Steal Me From Heaven

by Crawford, Toni

  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 pulse 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 r
eturning 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 ha
ve 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.