The Beloved Fire

by Chelsii Klein

  Mikayla yawned rubbing at her eyes. How long had it been since she slept? “Listen can we continue you this tomorrow? I’m tired but before you leave, I need to get a few things straight.” Blake nodded and she continued. “So I’m in Hell with the Watchers. Some demon wants to mate with me because you all think I have angel blood, which I do not, and once I do that I can leave? Or possibly before that maybe the Chosen will save me? And explain to me why you think I have angel blood.”

  Blake sighed standing up grabbing his dinner jacket, walking over to where she stood. “You are in purgatory, and no before you ask…you’re not dead. You are with the Watchers, but you are here not only to mate as you call it, but to marry; and that’s to the prince of Hell, Anock. And no after you are done you aren’t able to leave. You will be the new Queen of Hell. And for you to get saved…they would have to go through me, Anock’s personal guard and now yours. We will discuss your bloodline tomorrow. Goodnight Mikayla.” He leaned over like he was about to kiss the top of her head but changed his mind, turned and walked out of her room, the twins trailing behind him. They left with a gentle click of her bedroom door but to her, it sounded more like a slam.

  5

  Perplexed

  The angel knelt in front of the crown one last time before making his leave and heading for the fourth tier, to find the arch angel Gabriel. Flying fast so that he wouldn’t waste time, he passed over all the love and glory of heaven, feeling more homesick than ever.

  Gabriel was there on his highest cloud, waiting. The angel approached with a bow of respect for his officer. “Commander, I’m sorry to report they have taken Mikayla.”

  Gabriel nodded in understanding. “As her guardian angel I assume there was reason to which you were not there, reasons to which they got a hold of her.”

  “Yes, I was led astray. I believe James may be working for them now, his alliance may have changed. He revealed himself to Mikayla and I’m guessing it was to get my attention. He took off and I followed him to a cabin in the woods, where I lost him. I thought she would be okay surrounded by other mortals. I was only gone five minutes. When I flew back to check on Mikayla, she was gone. The gatekeepers smell was left everywhere, along with Anock’s.” The angel said, feeling his wings shake. He loved Mikayla. She had been assigned to him in the beginning as his earthly child. Now he knew how mortals felt after losing a child.

  “We would have to act fast; I assume if James has switched, Blake’s side has as well. There is a neutral party in this game that I fear has intervened for this to happen. Which means the outcome we want may still come to pass, but we need to get them out of there. All of them. Are you sure James has switched his alliance?”

  “Even without me knowing for sure, his aura glows differently. I’m just confused as to why he didn’t take her when he had a chance to do so?” The angel said.

  Gabriel looked thoughtful, before proceeding. “You will have to return to earth and continue helping her earthly parents search. Anock will be coming for them first when we get them out. Lead them afar and keep them moving on your search, we will provide the evidence, keep them safe. I will work out a rescue, we will move in three days’ immortal time. Dismissed.”

  The angel bowed down, retreating slowly before stopping at the last second. “Sir, what of Selena?”

  A sad look passed over the commander’s face. “I will take care of her. Now go.”

  The angel flew on.

  From falling asleep in a warm bed to being awake in a whole different place, it was a shock. Instead of the mansion in purgatory, she was standing in the sand on a beach with a full moon shining down upon her. The ocean was a beautiful blue even at night. The waves rolled in crashing softly at the shore, knocking about a few crabs as they tried escaping. She looked down to see herself in a long sheer white night gown that tickled the tops of her bare feet as it blew in the mild wind. Looking around, she couldn’t see anyone. Usually she wasn’t so aware in her dreams, and couldn’t remember them, but seeing how she was now acquainted with a dream walker this would probably be normal from now on. Blake had to of made this one, her mind would never be able to come up with something so beautiful.

  Almost on cue, she felt two strong hands lightly grip the tops of her shoulders from behind. Without meaning to, a shiver ran through her remembering how his hands felt roaming her body earlier that night.

  “This is amazing.” She said turning around.

  “Were you expecting me?” He wore a sheer white shirt, and dark khakis with no shoes like her.

  She took a couple steps back in shock that instead of seeing bright blue eyes, they were green.

  “James?”

  James smiled wickedly. He was just as attractive as she remembered him to be, but something else pulled at her mind. “The one and only. How’s your night going?” He said stepping closer to her. Had he known she had thought about him up until Blake distracted her? Was he a dream walker too or was this her minds way of coping with being kidnapped?

  A baby turtle popped out of the sand scurrying over Mikayla’s bare foot towards the water making her step back in surprise. “Umm, it’s going okay. You seem different than the last time I saw you.”

  “Yeah I’m sure of that. I thought that you and I could finish where we left off the other night.” James said with a serious face. She could faintly remember the party and the dizziness from the champagne, but from his serious tone she didn’t think he was talking about their make out session, or was he?

  James stretched out his arms, yawning big before continuing. “Yeah, I didn’t figure you would remember much about that night. I brought you home after you drank too much and came on to me.”

  He had brought her back? She thought Ander had brought her back? Thinking of Ander brought a jolt through her head, what had happened to him if James brought her home? All she could remember was going too much, waking up going to the library and then Blake said she needed to wake up that she was in a dream but then was the demon and library not real? How did she get to purgatory?

  With all her confusion, she pushed it aside and focused on her best friend instead.

  “What happened to Ander? Why didn’t he bring me home?”

  James reached to grab for her wrist that she stepped away from him. Why did he think she would want to be grabbed right now? Didn’t James realize that she was slowly freaking out? Ander and her parents would be frantic looking for her. Instead of going along calmly with this kidnap crap, like she had been doing, she needed to fight this and escape. Why had it taken her this long to realize there were people who would be looking for her?

  James gave a scoff along with an eye roll. “He’s fine.”

  “How long have I been gone?” She asked.

  “Not long, time runs different in the mortal realm than it does where you’re at.”

  “And how do you know where I’m at?”

  “I have my ways.” All she could do is clench her fists at his flippant remark. He was acting like all this was okay.

  “Ander’s fine babe. Trust me. Now come here.” Did he just call her babe?

  She shook her head backing up more. “Don’t call me that.” Pausing she took a breath to calm down. “How can I trust that’s true? That Ander’s okay, and you never answered my question.”

  James ran his hands down his face in frustration, his blonde hair shined more in the moonlight this time then the first time they met. His green eyes frowning in frustration felt like they held a hint of danger and she stepped back, unsure why she was getting that vibe all from looking in his eyes.

  “Because I just know okay? Take it at face value that if I can get in your dream, surely, I can assure you someone on Earth is fine. Do you remember me telling you that I was a dream walker?”

  It was her time to scoff. “I figured as much.” Why now did all these dream walking, supernatural beings have to come into her life? And no, she would have remembered him saying he was a dream walker. If she would have remembered tha
t bit of information, her thoughts of him would have been a lot different. Like thoughts saying stay away, he was crazy. Before Sarah’s light trick, not only would she not have believed him, but probably laugh in his face.

  When he tried again to take her hand, she shook him off and he finally got the hint. “Suit yourself.” He stepped back before sitting down in the sand relaxing back on his hands. His white shirt pulling across his fit chest. There was an uncanny resemblance between James and Blake. Their eyes, voice, and the way they moved. She wasn’t sure how to approach it. Maybe it was a dream walker thing? Maybe they all were alike? Maybe there were all in this kidnapping innocent woman thing together?

  The air felt stifling all of a sudden and her heartbeat picked up with the strange atmosphere or was it the way he watched her like his prey. He still held the same air of confidence around him like he had when she met him at the party, but this time his watchful eyes kept telling her to run.

  She continued to slowly step back towards the water.

  “If you’re a dream walker…than you are also behind me getting kidnapped?” Mikayla asked, unsure if she really even wanted to know the answer. She hated the slight tremble in her voice.

  “In a way.” She let the quiet sink in as she thought about what that could have meant. Ander said he knew him, and he was bad. Why hadn’t she listened to her best friend that night and got the hell out of there?

  James ran his hand through his hair watching her inner turmoil, smirking. He just admitted to kidnapping and that was something to smile about?

  She took another small shuffle back feeling the waves lap against her heels, soaking the back of her dress and adding weight to the light fabric. “Sort of? So you’re like Blake? A dream walker that just wants to sell me off to the Prince of Hell. Why did you guys just now show up in my life? Blake told me about the Watchers and the Chosen. You need to know I don’t have any angel blood. My parents are as ordinary as it gets, you have the wrong girl!” Tears she didn’t know she had coming threatened to fall and she sucked in a shaky breath. All her questions were good ones, and the longer she went without the truth, the more hopeless she felt. Didn’t they realize they had the wrong girl?

  “I’m part of the Chosen…and stop backing away from me. I’m not the enemy.” She was starting to notice that he always seemed to command stuff from her, almost like he knew her enough to actually get away with that. It pissed her off thinking he could just control her that easily.

  “Blake told me about the Chosen. You’re supposed to be good, so how did you kidnap me in a way?” She leveled him with an exhausted look.

  “I am good. This all had to happen for a reason, and our timing into your life was also planned. Trust me. There is nothing we can do now but watch the game play out. You’re not in any danger with my idiot brother there. No matter how much I hate him.”

  “Who?”

  “Who do I look like?”

  She studied his square jaw, before moving to his striking green eyes, and bright blond hair. At first glance he resembled Cain, but that was just because of the hair color. There was no denying his sultry voice, eyes and lips reminded her of a certain black-haired demon that made her heart thump wildly in her chest.

  “Blake?”

  He nodded tossing a shell into the water. Her mouth opened and closed more times than she could count before she could stop herself and form a coherent thought. “Blake is your brother?!”

  Standing he stretched again moving his shoulders like they were in pain. “Yeah, mister pissed off at the world, is my charming brother.” When his stare became too intense, she shifted out of the water and onto the sand, concentrating on anything but him. It held heat, promises and she remembered how he felt against her the night of the party.

  “So you’re incubus and a dream walker?” She asked in a soft voice. If she was surrounded by sexual demons it would explain why she was having trouble holding back her urges around them.

  The warmth of his presence, at her back, told her he’d moved closer and she clenched her fist to keep from turning around. She hadn’t even heard him move. Was that a supernatural thing? The longer she stood with her back to him the closer she could feel him get. Her traitorous body tingled with anticipation. It was like as soon as he or Blake came around, she lost all sense of herself. He kidnapped her, why couldn’t she snap out of it? Why was she so attracted to him?

  “Do you want me to be?” She jumped when his breath tickled her neck, his voice vibrating with lust. She concentrated on the waves rolling in, trying not to think about how much he affected her.

  When she went to move away, he wrapped his hands around her arms stopping her. “Did I tell you to move?” His voice held the danger she saw in his eyes, it didn’t scare her like it should though, it only intensified everything.

  He wasn’t holding her that tight, she could break out of his hold, but if she was being honest, she didn’t want to. She should after his demanding request, she shouldn’t let him tell her what to do.

  Trailing his hands painstakingly slow down her arms, he paused at her wrists, before grabbing them and pulling her hard against him. She sucked in a loud breath more from pleasure than shock when she felt his hard erection against her back. Oblivious to the storm he was creating, or maybe intently creating, his hands moved slowly to her stomach.

  “Do you want me to be an incubus?” He repeated gripping her wrist tighter, the action somehow pooling molten lava down through her core. A demon should scare her, but it excited her instead.

  A demon of sexual powers electrified her senses.

  No. He electrified her senses.

  He teased her lust and begged her confidence to crave his touch.

  He was like the spark to ignite her fire, and it was clear she would always go up in flames around him. Demon or no demon, it was clear she wanted him.

  “Maybe.” She whispered.

  Not once stopping his hands he slowly moved them down grabbing her hips holding her still before grinding himself against her. She gasped, her head falling back to his chest, and her eyes involuntarily shutting, as everything in her body heated deliciously.

  “Sorry to disappoint.” He whispered before biting softly at her ear. She shivered trying to grasp how long she was going to let this go on. She needed to get ahold of the situation. She needed to be asking him questions not letting him seduce her, but if this was a dream would it really be so bad to see where this went?

  “Just the opposite of that.” He continued.

  “What?” She whispered, trying to remember what they were talking about.

  He breathed in her hair, nuzzling her neck making it hard to concentrate.

  “I’m not a demon.” He growled licking the shell of her ear. Could’ve fooled her.

  “Then what are you?”

  She tried to turn her head away from his amazing lips and off her ear, but he bit down on her, holding her head in place. It made her moan, when it should have made her angry. There was something wrong with her if this brought her pleasure.

  “Angel.” He growled.

  Her eyes flew open. “How?”

  He ignored her and answered by sucking on her ear lobe. Her eyes shutting again as a soft moan escaped her. There was no way he was an angel with how sinful his touch was.

  As if answering her thoughts, James continued to slowly make his way down the front of her, one hand going to the spot that ached and was soaking wet, as the other reached up slowly trailing over one of her breasts before pinching hard at her nipple. She whimpered grabbing his hand that now held her most sensitive spots, grinding against him as he continued his beautiful assault. She needed him to stop teasing her, and fix the ache he was creating.

  “Let me show you.” He said in a voice that was sexy and full of lust before kissing her neck hard.

  She moaned out his name, all cares forgotten. If it wasn’t for him holding her so tightly, her knees would have buckled long ago from the ecstasy he was creating. As soon a
s his lips left her neck, she was turned around violently before he dropped to the ground screaming in pain. Still in a half lust, she was disoriented and confused on what happened.

  “JAMES!” She went to touch him, but he lightly shoved her back before thrusting his hands into the loose sand like he needed to anchor himself. She didn’t know what was happening, or how to help. Her lust turned to fear.

  “James tell me how to help!” But her voice was lost to another round of his screams. The ground rumbled as his shirt ripped away before two bright white feathered wings grew suddenly from his back. They were blinding in contrast to his tanned skin with black tattoos she didn’t know he had. The inked skin nothing but line after line of a language that looked ancient and foreign.

  She tried stepping back, as his screaming continued, his wings flexed high growing bigger and bigger, but stumbled over her long dress falling softly in the sand. Her heart jackhammering against her chest.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  She braced herself, shocked at what she was seeing, scared and completely terrified of the angel that now knelt before her. He really was an angel.

  A mother freaking angel.

  Holy demon babies, she just made out with an angel.

  Just as quickly as his screaming started, it stopped, and the calm air surrounded them again. The only thing she could hear was her own out of control breathing and the ends of his wings that trailed through the sand as he stood meeting her eyes for the first time since his transformation.

  All she could do was stare. In shock. In fear. In awe. She wasn’t sure which.