I drink fast from the lower wound. Malachi took much more from me than I realized. I need to replenish.

"She's coming after us," I say to Jacob as I lick Ethan's wounds closed.

"I know. We are prepared. Do you have any charge left?" I shake my head no to his question. Neither would Malachi.

When the water ripples behind us and grows into tidal waves, I expect to see Lucifer's devil creation herself. Instead, a slew of Demons and ghosts stream out of the pond and into the air.

"Take them to prepare for battle," he yells at David.

"I am ready," I say before I look down at my naked body. I guess I was wrong about facing the Demons in only my bra and jeans. I remember also that I do not have a single weapon on me.

"You are too distracting. Do you want me to get killed?" Jacob says.

"Fine." David returns from talking with Malachi. He takes my arm and scurries me away. The first Demons and ghosts start to land on the grass. I hear the clanking of metal behind me. I turn and see Malachi's wings are still burning red against the dark night sky and his spears are extended past his wing tips. I guess he is staying to fight naked. Now I will be the one who is distracted. Jacob will not be happy to find out what went on between the two of us in Hell at Lilith's demand.

Chapter 16

The fighting continues until the first rays of light start to break through the trees. Most of the Vampires have retreated and only a few Demons and ghost spirits remain. David, Erin, Malachi, and I fight what few adversaries are still above ground. Jacob had refused to retreat, saying that he will not leave me here to fight his battle. He fears that I might fall to death, and he will not be here to defend me. When the last two Demons are slain and the other three sink back into the water portal to Hell, we all take flight towards the house. I am flying higher in the sky and Jacob hovers close to the ground, trying to stay in the shadows. Malachi glides over him to provide some shelter. His wing span is larger than mine and can cover most of Jacob's body. Still, I know that no one can completely hide from the sun.

At the house, we are welcomed with bagged blood. Live donors will be too dangerous in the weakened state that we are in. Jacob and I will feed later from each other in order to be able to link during the battle tonight. I will have to talk to him beforehand. I do not want him to find the truth in my mind instead of my lips. I will be too distracted to block him out from invading my thoughts. I finish several bags of blood but do not notice the cold bile taste until the third bag. I quit drinking and look at Malachi, who is watching me.

"We need to charge," he says.

"First, I need to shower and talk to Jacob."

"It can wait. Your health is of more importance."

"Fine," I say. I walk up to Jacob, who is still drinking. He has consumed twice as much as I have.

"I'm going out to recharge. I have nothing left. We used everything we had to escape."

His hand brushes my cheek. He leans in to kiss me, but I back away. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just haven't showered or brushed my teeth." I try not to look at him.

"You almost were lost to me forever. I do not care in what shape you return to me as long as you return alive." He leans down to kiss me, and I return the favor. He slows his advances, and I know that he smells Malachi's ocean breath inside of me. I do not act like anything is wrong, but before he speaks, I turn and leave.

"Marion. Wait," he calls after me. I do not look back.

Malachi is waiting on the front steps. When he sees me, he smiles. I just give him a smug look and take to the sky. Jacob had closed down the estate, saying that there was an emergency water break and portions of the house were flooded. Only the members of the staff who are paid for blood donations are here. The house is extremely crowded and I am glad to be able to leave. I need to think and get my head on straight. The other Vampires cannot stay in their tunnels anymore. Lilith could break in from underneath and massacre them all as they slept. The house is the safest place.

When he flies up to meet me, he is still smiling. "Why are you so happy? There are many bodies that turned to ash last night. This isn't a time for rejoicing."

"We are alive, you and I. I have plenty to be thankful about."

"Malachi, there is no you and I. Even with what went on down there, I am still not yours."

He flies over the top of me and turns me on my back to face him. I fold in my wings so we do not tumble to the ground. I cannot maneuver against him. He is too big and my wings cannot compete. He hugs me tightly to his chest. "You still responded to me like you never left me."

"My body responded. I did not. It wouldn't matter who was between my legs. The result would have been the same."

Malachi responds to my insult. "You know as well as I do that you lie. I saw it in your eyes. I could have taken you then and there, but I will not disgrace your flesh in front of others, especially the Demon Lilith. You do not know the level of my restraint. I thought that I convinced myself that I was over you, but I know now that I never will be. Can you live without me, Marion? If your answer is yes, then it is I who will leave and never come back. This is your home, but I will not be your yo-yo anymore. I deserve all of you, and I will wait until I get it. If you recall, I am a patient man. If he ever should falter, I will be there to pick you up."

I sigh against his collarbone. I do not wish to lose him, but he is right, being this close is torturing both of us. I admit that having him touch me again showed me that my feelings for him are deeper than I thought and so much closer to the surface that it is dangerous. "I love you, Malachi. My heart holds places for both of you. I know that I could never love each of you with all that I am." Before I speak another word, his mouth smashes down on mine. I already smell like him anyway. I will give him this moment. Parting my lips, I let him in. His hands move along my back, and he pulls my hips into his pelvis. I arch against his rising need. My arms move up his sides and caress his flesh where his wings meet his shoulder blades. He moans, vibrating my lips with his sound. He lifts us higher towards the sun.

I feel his hand under my halter shirt, and he is raising it higher against my skin. He pulls my strapless bra down and exposes my right breast. When his mouth covers my nipple, I panic as my feelings start to blur. One hand is behind my head and the other is on the small of my back. "Malachi, wait. No, we can't do this," I whisper as his teeth pierce my flesh.

When he is finished drinking of me and I am panting, he lifts his head to look in my eyes. "I'm tired of being the one who is left waiting." His irises blaze bright blue against the white clouds of the sky. I have to fight him now while I still have the will to do so. I open my wings to pull against the current air flow. He sways in the wind. Beating my wings back and forth, I pound them into his sides. His grip on me is weakening. "Marion, no."

"I have to get away. I cannot be what you need. Not anymore. I'm sorry, Malachi. I wish I could love you with my flesh as well as my heart but I choose Jacob. How many times must I tell you? I cannot keep reminding you every day. My answer will be the same. Let me go. Yes, you did have another chance in Hell, but you know that our union was ordered and that was not me. I should thank you for not using my daughter's life as an excuse to have sex with me. I never would have forgiven you when I knew we could have escaped before anything happened." When those words leave my lips, I know they are true. "Why didn't you fly me out of there sooner? You had the ability as soon as you drank the blood that was seeping out of my body. Yet you stayed to play Lilith's game as long as you could." The look on his face is enough for me. I slam my knee into his groin and do a nose dive back away from him.

I let myself fall as long as I can. I know he will catch me since his weight will sink him faster in the sky. When his body slams into mine, I feel my shoulder crack. I let out a scream. He holds me tight in his strong arms.

"Don't fight me. I heard your bone break. You cannot fly." I relax and let him take control. "I'm sorry. You are right. I could have gotten us out of there sooner. I was selfish in my actions. Please forgive me."

"I cannot, not yet. Take me back to the house. I need to see my husband."

"Will you tell him?" he asks.

I think about it for a long time. Not knowing the answer myself, I do not give one to him. When we land, David is outside. "Took you two long enough. Jacob has everyone gathered in the great room. He wants to discuss the plan again before everyone rests." David looks at us both. "Why are you carrying her?" he asks.

"Her shoulder is broken. It is already healed but it is not aligned. I will fix it." Malachi lets me go to stand on my own.

"No. I will take her. You have done enough already." David gently takes my good arm and leads me to the patio. Malachi hesitates but follows. He places me in the lounge chair. "I do not have to tell you not to scream as I break your bones." I nod my head at David. Malachi takes off his belt and places it in front of my mouth.

"Bite down on this," he says. I turn my head to the side. I do not wish to have anything of his in my mouth again. "It will hurt you just as bad as when I broke your wings." I shudder as I remember the feeling. I open my lips and grip his belt in my teeth. Malachi holds my shoulder to the chair as David takes my arm in both hands. He pulls and twists so quickly that my vision goes white. I pass out. When I open my eyes, Malachi and David are both healing me with their lights.

"I didn't drink his blood, did I?" I ask David since he is in front of me, and I prefer not to speak to the other one.

"No. How did this happen? It was a bad break," David asks. Malachi lowers his head.

"It is my fault. I collided with her in flight," he explains.

"Very careless of you. Are you sure you were not chasing her?" he asks.

"It was an accident," I say. "He would never hurt me intentionally."

"I'm sorry," Malachi says. "I will see you later tonight."

"No, everyone is in the great room. That includes you as well," says David.

We get up, and I roll my shoulders one by one. Malachi goes to touch me and I flinch. It doesn't go unnoticed by David. "You two need to get your act together before you stand in front of him."

"What do you mean stand in front of him?" I ask.

"Jacob wants to know how you got into Hell, what happened, and how you escaped. Everyone does." David walks away and leaves us there speechless.

I go to shower and get dressed. I put on a pair of jeans and a silk shirt. After I blow-dry my hair, I curl it with the curling iron. I put on my red lipstick. If I am going to go down, I am going to look good doing it.

When I see Jacob standing at the head of a long table, I gulp. He is clean shaven and sharply dressed as well. He looks delectable. I take note of all the people present. I am happy to see so many friendly faces. I do not see Ethan among them. I know that Jacob is hurting from the loss of his dear friend. Malachi comes into the room wearing dark brown pants and a cream-colored shirt. He sits beside Jessica and takes her hand. I go to sit at the head of the table near Jacob.

"Who helped you get into Hell?" Jacob starts his questioning.

"I knew that you would not warn the Demons not to help me so I sought the information from them." I feel like I am in front of the committee only with a large audience this time.

"Did you know that opening a portal from the outside would keep it open for three days and nights and would allow Lilith and her Demons to cross over in the night anytime they wished?"

I gasp. "No."

"Did your Demon helper know?" Jacob asks.

"I will not reveal him to you."

Ashley speaks. "It was me. I did not know. I am a new Demon. I did not know if my knowledge would even get her in and back out."

Jacob doesn't attack him like I thought he would if he found out this information. "I am not mad that you helped her. I am furious that the two of you did this behind my back."

"You shouldn't have tried to follow in after me. I could not have brought the both of you back," I say.

"Well, I could only hope that you would choose me." I see Malachi shift in his chair. "I lost my arm trying to pull you back through the portal."

"I see that you found it again." I am not going to listen to him berate me.

He huffs. "Malachi, did you tell Lilith what she wanted to know?"

"Yes," he says.

Jacob places his hands palm down on the table and leans over it. "And she wanted to know where Charles' bones were located. I am safe to guess that she used Marion to get the answers from you."

"Yes," he repeats.

"Did you tell her a single location before Marion got there?"

"No."

"What was your torture?" Jacob asks.

"Each man is different. You should know. I prefer not to speak of it," Malachi says.

"Very well. I do know."

"Marion, tell us, how did you escape?"

"I was able to move the earth to create a tunnel, and Malachi flew us out of there until his light gave out, and he started to burn. Then I flew us the rest of the way to the water. That is when you pulled us out."

Jacob thinks for a moment. "Were you not in chains?"

"No. We were not."

"Why would she unchain you? I certainly do not believe that she would be so arrogant as to untie Malachi."

"Could we speak of this in private?" I ask. "It is personal to me as well as you."

I hear people grumbling around us. Malachi is on the edge of his seat, probably ready to defend himself if necessary.

"People wish to hear how two souls could escape from Lilith's prison. Why did she untie each of you?"

"She wanted to reward Malachi for telling him all of the locations." I hesitate before looking at Jacob, who is back resting his hands on the table, listening to my every word.

"What was the reward for betraying all of mankind?" Jacob asks.

"Me," I say.

"What?" he asks. He is going to make me say it out loud.

"Lilith wanted to see two Angels make love." I look at Jacob to see his response. His eyes lift off the table, and he stares at me.

"I guess you were rewarded as well." Jacob slams his fists into the table, causing a crack.

"We escaped. Malachi drank the blood from my wounds to heal himself, and then we busted through the earth when she was distracted. He flew us out while my Vampire blood healed my body." I am about to tell him that we didn't have sex but he interrupts me.

"Perhaps it is best if we speak in private from this point forward. Lilith can now raise Charles from the dead." When people start to leave, Malachi comes to the front of the table.

"I need to speak to you about Charles," he says.

"Maybe when I am done repairing the damage you have caused to my marriage, I can find time for you." Jacob turns his attention to me. "It's time for that drink now," he says.

"She speaks the truth to you. You should not drink her blood. I touched her, I caressed her, I had my mouth on her flesh, and she cried out my name once more, but she is still your bride. I would not dishonor her vows to you." Jacob does not punch him for his brave words.

"The reasons for her blood have nothing to do with you. I have to hear if she is in trouble tonight. My first obligation is to the safety of my wife. If she wants me to see what happened in Hell, she will offer it to me. I will not take it."

Malachi bows his head slightly. "Lilith knows all the locations except for one. She cannot get to the last location as long as I am alive."

"You lied?" I question.

"No, she just didn't ask the right question. She asked if there was anywhere on Earth that I didn't tell her where I buried one of his bones, but I wasn't on earth at the time."

"You have a bone inside you," I say as I marvel in his genius.

"Yes, but no one else must know. The two of you will not break to her. Others will. If I should fall, you must dig the bone out. It is the hyoid bone, and it lies along my sternum. Promise me you will bury it inside your body if I can no longer protect it from her." Jacob and I both nod.

Malachi leaves and Jacob and I wait a few minutes before going upstairs. Our bedroom is finished with all of its renovations as well as the décor from the interior designer. I take in the beauty of the room. "You got a new bed," I remark as I walk over to it and run my fingers along the expensive covers.

"The old one just didn't feel right anymore," he comments. I remember my hysteria over someone else being in my bed with Jacob when I was deceased. He did this for me even though I no longer feel the need to be upset.

"Thank you," I say. "It wasn't necessary."

"I only want to share my bed with you for however long of eternity we are fortunate to share." He runs his hands over my shoulders.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"Why? I made you tell me even though you wanted privacy. I should have listened to you. I am sorry that you had to go through that with her watching. At least you didn't have to follow through on it. Lilith never stopped with me. At least Malachi did."

"It was difficult for him. She kept stabbing me with his daggers until he spoke. Then she offered my body to Arthur and was going to make Malachi watch."

Jacob growls, "Arthur was there?"

"Yes," I say.

"Did he touch you?"

"Some. Lilith stopped him when she thought of her plan to force you to kill us when she proved to the committee that Malachi and I were having an affair."

"That was her plan?" he asks.

"Yes. I guess I didn't get a chance to tell you."

"I would never order your death. You must know that. No matter what you do, I would never harm you." He kisses me as I start to cry. I was so sure that Lilith was telling the truth and that Jacob would kill himself like he almost did before when he thought he lost me.

"Would you like that drink now?" I ask as I lean my head up for him.

"Yes, but I would prefer the femoral artery in your thigh." Hunger flashes in his eyes, and I know that he is after more than my blood.

I start to undress. "You know, I prefer several locations all over my body," I say as I lie down on the bed and slide off my jeans. I do not realize when I take off my bra that my body does not have enough blood in it to heal my skin and that he will see Malachi's mark on my breast.

Jacob's breathing increases, and I know that he is holding in his anger. "He dares to mark you, to drink from my wife. I will kill him myself." I start to back up on the bed. "Where are you going? Are you afraid of me?"

"No," I say.

"Maybe you should be. I will have that drink now and you will let me know everything that happened with him."

"I told you what she made us do."

"I'm not talking about Lilith. You let him drink from your breast, and you were not in Hell when you did."

"Jacob. Stop. You cannot do this to me."

"I told you that I would not share you again," he says before he bites my neck.

Jacob stops drinking and lifts me up against the headboard. He leaves my panties on but bites my thigh, drinking in more of my blood. I do not feel him in my mind this time. I am mad at him. When he reaches for my flesh, I zap him with my protective light. I hear his voice start to vibrate in his throat. Feeling him about to growl, I beat him to it. I have never growled at him. My teeth clinch together and my heart starts pounding out of my chest. My vocal cords snap sharply together as they rub back and forth. He is taken aback and looks at me as my voice rattles the windows in the room.

I get off of the bed and go into the bathroom. Taking a washrag, I clean my leg and throat. He follows me in there. "You crossed a line just now."

"And you didn't?"

"Yes, I did. He felt good in my arms once again. I did not resist him touching me again when we were flying out there this morning. I told you that I was confused. When I came to my senses, I fought him off. I got a broken shoulder to prove it."

"He broke your arm?" he asks while tensing his jaw.

"It was an accident. He was chasing me, and we collided. Why do you have to be so angry all the time over small incidents that do not matter to the whole equation?"

"You do not think that you matter to me?" he says.

"I do not know what you care about—ego, pride, strength, winning? You won me already. Stop fighting me or him."

"You go back and forth. You are so confused so how do you think I feel knowing that you are everything to me and yet I am this close to losing you? I fight for you every day. I think that you will go to his bed at any moment. I had countless nightmares about you and him. Even now, you throw it in my face. "

"You made me go to him. We could have run from the committee. We've lived in hiding before from Arthur. I cannot keep telling you every day how much I love you, how much I want you, or even how much I need you. We can leave this place after this is over. It can be that way again. If I am not here, Jessica will have a better chance at bonding with him. He will soon forget me. You have to believe in our love."

"He will never forget you. Can you forget about him?" he asks me.

I pause to consider his question. "If I am not around him, then yes, in time. I thought when he released me from his bond that I would be able to love him less, but I have to be physically away from him to disconnect emotionally. I'm sorry, but that is the truth."

"I have something to tell you. I do not know how you will react, but I bought our home back in England. Well, not really our home anymore, but the land and the house that is on it. They will be moved out in a couple of months. If you do not like to live there, then I will understand."

I turn to look at him. "I do not wish to fight with you when everything else is going on. I wanted to spend today in your arms and not at each other's throats. Your gift is thoughtful but you are right to assume that you do not know how I would feel. I do not know myself. We can go visit together and decide from there."

"Will you drink my blood now?" he asks.

"When I am ready," I say. I walk into the closet and dress.

"Where are you going? You need to rest."

"I will be back soon. I need to talk to Jessica," I say. He does not try to stop me from leaving. We still have much to talk about. Hopefully he will get some rest, but I do not think I will be gone for long.

When I approach Jessica's room, her door is slightly ajar. I push to make the opening wider. There stands Jessica with Malachi behind her. Her shirt is pushed down off her shoulders and his hands are holding her arms. He is drinking her blood. I feel like I just walked in on them having sex. I turn to leave so not to interrupt but Malachi looks up and catches my eyes. I try to wave him off to never mind my presence, but he stops drinking and lifts his mouth off of her neck. A drop of crimson runs down her throat. I lick my lip involuntarily. I realize just how much I need to drink.

"What's wrong?" Malachi asks.

"Nothing," I say. "The door was open. I shouldn't have come in. Please don't let me stop what you were doing." I leave and hear Jessica calling after Malachi. He is following me. I am turned around by his hand on my arm.

"Don't tell me that nothing is wrong. I know otherwise."

"Jacob and I had a fight," I admit.

"So you come running to me. It is not my concern," he says.

"I didn't come looking for you. I wanted to talk to Jessica. You are just as much to blame for our fight as I am. He saw your mark on me and knows that you drank my blood."

"I thought you would heal before he undressed you, but I guess he just couldn't wait."

"He shouldn't have to wait. It should never have happened and it never will again."

"I can't promise you that I can keep from touching you. You are too important to me to just give up. One day you will come to me again."

"No, you are wrong. Jacob and I are leaving for England after the fight is finished. I need to distance myself from you. You will learn to love Jessica. She is a good fit for you. You both have lost your true mates. Find your comfort there."

"I told you that I would leave if it is necessary. You shouldn't have to run from me," he says to me as I see Rebecca coming out of her room and heading to the dining hall.

"I have to go," I say as I turn to catch her.

"You are still running. Your feelings will catch you sooner or later. I'll be here waiting." When I turn around to challenge him, I see Jessica standing outside her door. She goes quickly back inside and slams the door shut. I will talk to her later; first I need to speak to the wizard about some ghosts.

"Rebecca, I need to talk to you. Is there a spell to stop the Demon spirits from attacking the Vampires?"

"I've been working on something. It is dangerous for me to perform. All their attention will be on me. The spell can handle them, but when Lilith sees that I am the source of the spell, she will attack me."

"Then you will need added protection. Jacob, Malachi, Jessica, and I will surround you. I can keep the spirits from attacking them. They cannot harm me since I have pure Angel blood in me. Finish your spell and we will implement it tonight. Jacob is going to try to draw the Demons to us and away from the pond. He is planning on draining the pond so they will be trapped here when the daylight comes. They will die in the sun. All we have to do is hold them off until morning."

"I have a lot of work to do. You should rest, and it looks like you can use more blood." Rebecca places her hands to her face and rubs her forehead.

"Don't worry. I will not let her get to you. You are well protected here. We are family and ours is forever." I place my hand on her shoulder as I reassure her. She feels the responsibility of our lives in her hands.

"I need to talk to Jessica. Good luck. You should rest as well." I leave and head back to my sister-in-law's room. I knock on the door. It is not locked so I enter. There is no point securing a door when one can just open it with their mind.

"Jessica, we need to talk."

"There is nothing to say. He will not leave you for me. He has already tried to make love to me, and he couldn't go through with it. I am tired of trying. I do have feelings for him, but it is best that I leave him be so that I don't get hurt."

"Listen, he was making an effort until Lilith took him. With us being forced to be together in Hell, our lives have been turned back upside down. We need to readjust to the way things are supposed to be. He is with you, and I am with your brother."

"I am going to release him from his Guardianship of me."

"No," I say but then reconsider. "At least not until the fighting is finished." I am being selfish in my answer. With him being gone from the estate and from me, maybe he will be awarded another soul to protect and the distance will make him come to his senses. Jessica starts to cry, and I hold her close to me. She does not want to say goodbye to him. I am torn with what I should do.

Just then the door opens and Malachi comes in. I let go of her and stand to leave. As I pass him, I whisper a warning. She needs him. I see that now. "She is going to dismiss you after this is over." Malachi does not say anything to me. He and I both know that if she does, he is gone from my life indefinitely. "Go to her. Love her." I say as I exit the room.

Jacob is sleeping when I return. He is wearing pajama pants and a soft T-shirt. He is still angry or he would be naked and waiting for me. I put on a silk gown and climb into bed beside him. When I go to touch him, he rolls over. I snuggle in against his back. I kiss his shoulder and lay my head down on the pillow. I am exhausted. There are only about eight more hours until dusk. We need to be up in less than that.

"Drink from me," he whispers.

"I need...to rest. I...am too tired to try...now," I say as my eyes are closing. I feel him rustling beside me under the covers. I go to sleep.

I feel like I am underwater, and I am having difficulty breathing. My chest is heavy. When I open my eyes, my mouth is full of blood. I swallow while looking into his eyes. "I will not lose you," he whispers to me. You will drink. If you are too weak, I will transfuse you if necessary. Now swallow more." I do. The blood is slow to flow out of his wrist. He grumbles when I pull away. I rise up and bite into his throat. He lowers his head for me so I can rest while I nourish myself. When I stop, he makes me keep drinking. "Your body is not healing your scars. I do not understand. You've been in the sun and you've drank plenty of my blood, but the dagger wounds are returning. Did Lilith chant anything when she stabbed you?"

"No. She spoke in tongue to Arthur but not to me. When Malachi and I were in the middle of...you know, she started vibrating and gyrating. I thought she was just excited."

"How are you feeling now?" he asks.

"I'm still tired. I need to sleep."

"No, wait here. Keep your eyes open." He gets up to leave. When he returns, I see he has Malachi and Rebecca with him. I am awake, but I do not speak. My mouth is dry. Jacob pulls down the covers and starts to lift up my gown. I see Malachi looking at my body. Rebecca is taken aback.

"She put a spell on her. I've never seen this before. Is that where she pierced her with your daggers?" Rebecca asks Malachi.

"Yes, and her shoulder and abdomen. I thought they were healed. They did not look like this after I licked the wounds. When did you notice they were getting worse?"

"I drank from her earlier. When she returned from seeing Jessica, she drank from me. That is when I saw that the wounds had reappeared."

"I will have to consult the books. I may even have to call Merlin."

"You consort with him?" Jacob asks her.

"Yes, on many occasions. I have taken up my apprenticeship again since Arthur died."

"Very well. Do what is necessary. Will this kill her?" Jacob asks.

"I do not know. I have a theory, but you are not going to like it."

"Tell me once you confirm it. I do not need to know any of it just yet." Jacob turns to Malachi. "What is your thought on the matter?"

"I assume it is the same conclusion as Rebecca's. I caused this with my dagger. I play a part in removing the curse. We did not finish what we started. Maybe this was her enforcement to make sure we followed through."

"I will not consent to you taking her to your bed," Jacob hisses.

"Are you that selfish?" Malachi asks.

"There may be another solution. Don't everyone go killing each other yet. Wait for me. Let her rest. Drain your blood back out of her since it got worse when you gave it. Do not swallow it. You may have drunk from her earlier but do not attempt it now," Rebecca instructs.

"Should she drink from me when she is empty?" Malachi asks.

"I'm checking on that, but hold off for now. Keep her in bed. She did not get sick off of the bagged blood. Find the source of it and feed it to her." Rebecca leaves. Malachi stays. When I try to sit up in the bed, I see my thighs. The holes are wide in my flesh, and black spider veins spread across my flesh.

"Get your blood out of me now," I spit at Jacob. He goes over to the door and takes a large vase from the table. When he sits beside me, he leans in to bite me. "No," I say. "Take me to the shower and let it fall out of my arteries. It is too dangerous for you to drink." Jacob picks me up from the bed and carries me into the bathroom. After removing my gown, he joins me in the shower and proceeds to bite me in multiple locations along my main arteries and veins. Blood oozes out down my skin and into the drain. I feel better already just by having half of his blood drained from me. When my wounds heal, he bites me again to open my flesh.

I shower off and put on my nightgown. Malachi is still in our bedroom waiting on our return. The places on my body look much better, but are still not completely healed.

"Let me take her outside to the patio. She can sleep there while she soaks up more of the sun," Malachi suggests.

"Very well, bring her back two hours before dark," Jacob responds. "And I shouldn't have to remind you that she is my wife."

Rebecca walks back into the room. "Merlin says that Lilith's vibrating dance was a mating ritual. Did she give chase right away or finish her spell?"

"She did not chase us until we were close to the portal," Malachi says.

"Then my assumptions are correct. Unless you two finish mating, then the curse will not be broken."

Jacob curses and throws the vase against the wall, shattering it to pieces. "We can just keep doing what we are doing. There is no need to do this."

"There's more," Rebecca says. "You and Marion cannot drink each other's blood or mate until the spell is broken. I take it since she is still alive you have not had sex since she came back?"

"No," Jacob says. He does not offer any explanation. He knows that if Malachi had not drunk from me and left his evidence behind that I would be dead right now.

"There is one alternative. She can drink the blood of a pure Angel. It is the only thing that can release the red Demon's curse."

"I will send for Adam."

"He will not come," Malachi replies. "He will not get involved."

"I will try just the same. We have been friends for over a millennium."

"There is someone else who may help. I will call for him just in case Adam falls through."

"Send up your prayer. Take her to sun. I will have the bagged blood ready for her when she returns."

Malachi reaches for my hand. I hesitate before taking it. I know Jacob does not like seeing me touching him as I leave our bedroom still wearing my nightgown.

The sun hurts my eyes as he opens the front door. I adjust to accommodate my new surroundings. We walk to the patio and Malachi sits in a lounge chair. I try to move to the next chair but he doesn't let go of my hand. Instead, he opens his legs and pulls me down to sit between them. I start to protest.

"I'm not going to do anything inappropriate. Lean back against me and rest." I relax and lie back onto his chest. He wraps one arm around my waist and pulls me in closer. "Are you comfortable? Lay your head back and sleep."

I put my head back onto his shoulder. I start to fall asleep very quickly. I feel his hand pull down the spaghetti strap of my nightgown off my shoulder. He lifts up the silk over my breast but replaces it just as immediately. He pulls my gown strap back into place. I know he just checked out the wound on my shoulder.

When I feel my flesh tingle all over, I panic. "Lie still. I am healing you. I told you that I am not going to do anything inappropriate. I had to see the state of your wound to know how much to repair."

I lie back down and fall asleep. Malachi wakes me in several hours. He seems tired.

"Did you rest any?" I ask while sitting up.

"No, I no longer sleep."

"Why do you seem so weak?"

"I will be fine when the time comes. Can you make it upstairs on your own? I need to stay here a little while longer." I nod my head yes.

"Come here," he says. I move closer to the chair. He places his hand around my hips as he raises my nightgown higher up my leg. He runs his hand over my thigh. I look and notice my skin is smooth.

"Did this work?" I ask.

"It is only temporary."

"Thank you. I feel so much better. I'll see you in a few hours." He is slow to let go of me. He lowers his head and rests it on my abdomen. I do not know whether to touch him or not. Slowly I raise my hands and run my fingers through his hair. His long locks twine around in my hand and fall over his face.

"I'm sorry that I am hurting you," I whisper. "You deserve someone better than me, someone who can love you completely."

"I am growing weary in my resolve. I am tired, Marion. My life was desolate until you came into it. I fear that my existence when you leave will be lonely once more. I cannot live anymore." He pushes me back and stands to look down into my eyes. "I fear that I will not survive this battle." I start to cry. He wipes my tears away. I know he wants to kiss me, but he holds back. "I must go now and call Michael for help."

"The Archangel?" I question.

"Yes, he and I were friends before I fell from grace. He will help us, one warrior to another."

Malachi opens his wings. They are dull in color.

"What happened to them?" I ask.

"You have my light. I must recharge while I can. Goodbye, Marion." He lifts off the ground. I see him rise above the trees and head towards the sun. I go inside while wiping my eyes. Jacob is on the steps."

"I was coming to get you. What's wrong?" he asks.

"Nothing," I say. He does not ask why Malachi is not with me.

"How do you feel?" he asks.

"Fine. He healed me with all that he had in him. I'm afraid that he has done too much. He thinks he will die tonight," I inform him.

"That is why you are so upset?"

"Yes."

"I will not let that happen."

"You cannot protect all of us," I say.

"I am stronger than you think."

"Can I touch you?" I ask him.

"Rebecca does not advise it. She does not know if it will weaken you. You should be strong for the battle."

"Is she ready with her spell?"

"Yes. Once the Demons and spirits reach the estate, we will go the pond to drain it and Rebecca will call the spirits back to us where she will trap them. Hopefully we can keep Lilith from coming up into this realm."

"I'm going to go upstairs and get ready. My drink is there?" Jacob nods. "I may not make it to the meeting."

"That's fine. You know the plan. Take all the time you need."

Chapter 17

Dark shadows float along the lawn sprawling across the grass. I can barely make out the multitude of Demons and ghosts that hide in waiting. The Vampires make their way out to meet them. Those of us who can fly are on the rooftop.

When Jacob lets out a fierce roar, we attack. The Demons are falling fast. Once the ghosts join the fight, we are once again at a disadvantage. Jacob nods at me and Rebecca. We take flight to the pond. He will join us after he makes sure no one follows us. I look down and see Jacob's sword slicing through a ghost. It will not kill it but it will slow it down.

After we fly over the pond twice to make sure it is clear, we land. Rebecca starts to put up the hidden mirrors, attaching them to the trees in a circle. I hear the water rippling behind me. When I turn, I see several Demons emerge.

"We've come to drag you back to Hell, hybrid," the one with the scar says.

"Does Lilith miss me already?" I say sarcastically.

"She will not be as kind to you this time."

"You call her hospitality kind?" I spit. "Quit talking and let's dance already." I throw my dagger at him and miss on purpose. It lodges in the chest of the Demon behind him. He crumbles to bones in the water.

"Missed me," the scarred Demon remarks.

"Yeah, but I hit your friend."

The Demon turns to see his friend is gone. When he faces me again, I am in flight and coming down on his head. My dagger buries into his back, but I miss his heart. The second Demon throws me off, and I roll to the ground. I know there is at least one more that came out of the water. I cannot find him. When he grabs me from behind, I realize my mistake. I am too close to the water, and with two Demons in front of me and one holding me from behind, I have no room to fight them off. I grab my blade from my thigh and stab the one behind me. He screams but does not let me go.

When I try to reach for the other blade, he stops me. I call forth my light and shock him until he drops his hold on my arms. I turn around quickly and dispose of him with a blade to his heart. As I withdraw my silver, I am kicked from behind. I land face first in the water. I spin around and stumble to get to my feet. The scarred Demon kicks me again. I hear the water rippling behind me again. The portal is open but I do not know if it is meant to let me in or more Demons out. I feel a talon pierce my shoulder. I now realize Lilith is on the other side close to the surface.

I hear a yell from above. The flash of metal catches my eye as Lilith's limb is amputated. Her talon still clenches my flesh around my bones. Before the two remaining Demons reach me, I see Malachi land in the water in front of me. His spears from his wings are dripping with Demon blood as they hang down to his calves.

Taking out two daggers, he throws them at the same time and kills both Demons. He turns and offers me his hand to help me up. When I stand, he comes behind me and pries Lilith's dead bird hand off my shoulder.

"Where did you come from?" I ask.

"You needed me, so I came," he says. "Is she ready?"

"Yes, where is Jessica?"

"If she needs me, I will know it, and I will go to her."

"Are you feeling better?" I ask.

"Are you?"

"Yes, I feel fine. My shoulder hurts now. I do not think it is healing."

"Let me see," he says.

"You are avoiding my question."

"Maybe," he says as he stretches my top down. "It looks bad. I cannot heal it."

"Didn't you recharge?"

"I have no light. I told you I gave it to you."

"You said you would recharge as much as you could."

"And I did. I cannot lie. I've used all I've regained."

"Take it from me," I plead.

"No, you need it more."

"If you are about to die, you will take what you need from me. Do you understand?"

"If it comes to that, and I know that you will be okay, then I will."

"We are ready," Rebecca interrupts. We walk out of the water. Malachi goes to hook up the many hoses and water pumps. I stand by Rebecca, who starts chanting her spells. I hear a howl coming from the battlefield. The wind picks up, blowing the leaves from their branches.

"They are coming but so are the Demons," I call out. Malachi turns on the pumps. Jacob and Jessica land beside us.

"Now that you are here, I must go," Malachi says to Jacob.

"Go where?" I ask.

"The Fallen are to stop the Demon retreat as the Vampires advance from behind. Are the sprinklers set?"

"Yes, they will start in ten minutes," Jacob says.

"Why must you go?" I ask Malachi.

Jacob takes my hand and answers for him. "He is their leader. It is his place." Malachi nods his head at Jacob.

"Lilith pierced her shoulder with her talon. Her skin is starting to darken once again. She is close to the gateway. She will enter before it closes." Jacob turns to me and looks at my flesh.

"Thank you for saving her," he tells my former Guardian. They may not like each other but at least they respect one another.

"If you hurt too badly, use the light to heal yourself. You have plenty." Malachi leaves through the air.

"The ghosts are here. Stay close to me," I say to Jessica and Jacob. I start to glow large enough to envelop all of us. The ghosts try to break into my enclosure but they cannot. As a large quantity gather, Rebecca cast a light on the first mirror that starts a chain reaction. The beam goes around to each mirror, which reflects it to the next one. After the circle is completed, the ghosts disappear into the largest mirror closest to us. They are trapped inside.

"It's working," Jessica says. The pond is about one-third emptied.

"I do not know if the Fallen can hold them off long enough for the water to recede," I wonder out loud.

"You have never seen them fight," Jacob informs me. "The water from the sprinklers that we installed will help them heal faster." I hear the rotating heads of the gadgets start and water mist rise up in the night sky. Horror sounds erupt as the Fallen attack from the sky. The Demons try to retreat but the Vampires attack from behind. The plan is working perfectly. More and more spirits are falling into our trap.

I feel the ground quake beneath our feet. Rebecca grabs the large mirror and takes off running in the direction of the hotel. If the mirror shatters, then all the spirits will be set free. She must secure it somewhere safe. The water has receded from the pond to where there is at least a twenty-foot circle of mud before the water meets the grass.

A mighty squeal comes from beneath the portal. Lilith is coming. Jacob pushes me behind him. With her red wings ablaze with fire, she ascends into the night sky. She does not land to fight us. She is going after Rebecca.

I see someone else emerge from the gateway. It is Arthur. He turns to face Jacob one on one. I jump to the air to chase the red Demon down. Jessica is close behind me. When I see Rebecca, I do not see the mirror or Lilith. I land in front of her. "Is it secure?" I ask.

"Yes," she replies. "It is whole and in place."

"Good. Did you see Lilith?"

"No, she is here?"

"Yes. She was chasing you," Jessica replies. We all take to flight and head back towards Jacob. When I notice a large shadow above us, it is too late. Rebecca screams as Lilith pierces her shoulders with her talons and drags her away. I guess she has recuperated from losing her limb earlier.

"No," I scream. "You want me, not her." I try to chase but she is too fast. I climb higher in altitude and notice their direction. She is headed towards the mountains. I narrow my vision and darken my eyes to allow for more light to pass through. I see her perched on a tree limb but I do not see Rebecca. I know she will torture her in order to find out the location of the mirror or use her to get Jacob to bind her.

Jessica flies up to meet me. The altitude is too much for her to handle. "Come, I know where they are. She will wait for us. We need Jacob and Malachi if we are to get her back."

The pond is completely drained now when we land. Jacob and Arthur are fighting in hand-to-hand combat. Male egos once again get in my way. "Pull out your blade and finish him. We have more important matters to attend to," I yell at Jacob.

Arthur reacts first and slices into Jacob's stomach. Jacob rolls and stands back up with a dagger in each hand. He uses my trick of throwing the daggers in the air while charging Arthur with new blades already in his hands. When Arthur notices his folly, he sidesteps, causing the first dagger to miss his heart and land in his shoulder. The second dagger lands in his throat as Jacob runs his right hand all the way through his heart. Arthur falls to ash.

"Why is he not bones?" I ask.

"Lilith must be protecting him. He is Demon now. He will need to find another portal before he can return since this gateway is closed. It should take him a while."

"We need to find Malachi. Lilith has Rebecca. I do not know if she will break and tell her where the mirror is located. She made it to secure it in the manner in which we instructed."

"You find Malachi, Jessica and I will go to Lilith. Where did she go?"

"She rests on a branch high in the eastern mountain side. Maybe Jessica should get Malachi?"

"No. He will not leave his people for anyone other than you."

"Oh." I do not know what else to say. "Be careful."

We all fly off in different directions. I know Jessica will come in from behind the mountains. They work well as a team. I can tell that Jacob had trained both his sister and Rebecca to fight. Their styles are all identical.

When I find Malachi standing amongst the dead bodies and remaining warriors and Demons, his body is severely bruised and bloody. I land behind him. He turns his blade on me but stops when he recognizes me.

"Marion, why are you here?"

"We need you. Lilith has Rebecca."

"Jacob can handle her," he says as he buries his sword into his adversary. "He will not let harm come to his daughter."

"He doesn't know," I admit.

"What? Marion, why would you keep that from him? If Lilith tells him, he will surely bind her to keep her safe."

"I thought I could tell him in order to keep him from binding her, not to have it used against me." I cup my hand on his cheek. "Please, Malachi, I need you."

"Gerald," he yells to his friend. "You are in charge." Malachi jumps to the air, pulling me up with him. He hugs me pressed against his bloody body. I have to fold in my wings for him to fly safely. "I need my light back now," he says to me.

"Take it, I offer it to you." He picks up the blue pearl necklace and holds it in his fingers.

"I'm glad you still wear my gift," he says as the chain slips back down to rest on my neck.

"Always," I say. He leans down and kisses me. He parts my lips with his tongue but he doesn't enter. I feel him withdraw my breath into his body. I release his light back into him. When he is finished, my lips are still parted, and I am left shivering in his arms.

"You okay?" he asks. I just nod my head and snuggle my face into the crease of his neck. From the change in the scent of him, I know his wounds are healing.

"Don't leave yourself vulnerable ever again," I tell him. After I motion to the spot where I last saw Lilith, he lets me go to fly on my own. She is no longer in the tree. I look down below and see Jacob and Jessica fighting her.

"Where's Rebecca?" I ask.

"I have her. Go to Jacob," Malachi yells as he nose dives swiftly through the tree branches. I see a shadow leap from somewhere off to my side. Before I am able to lay eyes on it again, I am hit and we roll together through the air. She has me pierced up under my rib cage. I know her face.

"Ariel," I say. "My Demon protector, aren't you on the wrong side?"

She laughs. "You are no longer my charge with you being a Guardian yourself. Lilith saved me from the Abyss. My loyalties are to her. Demon to Fallen, I can kill you with a twist of my knife."

"She didn't tell you, did she? I am not Fallen. I am Angel. You cannot touch me." I see her frown as she realizes the truth. She twists the blade into my heart. I pulverize my electric charge into her body. She is thrown backwards through the air, and she falls to the ground. I expel the knife from my chest. I am still alive, but it definitely has slowed me.

I recover enough to chase after her. I descend to the ground. I see Rebecca is tied to a tree, dangling above a blazing fire. Lilith can make her fall at any moment. Arthur is there protecting her. He must know of another portal. The fighting is getting closer. I can smell Lilith's foul stench.

"Hello, Arthur. It looks like it is just you and me," I say. "I'm not the little housewife you remember me to be. Let go of my daughter, and I might let you live."

Rebecca stares at me. "You knew? Since when?" she asks.

"Since Malachi drank your blood," I say. "How did you know, and why didn't you say anything?"

"I am a wizard. I see and know things that I shouldn't. I didn't want Jacob to treat me like a child. I prefer to be on equal grounds."

"But Jessica said that her friend wanted him for herself."

"That was not me. She was talking about Shayne. She is the one who called for her, remember? I only said things to Jacob to fluster him. I found it entertaining. He must not know."

I lower my head to the ground. Arthur starts to laugh. "This is going to be a great family reunion that ends with the death of another one of your children." I hear Malachi smashing his metal sword against another blade from beyond the trees.

"Ariel," he hisses as he backs her out of the woods.

"Angel warrior let me be your diversion once again as Arthur finishes the family off."

"You led me away on purpose."

"You would think you would have learned your lesson after failing so miserably the first time. But that is not all. Who do you think told Arthur where they lived?"

"No, you were sworn to protect her."

"You made sure that I never got that chance. She means nothing to me. You always had to be the one to guard her. Look, you fail her even now." When Malachi goes to strike her, I feel the wind of Arthur's sword slicing towards me. I turn and block his strike with my arm band. I go down on one knee, but I am able to stand to push him off. He comes back quickly, but I jump up in the air and land behind him. I give him a cheap shot to the kidney. When he leans over, I jab my dagger through his lung. He coughs up blood. I pull out my blade as he swings his sword towards my head. I duck and pierce him low in the abdomen. I do not have time to pull out my silver this time. When he opens his wings, I notice that they are twice as large as Jacob's. He removes the blade from his flesh and hurls it at me. I am able to avoid his throw easily enough. When I turn, I see that I was not the intended target. Malachi has Ariel pinned to the ground, and the blade is headed straight for his heart.

"Malachi," I yell. I see a fast blur running in his direction. Jacob appears in front of him and takes the dagger hit to his shoulder. He is shorter than Malachi so it would not hit his heart. Jacob came through with his promise not to let him fall. I breathe a sigh of relief as Jacob pulls the silver from his chest.

Arthur pulverizes me with his wings. I cannot defend against them. They are too fast and too strong. I am knocked over, and he covers my body with them. I hear Jacob yelling as Arthur's body is taking a beating outside of his cocoon that he has me trapped inside.

"He cannot break through to get to you. I hope you fight well on your back. I know of a lot of things you do well in this position." I spit in his face. He slaps me hard. His sword is lying on the ground outside of our bodies. Since he has no weapons of his own, I feel his hand reaching into my feather. He pulls out one of my daggers very slowly.

"I wish we had more time, but your husband is relentless in his attack. I cannot hold him off much longer." He stabs the dagger into my heart. I gasp and start to glow. My pulse charge does not fire. Arthur laughs as he stabs me repeatedly. He is killing me. One hit may not do it, but I cannot survive several. I scream. I see the tip of Arthur's sword plunging out the front of his neck. He stops moving and falls off of me. Jacob twists the blade and decapitates him.

He sits down beside me and pulls me into his chest. "Hang on, Marion. Don't leave me." I feel so sleepy. My wounds are not bleeding much because there is no blood left in me. My shoulder, abdomen, and thighs hurt from Lilith's mark.

"I do not know if I can do what you ask," I say to Jacob. "I am sorry."

"No," Jacob yells. I look to the place where I smell smoke. The forest is on fire. I see Lilith emerge from the flames. She has Jessica in her hands. Her skin is burning from the contact with the red Demon.

"Looks like tonight you will lose everyone you care about. We will start with your daughter." Lilith motions towards Rebecca. I close my eyes. Jacob looks back and forth between Rebecca and me. "Oh, you didn't know, your wife did not tell you."

"Marion, is this true?" he asks me.

"Yes. I was pregnant when Arthur stole me. Rebecca is our daughter. I didn't know until you were banished to Hell, when I refused to let Malachi drink from me. He drank from her and tasted our blood in her."

Jacob places me gently on the ground. "You will not hurt any of them."

"Do as I ask of you, and you all will live," Lilith says as she throws chains down to the ground.

"I will not bind you," he says, enunciating each word.

"Very well," Lilith replies. Rebecca screams as her rope snaps and she falls towards the flames. Malachi kicks away from Ariel and barrel rolls just in time to catch her. He unties her. "Can you heal her with your spells?" he asks while looking at me.

"I can make her live." She runs over to me and takes my hand.

Lilith sets Jessica on fire and throws her behind her. I hear her hit the ground hard. She is screaming.

"Stop," Jacob yells.

"Do you yield?"

"Yes."

"Do you obey?"

Jacob looks at me. "You heal them both, and you have my word."

"Jacob, no," I yell through my strained voice.

"I love you, Marion. Mankind may suffer for my actions, but those I love will not. We are already dead. The Vampires, Fallen, and Demons shall inherit the earth."

"That is not the way it is supposed to be. I'd rather be dead."

"I will never let that happen again," Jacob snarls at me.

"Deal," Lilith says. Jessica's screams stop. She is no longer on fire, but she is not healing either.

"I will heal them when you complete your task, but I will not harm them while you do."

Jacob grabs the first chain from the ground. Malachi goes to stop him, but Lilith shoots a fireball from her mouth. He is tumbled backward and is on fire. He puts out the flames and flashes his blue light to heal his burned flesh. He comes over to me.

"Can you walk?" Malachi asks me.

"Almost. Her spells are working."

"I am going to Jessica. Her breathing is slow, and she is in pain."

"I'll be there soon," I say. Jacob has one talon manacled and is securing it to a tall tree.

In a few minutes, I am able to get to my feet. Rebecca helps me maneuver around Lilith to get to Malachi and Jessica.

"She is dying. Lilith cannot save her," Malachi says. I pinch my nose to block the smell. She is unrecognizable. "Marion." I look at him. "Hand me your necklace." I cannot move. I can barely understand his meaning. He stands and comes over to me. "You must offer it back to me. I cannot take my gift from you." I do not say anything as I unhook the chain and hand it to him. He places it around Jessica's neck. When he raises his hand to her chest, I know that she will take all of his essence to heal herself.

"Malachi," I whisper, "I love you." A tear escapes his eye and runs down his cheek. When he calls out his light, I see the source of his soul pass from his palm and into Jessica. When the transfer is complete, he falls to the grass. Jessica's flesh begins to heal, and her breathing is increasing.

I look towards Jacob. He is working on Lilith's other foot and chaining it to a large tree to the side. He has two more limbs to go plus the crisscross of chains on her chest.

I see a lightning bolt flash from the sky to the ground. A cloud of mist forms and heads in our direction. Adam walks out and comes to our sides. I think he is here to offer me his blood.

"No, child, I am here to take your Guardian home."

"You can hear my thoughts?" I ask.

"Yes, I hear everyone's thoughts and prayers."

"Will he be in Purgatory?" I ask.

"No, he is redeemed. His home lies in Heaven once more."

"I will never see him again?"

"It is not final, but there is a chance that he will not return. He has longed for this day for many years. If you want to say goodbye, you should do so as he ascends." I look down at the place where Malachi was lying, and he is gone. I turn back to Adam, who just looks up in the sky. Following his gaze, I see Malachi rising just above the tree line. With no hesitation, I leap to the air and catch up to him. He catches me as I reach him.

"So, you love me, huh?" he asks me.

"You know I do. I will miss you. I wish there was another way."

"This is what I've always wanted, to be in favor with God again. Do not be sad for me." I look down and see Jacob is talking with Adam. Lilith is thrashing in her chains. She is unhappy that Jacob has stopped. I see Jacob and Adam looking up at us.

Malachi raises my chin to look at him. "Drink, Marion, I am Angel now. My blood will heal you." I stare at him for a moment before I sink my teeth into his neck. I swallow three times before I feel my flesh tingling all over. His blood is too rich for me.

"Malachi, what have you done to me?" I ask. I start to slip from his grasp, but he tightens his hold.

"I told you that I can heal you, but it only takes a drop of Angel blood. I do not wish to leave without you. My blood will make you Angel once more. I am not going to let you stay here to perish because of him and his actions."

"I can handle Jacob," I say. "Let me go." I see lightning flash across the sky and a warrior Angel appears. His hair is cut in military style and it is as black as the night. He has come to take Malachi the rest of the way home. I kick and scream. Jacob grabs hold of my ankle and is pulling me out of Malachi's arms. I am in a tug-of-war.

"She is mine. Let her go," Jacob yells.

I look at Malachi. "I will never forgive you for betraying me."

"Betraying you? I am trying to save you. Don't you see that?" Malachi is going to lose me. Jacob is pulling with all his might. "Michael, let me go."

"No, you cannot fall back to earth. If she does not survive the taking of your blood, she will join you soon. Come, my brethren," the Archangel replies.

"Marion, I am sorry. You deserve better than him. I love you. Come with me." He lets go of my arms. My skin is turning pale, and my wings are shining a bright white. Jacob falls quickly to the earth, holding me tightly in his arms. He lands beside Adam and lays me gently on the ground.

Lilith is speaking in tongues. I hear her call the name Lucifer. "Finish the bind, and I will save her."

"Quiet, Demon," Adam calls forth. "You are not fully bound. Your call will go unanswered." She obeys.

"Jacob, you know how to save her. You have the knowledge and the power."

"I beg of you, Adam, please help her."

"I cannot get involved. You saved her once in the same way. I must deal with Lilith. You take care of your Vampire bride." With that said, Adam leaves our side to talk with the red Demon.

Jacob smiles down at me as he wipes the stray hair from my face. "It's all right, love. I know what I must do." He leans down. I think he is going to kiss me but he turns my head and latches onto my throat. He drinks the blood out of me. I feel his skin turning hot and smell the burning of his flesh. He is going as fast as he can while trying to ignore the pain rising in his body. When he feels the vacuum of my vessels against his teeth, he knows that I am as empty as I can be.

He stands up. His flesh is smoldering, and I see sparks of embers. Doubling over in the grass, he starts to regurgitate my blood. His burning stops, but he is slow to heal. He collapses on the ground. I see a streak of light flash across the sky. I know that Malachi is gone now, but he waited long enough to see if I would live or die. I muster what strength I have and crawl to Jacob's side. I use what light I have left to heal what I can. Jacob does not move in my arms. Jessica makes her way over to us and falls beside her brother. She takes her teeth and slices her wrist. I part Jacob's lips as she squeezes out her blood from her wound. He starts to stir and raise his head. Latching onto her arm, he drinks quickly. She holds still as he continually bites into her, reopening her blood supply. When he regains his self-control, he stops. He offers her wrist to me.

"Not much," Jessica warns me. I take her wrist and drink slowly. When I no longer feel that my insides are eating away at my flesh, I stop.

Adam is still standing in front of Lilith. Jacob rises and goes to his side. "I will unbind her. I know that I am the only one who can."

"Tell me, Jacob, would you have completed the ritual?"

"To save my family, I would do anything," he says before pausing. "I needed to buy them time to heal. I was going to try to decapitate her with the chain."

"You cannot defeat her, only an Angel can, and we will not get involved."

Adam's comment does not go unnoticed by me. I am just not strong enough yet. Jacob proceeds to unchain the Demon from the trees. He will not go near her body to undo the manacles. Adam holds her still with his power. When Jacob is done, Adam lets her speak.

"Lilith, for your attack on these people, I hereby banish you to your realm for a sentence of ten years."

"I second that motion," Jessica says.

"Then name your replacement for the committee panel," Adam says.

"I name Ariel," Lilith responds.

"I am surprised you did not call on Arthur," I comment.

"He cannot be trusted. He is Vampire. Ariel is Demon."

"The sun is upon us. I suggest you make whatever gateway you can to drag any survivors back to Hell with you," Jacob warns her.

"You all will pay for this one day. You may have saved her from my curse, but mark my words, I will see to it that she joins her former lover in Heaven."

"Do you make threats in front of me? I can strike you down with one wave of my hand," Adam remarks. "Know your place, Demon."

Lilith backs away and bows her head. Her body shrinks down to her human form. She is naked. "I am sorry for my actions here today. Thank you, Adam, for your leniency." Ariel and Lilith take their leave.

Adam turns to us. "Rebecca has gone back to the estate. Marion is safe and cured. Jessica is alive and well. Your family is well taken care of. You should have more faith, Jacob, that they can take care of themselves. And do not let them come between you and your oath to protect mankind ever again. You almost failed here tonight. Malachi was not wrong in trying to save her and take her with him to Heaven. He will not be punished for his actions. Now take your wife and go home. It is the last night of your honeymoon, after all." Adam takes to flight before disappearing in a bolt of lightning. I guess that is how they travel between realms.

"We better make it fast back to the estate," Jacob says. "Those that are still alive will have to stay the day with us. We will celebrate with a party tonight. Ethan is putting the plans in place. He's quite the party planner. The Fallen will rejoice for the return of one of their own to God's grace. Then you can choose anywhere in the world you would like to go for an extended honeymoon. I did not have the opportunity to plan a trip until now."

"I thought Ethan was dead. He was not at the house."

"He stayed in the tunnels. Daylight had him trapped down there."

I think about where I would like to go. "I want to go to England, to our new home." The renovations to the house alone will occupy my mind. Jessica needs to grieve on her own. I look at my blue pearl glowing around her neck. I know part of Malachi's essence or soul is inside. I smile. He is finally hers at last.

We start our travel back to the estate. I fly holding onto Jacob's hand. He turns and looks at me. "I love you, Mrs. Alexander Jacobs." I roll underneath him and fold in my wings. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and grab the nape of his neck. He meets me halfway to embrace our kiss together. For whatever reason, I know this man loves me.

The End

