Steal Me From Heaven (18 page)

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.”