Steal Me From Heaven (33 page)

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.