7 comments/ 26865 views/ 21 favorites Falling Hard Ch. 00 By: naturallysweet THIS STORY CONTAINS DESCRIPTIVE VIOLENCE, hard language, disturbing behavior, and other potentially offensive matter, and is not intended for readers who are easily offended. Sex is included, but those looking purely for sexual stimulation will not enjoy this story. ----------------------------- Virta struggled through the darkness. She was bound in heavy chains and each step was harder to take than the last. Had she really thought at one time that walking was fun? That was before she was captured and forced to march down this huge maze of tunnels. That was before she ended up in Hell. She thought Hell would be really hot, but it was actually quite cold, at least this part of it. She shivered. The small top and skirt she wore, as breezy as they felt in Earth's summer sun, provided nothing against the chill down here. The guards dragged her and the other captives down a dark, dank corridor, with sconces of fire lighting the way. Ominous shadows moved on the walls. She could hear anguished screams. What souls were enduring suffering down here? What had they done? Was she about to join them? And, where the hell was this place, exactly? "So this is Hell," she muttered under her breath. Her worst nightmare had become a reality after all. She heard a chuckle behind her and glanced back to see who it was. A man quickly moved up to walk at her side. "Hey there. Name's Andrew," said the demon. His human body looked to be in its early 20's. "You can call me Andy." Andy was the same height as Virta, with sandy blond hair that stuck out in different directions, and blue eyes that looked as if they missed nothing. He was on the thin side, and had a few bruises and cuts on his face. "What do you want?" she hissed. "Testy are we?" he said. "And no, this ain't Hell, not exactly. Think of this as a temporary holding grounds, a type of detention center for the real thing." "What are you talking about? It seems like Hell to me. It gets worse?" He shrugged. "You're Virta, right?" She didn't answer. How did he know her name? His smile was mischievous. So, another damned mind reader. Everyone but me has some kind of power, she thought with a roll of her eyes. "It's nice to meet you, Virta. I only wish it was under better circumstances; somewhere with a better climate. The lighting's not bad though. And you're already chained. Just need a bed..." His voice was quirky, with humorous undertones that might have been endearing in some other place. Here, in Hell, it just got on Virta's nerves. She glared as she saw his eyes traveling the lines of her clothing. She knew he was getting an eyeful with the cold chill puckering her nipples through the thin, clingy top. Her bare legs entertained his gaze for a while before he finally worked his way back up to her angry eyes. "Don't talk to me if you don't have anything useful to say." Her voice was harsh, but she didn't care. Virta almost tripped, but managed to keep going as the pull on her chains increased. Andy gestured toward the big, brawny guards. "At least we know where they're taking us." She narrowed her eyes. "We do? Where ARE they taking us?" "What, you don't even know the basics? Didn't pay any attention in your classes?" She ignored the way he was shaking his head at her. "Why are you in here?" she snarled. "We'll get to that. But I find it far more interesting why YOU'RE in here. I heard the guards talking. I know their language." He flashed her a smug smile. "You're the one that signed that contract, right? Gave the demon your soul? I mean, sorry kid, but that was just... SO dumb!" He seemed to rethink his remarks from the look on her face, because he hastily added on, "Hey at least you bypassed the Mines, too. It could always be worse." Virta didn't speak for a moment, just kept moving along, trying to get her thoughts together. "I deserve this, though" she muttered. "I'm not innocent. The people who end up here had to have disobeyed... sins, evil, betrayal... right? I mean, what's good, what's bad? And who decides these things?" Andy smiled. "Going philosophical? Won't be the first person down here to do that." Virta was quiet again. She felt sick to her stomach from anxiety, from the utter hopelessness of her situation. She was thirsty; her tongue felt like it had swollen up and was sticking to the roof of her mouth. Nobody would give her any water. The guards had ignored her requests. Virta clenched her eyes shut as though she could block out the visions of what was in store: more torture that probably made Medic's methods look quaint, even charming. Despite the cold, she was exerting herself on the brisk walk, and salty sweat beaded on her face and around her lips. She could taste it. Thoughts of Athan went through her mind: his black, demonic eyes; his full lips on hers and on every inch of her body; her fingers running through his tousled dark hair, his hands caressing her with skillful touches; their bodies pressed together... It made the ache in her heart that much worse. She missed him terribly. Things had definitely not gone according to plan up there. It had happened quickly, and not at all like she'd imagined. Instead, she'd just looked on helplessly as her demon boyfriend was apprehended by his worst enemy and she was dragged into Hell. That last glimpse she'd had of Athan, he was being taken away by the General. What were they doing to him? Was he even alive? No, she couldn't think of that. But another terrible thought went through her mind: what if this was Athan's contingency plan? Maybe he'd put in orders for her to be taken away if she didn't follow through on her end of things. Maybe he thought she'd betrayed him in the end. Athan was efficient, and she was just a loose end that he'd want to tie up before he left. She lifted her eyes. It was hopeless. She was trapped here forever. Falling Hard Ch. 01 The bell sounded seven times, letting angels know their shift was over for the week. "Hallelujah!" rang out a few happy voices, and melodious laughter followed. Virta rolled her eyes but smiled as she watched her co-workers fly out the door. She twisted a lock of midnight hair between the slender fingers of one hand while she browsed the latest job openings on the computer. Many of them she skipped right over, knowing she didn't stand a chance of landing them. Why even bother to apply? she thought gloomily. I wouldn't even get called in for an interview on most of these. She purveyed the list: Principalities needed! Advanced knowledge of religions and politics preferred. Strong management skills a must; Relocation required. Dominions wanted now -- to be considered for position, candidate must have middle management experience, proven memory and note-taking skills required. Full benefits package. She sipped her mug of Substance and continued to click down the screen. Principalities, Dominions, Powers, Cherubim, Seraphim. She cursed under her breath as she searched, but the list of jobs for which she was underqualified went on and on. Virta sighed. She'd never be any of those things. It was her own fault that she wasn't climbing the corporate ladder, but her heart wasn't in it. Working at the Office was definitely not her calling. She wanted very much to be in the thick of things, on the front lines where the real action was: Earth. But everytime she'd applied for the job, she'd been denied. The Managers who interviewed her said that Earth work was gritty, demanding - even dangerous to one's soul. But that sounded perfect for her. She didn't want to be stuck behind a desk for all of her immortal life. Earth and humanity's day-to-day interactions were Virta's secret obsession. She was especially interested in the baser parts of human nature. This fascinated her to no end. What must it be like to have a soft, rounded body like an Earth woman - one that could carry and bear children. Humans could actually create life! Virta shook her head in amazement at the power of humanity. While many angels she knew looked down on these creatures, Virta secretly yearned to partake of human nature, even if only for a day. For example, what was it like to taste Earth food with real taste buds? Food in Heaven was rather bland. Virta wrinkled up her nose at the thought of it. Most of it tasted pretty much the same. It was only eaten for something to do at gatherings, for socialization. It was certainly not a requirement to sustain angel life. She found she did have an insatiable appetite for watching humans, however. She'd persuaded her best friend, Mick, to patch her into his Watch Over channel online. Due to his position, he had access to a very small portion of the Watch Over program at the Office. When she had time and nobody else was around, she would access the live cam to see what was going on in the life of a human female, Mandi. Mandi's life was a source of endless fascination for Virta. She was a young woman of twenty years, who had her own life. Nobody told her what to do or think. She dressed in daring attire, earned her own money, and dated men. The girl was brunette with lovely brown eyes and a female form that Virta would have been proud to have. Mandi had sexual encounters of all kinds, and although Virta felt a little bad about watching, she couldn't pull her eyes from the screen. She would turn the sound on her computer down just low enough that she could still hear Mandi's moans and cries of pleasure as the male human would use his tongue and hands to cause wonderful feelings all over her body. Sometimes Mandi would take a long, thick part of the man into her own full lips. What was it called? It had many names. She had grown to like the word "cock", since that's what Mandi seemed to prefer. Virta would watch transfixed while the man stood with his head tilted back, his whole body rigid in ecstasy. Mandi would be down on her knees before him, her face pressed between the man's legs, veritably worshipping the man's cock. And Virta did know a thing or two about worship. At first, sex was hard for her to understand. She would have thought the humans were in pain if not for the glorious smiles these actions produced. And Mandi was happy indeed as the man shoved his rod-like organ into her body over and over. He would thrust and pound away between her voluptuous thighs. Virta would sometimes imagine that she was Mandi, and the male was banging her with his stiff cock, watching it grind in and out of her slick, wet hole. But she had no idea how this really felt, since her body was without these pleasure centers. She could only watch while Mandi would seemingly get lost in her own ecstasy, writhing in pleasure beneath the man, or on top of him sometimes, moaning and gasping. Sometimes, Virta would slip a finger between her own legs while she sat watching Mandi and her latest partner. She didn't think the cameras mounted in the Office were picking her up since her lap was under the desk. Oh well, if they were. Nobody had said anything to her yet, at least. Of course, had no sexual organs between her legs like the human, but she would pretend. She would rub herself like she watched Mandi or her boyfriend do, and then make the same cooing, moaning sounds of pleasure. It was fun, but it did not satisfy her. Oh, how Virta would love to trade places with Mandi if only for an hour! Just to feel what a human body could feel during these acts. Why were angels denied this? She thought in frustration. She looked down at her own glorious angelic body. Though it was perfect in every way, it had no parts designed for sexuality. The only way that could happen, she knew, was to get a human assignment on Earth, and even then there was a strict "no sex" policy, or -- and she could barely make herself think the word -- to Fall, that is, to get herself kicked out of Heaven and become a demon. Not an option, thank you. For all of the ways her heavenly life sucked, she had no desire to turn into a savage monster. There were times though, when she was feeling at her lowest, she would muse that her real father must have been a devil. After all, she had such wicked, rebellious thoughts and desires. But she knew this was not so. She was just an angel, created the way all angels were made; not through any type of procreation, but simply fashioned out of common stardust. During orientation, Virta and her class had even been able to watch more angels being made on demand, as they were needed for Office work. There's always the need for more entry-level peons as the older angels move up in position, she thought wearily. Virta herself had been crafted out of the need for more support at the Office. And no matter how much she begged and pleaded for just one chance at an Earth assignment, she was always denied. The Managers said she was better suited for life at the Office instead of in the trenches. The irony was, when she did apply for an Office position above hers, she was always told the same thing: Go back to school; Get this class under your belt, and then come back and we'll talk; You need to learn to play by the rules, your attitude needs work, blah, blah, blah. But Virta didn't want to sit in a classroom and hear more of those tedious lectures. She knew she did her best learning hands-on. If only management would give her a chance to prove herself, but she knew it was very unlikely. She was doomed to the rat race of an Office job. She sighed deeply. The Office was the command center of the Universe, one could say. There, Virta did menial tasks such as filing, answering phones, making Substance, and being everyone's "gopher". She realized the value in such work, but it was not what she wanted to spend eternity doing. Her longing for assignment on Earth crowded more and more of her thoughts each day. She figured there had to be a way to break into a position there without going back to school for years. Virta sipped her Substance and thought of some of the other angels who had been in her same class, those who'd worked their way up from Clerk to the title of Manager in almost no time at all. Some had even gone on to be Dominions, Principalities and Powers. How could she not know? She'd read about them in the newsletter that circulated at the Office and all over Heaven. She'd sat and watched each year as her old classmates marched across the stage to thunderous applause to receive their medals. These were not like those medals of honor on Earth which were pinned onto hero's chests, but rather medals that angels coveted -- more feathers for their wings. Angels were proud of their magnificent wings, even if pride was a feeling they weren't supposed to have. There are many things angels aren't supposed to think or do, Virta thought. But that doesn't mean they don't go on in angel society. Virta spread her right wing and examined the pale feathers under the light over her desk. Angel feathers weren't exactly like those from birds. Everyone started out with the basic set, like Virta's, but through work (and Virta would say kissing up to Upper Management), new, glorious feathers could be attained. The feathers that were awarded were made of copper, silver, gold, platinum, and even rare metals not found on Earth. You could always tell the angels who had advanced, because their wings were plaited through with shiny, firey, deceptively delicate-looking feathers that glowed with intricate craftsmanship. And it seemed to Virta that many of these angels loved to flap their damned wings in her face when she was handing them a fax off the machine! Her saintly face turned into a scowl. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers and fluttered her wings quietly to calm herself. Her feathers were pretty in their way, but all of them were still soft and plain. She rarely displayed them in public. It was just another way she didn't fit in, in this stuffy, rigid world she lived in. She sighed and retracted her wings until they were gone out of sight. She preferred to keep them invisible anyway. It made her feel more human. Virta took a long drink of Substance, stretched her slender arms, and began to clean up her work station before she left for the day. Suddenly, Mick popped his head over the top of her cubicle. "How's my favorite dark angel?" He asked with a playful grin. "Hey, Mick." Virta looked up and smiled at her best friend. Mick was an Office Assistant. He had had started at the same level as Virta, on the same day. They'd gone through orientation together. But while he had slowly advanced through the ranks, she had stayed in the position of Clerk I. And while it was obvious to anyone that Mick had a "partner crush" on her, she didn't feel anything for him but friendship. Partnering, which was the only kind of male-female relationship that angels were allowed to have, was just not for her. Nothing against Mick, of course. He would make a fabulous partner for any angel. But he said he was content with having her as a best friend if that's all she could give him, for now. "I'm still hanging in there, Mick. Got plans for the weekend?" "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Some of us were going to get together after work and just hang out, watch some TV and play some games at my place. You wanna join us? I bet it would do you some good." "Sure, it sounds like fun. You know I can't pass up a night of Earth TV." "You only like me for my illegal Earth TV box." Mick grinned. "Oh, you found me out, Mick." Virta teased. "But seriously, I'd go crazy if all I had to watch was the God Channel." She knew she'd said the wrong thing when Mick's face lost all humor "That's all we're supposed to watch, for a reason, Virta." Uh oh. Mick had slipped into sermon mode again. He continued on, "I mean, it's one thing to watch a few Mayberry reruns, but quite another to watch the stuff you're channel surfing for. I don't want to be responsible for corrupting you with illegal broadcasts from Earth." "Aw, Mick, if anyone catches you, just let me deal with them. Nobody corrupts me, I'm self-corrupted." She laughed but saw that he still didn't look convinced. "Don't worry, I haven't had too much of a desire to blow up stuff just because I've watched some of the 'A Team' reruns." She rolled her eyes. Mick smiled a little at last. "You know what I mean, Virta. It's not just the violence and the bad language on Earth TV. It's the... you know." Mick stammered a little, so Virta blurted it out for him. "Sex?" She purposefully said it loud and clear. "Is that it, Mick? The Sex?" Now Virta rose to her feet, put a hand on her side and another in her hair as she'd seen human women do on Earth TV. She swayed her body like she was in a music video as she spoke, shaking non-existant breasts at her friend. "Sex? Sexy, Triple --X- Rated, Sexy Sex?" Her voice came out silky and voluptuous, the way she'd heard some Earth girls speak. Mick's normally pale skin flowed scarlet, and he shook his head vigorously, as though he could silence her with a gesture. "Virta!" His tone was scolding, as he looked around to see if she'd been overheard. When he was satisfied that nobody had been listening, he looked back at her. His face was a mix of fear, anger, and something she normally didn't see... was he more than a little interested in her attitude about human sex? But she knew she was taking him places he did not feel comfortable going. "Oh, Mick, I'm so sorry." Virta said in a lower voice, as she slumped back into her chair. "I don't want to get you in trouble. Forgive me?" He smiled brightly again. "Always." Then his blue eyes locked with hers. "But it's you I'm mainly worried about, Virta. You must be careful though about what you say and do in public. There are eyes-," he gestured to the cameras posted on the ceiling, "everywhere." Virta sighed. "I just don't get the problem God has with Sex. I mean, he did create it, right?" "Look, this isn't the time or place for a theological debate on -" Once again, Mick glanced around the room, and then lowered his voice to a whisper, "-sex." He took a deep breath and spoke all in a rush: "We both know that God's OK with Sex as long as it's just between one human man and one human woman who are joined in holy matrimony, for the purposes of procreation only." He gasped in a breath of air. "And anyway, we angels have nothing to do with Sex. That's for the humans. We don't even have the right parts on our bodies, as I'm sure you've figured out." He winked. Virta returned it with a grin. "You learned that spiel in one of those classes didn't you? What, do they make you memorize the official policies?" Mick just stared at her for a moment. "Please, just tone down the..."S" talk from now on." "But you've never even been curious about it?" Crimson seeped further into Mick's normally-alabaster cheeks. He did another quick check around the area. Most everyone else had already left for the day, and the weekend shift was just clocking in. Their workspace was still empty save for the two of them. Mick sighed. "Haven't we all? If any angel tells you different, they're lying. And we know they don't do that, right?" His tone was sarcastic. "But come on, Virta, why all your preoccupation with something you'll never do? Even if you got an Earth assignment, procreative activites are forbidden for us." Virta fingered her raven locks. "I guess it's the sense of the forbidden that gets me. I know it's wrong of me, but in case you haven't noticed, I seem to have a rebellious streak." "Yeah, everyone can see it as plain as day." Mick raised an eyebrow teasingly. "I mean, you're the only angel I know in all of creation that dyes her hair and has body modification. Come on, nobody is blind to that dog on your calf, you know." "Well, you know that dog spelled backward is god." Her smile and tone of voice dripped iniquity. "It's not that bad, really. I'm keeping with the religious theme, right?" Mick shuddered at the blasphemy. Virta suddenly pulled down the neckline of her shirt to expose another tattoo that ran across the top of her chest. "And did you know about these?" She looked up at him through her lashes, her face innocent. Mick took it all in. She was beautiful indeed. She had no breasts; those were human appendages. But angels normally kept most of their bodies clothed anyway. It was policy. Mick had never seen what was under her top before. His eyes were wide and unblinking as he took in the inked cats playing across her perfect, twinkling skin. Her chest heaved as she proudly displayed her tats. He swallowed. He felt his own body tense up involuntarily. Then, as if suddenly remembering who he was and where he was, he quickly averted his eyes from his friend's exposed body. Mick glanced up at the camera and then back to her, making sure to keep his gaze only on her liquid green eyes. No lower. He silently pleaded with her to cover up. The two of them weren't mind readers, but she had to know what he was wanting. She glanced at the cameras herself and then flicked her top back up to her neck with a sigh. Mick looked relieved. "Virta, better keep that rebellious streak under control before certain authorities get tired of it, and do something to you. They've been more than forgiving with you so far. But I don't know how much longer that will last." Her face scrunched up at her friend's words. Mick looked straight into her eyes, his own brilliant blue eyes glittering. "I'm not kidding, Virta. I don't want to see anything happen to you. Angels have gotten in a lot of trouble just for voicing some of the things you are saying about... about the "S" word, about a lot of things. You're just asking too many questions, mainly." "But why, Mick? I've never undestood why we can't we have freedom of speech and thought." "Why do you think? God is perfect and good, and if he says something, that's what goes. There's no reason to debate or wonder about anything. Just do what you're told and things will go well for you." "Boy, you sound like you've memorized the handbook or something." Virta crossed her arms over her chest, noticing Mick's eyes flash to her now-covered front for a second before his gaze moved up to her eyes. She smirked. "But I want to learn and experience everything first hand. Is that really so wrong?" She saw Mick trying to relax his body, and she felt bad. She hadn't meant to cause her friend any discomfort. He turned his sad gaze on her. "Virta, the truth is, you haven't advanced in the Office because of your attitude. I mean, I've seen your file. Everytime you come up for a review, it's the same thing: Bad attitude, questioning authority, insubordination... the list goes on. If you want to advance, you need to fall in line. Why not take some more classes and learn more about God? The more classes, the less you'll have hard questions like this; the less rebellious you'll feel." "Classes? You mean those brain-washing sessions? No thanks. If I don't get to be myself, then I'd rather not climb the ladder. Apparently it makes one a robot." The smirk returned to her angelic face. Mick frowned. "I don't want to see you get in trouble is all, Virta." He said. "It's an attitude like that that lead to... to... Falling." He almost had more trouble getting that word out than the "S" word. "Oh my fucking god, Mick!" Her voice was little more than a breath. She'd never heard gentle Mick use such language. "You said the "F" word!" Mick blinked. "I mean Falling, as in getting kicked out of Heaven. Or, as some angels have done, Falling of their own free will." Falling Hard Ch. 01 "Of their own free will, are you serious?" Virta said, obviously a little too loud for Mick's comfort, because he put a shaky finger to his lips. She leaned forward, her dark eyes sparkling now with curiosity. Her voice was quieter, but still brimming with excitement over the talk of forbidden things. "What do you know about Falling, Mick? I thought angels could only be kicked out of Heaven, but not actually... Fall... like, making the choice to Fall? You mean that's true?" Mick sighed. "The stories you've heard about angels Falling are, unfortunately, true. I've seen some files back in storage of some of the, uh, Fallen. It's all there in black and white, their subordination." His sky-blue eyes were filled with worry when he turned them her way. "Virta, It's the same stuff that's been showing up in your own records here and there." Mick's voice took on a more desperate tone then. "Maybe you don't have enough incidents yet, but all of the Fallen started out the way you're going now. A little here, a little there. It adds up. And like you, those angels were also rebellious, trouble makers, free thinkers." She smiled devilishly "Gee, thanks Mick. I think that's the best complement you've given me in months." Her hand went back to her forehead, and her tone of voice flattened."But why punish them for it? Why is God so damn insecure?" Mick closed his eyes as though trying to gain composure. When he finally spoke, she heard the tiniest thread of fear in his voice. "Virta, I'll talk to you about these things if you want, but not here of all places. It's not a subject I'm comfortable with anyway. Just come on over early tonight before the others get there. We can always talk there." She realized he was right. She knew better than to be so cavalier about forbidden topics, particularly at work. She was not only putting her own job on the line, but Mick's as well. If anyone overheard them, there would be hell to pay, literally. Her impulsiveness and devil-may-care attitude might get her in trouble, that was one thing. But to put her best friend at risk was another. Mick took all this very seriously, and she had frightened him. Virta nodded her head, her long, dark tresses bouncing on her shoulders. "Alright. At least we have some measure to speak freely in our own homes, right? I'll see you later for some must-see TV." She smiled. "And, Mick... I'm really sorry for my behavior just now. I don't know what gets into me sometimes. I don't want to put you at risk in any way. Let's just have fun tonight." He returned the smile with one of his own. He looked relieved. "Great. I'm having manna delivered. One is gonna have the works, just the way you like it. Flash is bringing a few bottles of Substance, and I told Carol to pick up a bag of Crunch on her way." He winked at her and then turned to go to the exit. "See you later, angel." He glided on down the row of cubicles. She heard him whistling cheerfully as he went. Virta smiled as she gathered her things to leave for the weekend. She glanced up at the camera one more time on her way out, and on impulse, gave it the middle finger, the same smile still on her face. File this, you judgmental tyrants, she thought as she sashayed out the door. Falling Hard Ch. 02 Virta stepped out of the shower, dried her slender body, and slipped into a shimmery, nearly see-through slip of a dress. It wasn't usual angel attire, but it made her feel a little bit human: It was something like Mandi would wear to a club on Earth. She sipped on a glass of Substance as her thoughts turned to her earlier conversation with Mick about The Fallen Ones, or demons, as they were better known: Angels who had rebelled and were cast out of Heaven. She shuddered at the thought of such evil; such wickedness. As much as she longed for a life of her own, she realized that she'd been pretty sheltered up to this point. She wanted freedom, yeah, but she couldn't imagine going that far. Her rebellion was fairly harmless compared to what the Fallen Ones must have done. She shook her head as she paced the room. Falling out of Heaven? On purpose? She leaned over her desk and switched on the computer. Having information always made her feel better. Sure, many sites were banned from her, but thanks to her techie friend, Mick, she could bypass many of the firewalls and find a little info on taboo subjects. She knew that sometimes she craved knowledge as a baby craved its mother's milk. She felt as though she lived in ignorance. Was it really bliss – to live in ignorance? No, whether the truth hurt or not, there were some things she just had to know. Finding the search platform she needed, she typed in a few key words: Fallen Angels, Demons, Devils, and waited for the hits to come back. It didn't take long. There must have been thousands of websites on the Fallen Ones. But she only had access to one, the first one on the list. It was called Demons Dot Com, and from first glance, it looked like it had enough info to keep her busy for a while. She wavered only for a moment, fear biting down on her as she hesitated to click on the forbidden link. She clicked. Up popped a flash introduction with depictions of monsters and vile creatures, accompanied by shrieks and screams, and blood dripping down the page. She nearly had to turn her face away from the horrible images. Within seconds, however, it had finished loading, and she clicked "Enter". She'd never actually seen a demon in real life before; didn't even know anyone who had. But from what she was reading about them, she knew she never wanted to be within a light-year radius of one. At least they were forbidden in Heaven, according to this source. She felt more relief to know that they certainly wouldn't get past the security at the Office. She nervously fingered dark strands of silky hair as she clicked on another link. It contained thumbnail photos of Hell's top demons. There was even a warning to Mid-Level Angels - who were supposed to be the only ones with access to this site - to always be on the alert for them. They were to report to Upper Management immediately if one of these devils was spotted. She glanced through the thumbnails, not really interested in seeing hideous faces that might haunt her nightmares for eternity. But one thumbnail photo in particular caught her eye. Instead of depicting a monster, it was a photo of an incredibly handsome man. Perhaps the webmaster made a mistake in using this picture instead of a Big Bad Demon, she reasoned. Her curiosity got the better of her. She clicked the link and braced herself for what ugly, hideous creatures she might see. She was not even prepared for what she saw. He was the most stunningly good-looking man she'd ever glimpsed, and he was staring out of the photo with dark, liquid eyes. He made even the few upper-level angels she'd met at the Office Christmas parties look a little, well, ordinary. He was enormous. Seven feet of tight, muscular body. He had thick, dark hair, tousled up all over sexily. His skin was smooth and lightly tanned. Well, not all of it was smooth. She noticed some scars on his body, but they just seemed to add to his rough appeal. He had eyes of coal that looked like they could burn through your soul. His lips were full and sensuous. She found herself wanting to brush her fingers against them. Now why did I think of his lips like that? She instantly questioned herself. He's told countless lies through that mouth; Seduced many young virgins through the ages with those lips. His lips are evil, just like the rest of him! Still, there was no denying his strong physical appeal. Her body trembled. Whether from fear or excitement, she didn't know. Maybe a little of both. This was definitely an Ancient One. Just by looking at him, she could tell he wasn't created yesterday. A glance at his bio confirmed that he was older than civilization itself. This also added to his mystique. She'd always had a thing for older men, though. She could barely stop staring at his face on the screen. If he mesmerized her this much now, how much more sway would he hold face-to-face? Such power, she thought. I bet he could make females – angel or human – do whatever he wanted with the black magic in those eyes. She continued through the photos. He had to have been one of Satan's Higher-Ups, there was no doubt about it. He looked combat-ready in some of the pictures, sporting army fatigues and boots. Sharp, deadly weapons were strapped to his incredibly manly body. He held a large gun in one hand. Hard muscle rippled under tanned, sweaty flesh. A deadly gleam was in his eye, and his chin was set as firm as stone. The man in this photo would disembowel you with the flick of a wrist, step over your dying body and go eat a breakfast of human babies without batting an eyelash, she thought with a shudder. The caption beneath each photo verified her worst suspicions, describing terrible deeds the demon committed, including rape, torture, terrorist acts, homicide and angelicide. She couldn't bear to read all the details of his operations; she was too afraid. She knew she should discontinue this and finish getting ready to go to Mick's place. But she couldn't seem to stop herself from looking. She thought it was wiser to face her fears, not run from them. And angels shouldn't have to be afraid, she thought. Especially not in Heaven. If I'm not safe in Heaven, then where am I safe? The demon was shown in different clothes and different settings. Always, he looked to be the one in command, and very comfortable with power and authority. She turned back to his biography information. To be prepared, one must know thy enemy, she thought. All I'm doing is arming myself with information. This is probably the same stuff they teach in those classes. Maybe I should give those classes a chance after all. God forbid I ever have to tangle with a demon even half as powerful as this one. She trembled at the thought, even though she knew she had all of Heaven's resources to back her up if she did get in trouble. This creature of exquisite evil could never touch her here. The bio said that he had started at the very bottom of Heaven as Clerk I at the Office. Just like me, she thought. But he had quickly worked his way up to Power, specifically Third Choir. He was originally involved in Dominations. What do I know about that position? She wondered. Aren't they the very oldest of the Old Ones? I wonder what I did with that organizational flow chart they handed out in orientation? Darn, I probably threw it out a long time ago. She tapped her fingers to her forehead in thought. The demon had advanced to the highest levels of the angelic system before Falling. She looked for information about why he had been banished, but saw none. But what she did find chilled her to the core of her being. No! Her breath caught in her throat. The document stated that he had -willingly- Fallen! A tremor of icy cold ran down her back, and she had to turn away from the computer for a moment just to be able to breathe again. Getting kicked out of Heaven was the ultimate Bad Thing that could happen to angels, she knew. But nobody, nobody should ever willingly Fall! What a depraved, iniquitous, treasonous creature this must be! Sure, she had her beefs with God and the System, but the thought would never enter her mind in a million years to actually Fall. Now that she knew Falling was more than just a scary tale told to young angels to keep them in line, it was frightening to imagine someone actually doing it. She forced herself to turn back to the images on the screen, as shaky as if she expected the demon to reach out and grab her through the monitor. He'd Fallen, and he'd probably taken millions more with him. How many more, both angel and human, had he dragged down to Hell in all these ages? She didn't want to know; she could only stare into the eyes that held secrets of both Good and Evil, of power that could send both man and angel to the depths of a depraved hell. Get a grip, angel! The clock chimed. She had to go. Even though she could have flown and been at Mick's home in seconds, walking was what she needed. That always cleared her mind. Maybe too, it was her fantasies about being human, but she liked walking whenever she could. She stood up and gave herself a final inspection in the mirror, and, satisfied with what she saw, left her apartment. It was a perfect evening in Heaven, as usual. She didn't really watch where she was going as she strolled along the golden path to Mick's place. She knew the way so well she didn't have to think about it. Instead, her thoughts were back on demons, and in particular, THE demon. What happened to Fallen Angels, exactly? She'd heard stories that they were chained up in Hell, waiting for the Final Judgment. But that couldn't be true. This mighty demon was obviously not in chains. Well, not unless he wants to be. She hefted an eyebrow at the thought, but then realized how silly she was being. This was a real monster, for christssake! The kind who could rip a body and soul to shreds with the blink of an eye, just for the pleasure of seeing the torment of his victims. She felt as though she'd opened a Pandora's Box of all the darkness, the violence, and the danger she'd been sheltered from all this time. The most frightening thing was, as much as she feared this demon, she felt desire for him just as strongly. The skills he must have developed, the sexual abilities he must have honed by now. If he desired a woman sexually, he surely could pleasure her in ways she'd never imagined. Just stop it! She nearly shrieked aloud. She must not let her desire for human sexuality influence her in this way. She was going to put her very soul in danger. It was bad enough to lust after humans and spirits. But, to lust after this Spirit? Not the sanest thing she could imagine. She jumped when her cell phone rang. Laughing a little at her fright, she knew she was just letting this demon stuff turn her into a scared little angel. She'd probably never even see the lowest level demon in the flesh in her lifetime. So why even worry about this hulking devil with the dazzling black eyes? "Hello?" She asked into the phone. "Hey, it's Mick. I was starting to wonder if you were gonna show up. Is everything OK?" "Oh, yeah, sorry. I got a little tied up at home, lost track of time." "I won't even ask." He teased. "Ha. Very funny." She said. "I'm on my way now." "Walking, I presume?" She heard the mocking tone. "You guessed it." "Well, I guess we'll save you a few bites of manna then, cause it will be gone by the time you get here." "Hey, you better save me some!" "Alright." She could hear him chuckling at her. "See you when you get here then." "See ya." She walked along the golden street, trying to imagine the fun she'd have with her friends all evening. Still, her thoughts about the demon would not just shut off. She used her phone to pull up Demons Dot Com. Her hands were trembling. She walked slowly, every now and then glancing down at the demon on the screen. She shouldn't be curious for more information about this incredible looking, incredibly evil man. But she couldn't stop herself from devouring all the intel she could find on the site about him. He was known to have many lovers, both human and demon. He was brutal as a commander, and did not tolerate any insubordination. He was crafty as hell, able to take on many disguises with ease. There weren't that many details in all, she realized. Probably because this was just a second level confidential site. The really good stuff would be harder for Mick to crack into, if he was able to at all. She glanced up and narrowly avoided being trampled by an angel with solid gold wings. "Watch where you're walking, slow-poke!" He growled rudely. He did slow enough to frown his obvious disgust at her skimpy attire. Then he sped on down the street, shaking his head. "Watch yourself, you son-of-a-devil!" She called after him, using one of the worst insults known to angels. But she doubted he heard her, so great was his speed. He was probably on his way to Worship, she thought, rolling her eyes. She turned back to her cell. Scrolling down the page, she found multiple warnings about having any contact with the demon. Those unfortunate angels who had come into contact with him had never been seen or heard from again. Another involuntary quake went down her body. She peered closer and saw that the warnings on this demon came down from the highest echelons of power, from the desk of Michael herself. The last thing she saw on the page was a list of all the known names of the demon. There were lots of titles and names of power, such as Warrior God, Leader of the Fallen Ones, Master of Sin, Dark Lord of the Underworld, and many, many more. But there was one in particular that made her body of light go rigid: The Seducer. She shook her head, rebuking herself again for having such lustful thoughts for an evil, debauched demon. The final name on the long list was the demon's Real Name. It was obviously listed on this website to offer some measure of protection from him, since to know a demon's Real Name - his name when he was newly created - was a powerful tool. Though her education was deficient, she knew that much, at least. She read the Real Name aloud, trying it on her tongue: Athan. The name dripped like sex from her lips, and she found herself reaching down to touch the handsomely dark face on the screen. No! She switched the phone off in disgust. How could she function tonight at Mick's party while thinking such depraved thoughts? Mick was right, she'd been watching entirely too much Earth TV. And I've been watching Mandi every chance I get at work too, she thought. The human girl is rubbing off on me. She clutched at her raven hair in distress and pocketed the phone. Mick's home was visible now, but still far down the street. She stood under a tree for a moment to calm herself. There was no way she could go into a crowd of friends right now without them knowing something was wrong. What IS wrong with me? Virta shook her head. Why can't I be content with the life of an Angel? An asexual heavenly being, for god's sake! But the questions kept recurring to her over and over again: What would it mean to be a demon? To Fall? What had happened to make that demon what he was today? And what would happen to her if she ever met up with one of the devils? Obviously, the demons got the best of both worlds: A body that was human enough to partake of the pleasures of life on Earth, such as food and sex. Yet they also had their supernatural power all the time. And, like humans, they got to make meaningful choices about their lives. It was hardly fair. She tried for the millionth time to decipher her unhappiness at what she was. There had to be something really wrong with her to even be considering how much better demons had it than she did! There was a saying that God didn't make mistakes, but then why did she feel like a human trapped in an angel's body? Mick just thought she was unsatisfied with her work. She thought back to a conversation they'd had earlier in the week. "You should take some classes. Learn something new about your fellow celestial beings. You spend way too much time on the computer, watching Earth...um, whatever it is you watch!" His face blushed deeply, and he dropped his gaze for a moment. She giggled at his bashfulness, and he looked up with a lopsided grin. "Mick, I know everybody here says we are so blessed to have been created angel rather than human. And I know that pretty much all the angels look down on humanity as lesser, inferior creatures... they need watched over constantly and are only concerned with their petty day-to-day activities... shopping, eating, yada, yada, yada... having wonderful, mind-blowing sex." She looked up for his reaction. He was listening to her, a hand to his flushed face. "You're such a wild one, Virta." He chuckled. "You think?" He just gave her a pat on her dark-as-night tresses. She shook his hand off, annoyed. "Do you follow me? I don't care what other angels say, I would trade with a human anytime." He shook his head again. "So, you'd give up being able to fly for the opportunity to trudge along on the dirt? You'd give up being perfectly healthy for a body that could get sick and die?" He crossed his arms and stood back studying her from under his dark lashes. "I think we got the better deal by far." Virta shook her head. He didn't seem to understand no matter how many times she tried to explain it. "At least it's really living." "For what, maybe one hundred years if they're lucky? What is that compared to the countless ages we can live?" "But what is living forever when you don't have a life?" Virta cried. "I think it's better to have a hundred years of living and loving, discovery and learning, than a hundred million years of stuffy, boring, day-in-day-out perfection in a place where nothing exciting ever happens." "Oh my little angel," Mick clucked as he looked down at her gently. "I think you just need get some higher learning. It might make a difference if you tried to advance a little at the Office. There is more to being an angel, much more, than you've allowed yourself to discover so far." Virta shook her head. "Not interested. What does excite me though, is what I see happening down on Earth." Virta looked at Mick sidelong as if trying to decide whether to bring up the next subject. "There's a... a girl I've been watching for some time now." "Spying? You're a voyeur, Virta? I wouldn't have guessed." He broke out in a devilish grin. She gave him one back. "No, really, Mick. She has the best life ever. I mean, she does whatever she wants whenever she wants. Sex all the time." "I'm sure her life isn't perfect, Virta. You don't know, but maybe she gets lonely sometimes, despite having an endless string of bed partners." Virta sighed. "I just can't articulate it very well, I guess. All I know is, I'll never fit in as an angel." She'd turned to leave his office then. "Just promise me you'll give me the heads up if you find out about any Earth openings." Mick folded his arms across his chest, his baby blue eyes shining. "Oh, I don't know. I might miss seeing my crazy, horny angel in her cubicle everyday." Her eyes widened. "Mick!" She screeched. "You haven't been spying on me, have you?" "Me, watching you?" His eyes were innocent, but his scarlet cheeks always gave him away. "Now what would I be watching on those surveillance cameras, Virta? Hmm?" For once, her own fair skin was deepening like fine wine. "What? Miss Wild Thang is embarrassed? You mean, you do feel shame?" "Shut up, Mick." She playfully punched him in the arm. Falling Hard Ch. 02 "Don't worry, I always erase the tapes before Management can watch them." He said. "I have to protect you, after all." "Sure you do; after you watch me sliding my hands over my chest and between my legs." He didn't speak. "So, does it get to you, Mick, when you watch me at my desk, moaning and panting as Mandi's tight, wet pussy gets pounded by her lover's unstoppable cock?" Her voice was throaty and low. Mick groaned. "Virta, please-" "Please what, Mick?" She licked her lips. "If we had that anatomy and those feelings, would you let me take your cock as deep as I could into my throat? I'd love to massage your balls and suck and lick and worship your cock until you exploded your cum all over my voluptuous naked body." "Oh, Virta." Mick's eyes were glazed and hooded, as if looking into another world. "Please, Mick? If we ever get human assignments on Earth, please let me be the first one to suck your big, fat cock. Promise me you'll slam it into my tight virgin holes, all wet and hot just for you?" "Goddamn, Virta, that's enough!" Mick was gasping, one hand clutching his chest. He looked at her, saw the smirk on her face, and shook his head, still panting. He began to laugh. So did she. And they laughed and laughed. "You imp," he finally said, tousling her hair. "There's no limit to what you'll try just to get me to find you an Earth assignment, is there? But you know it's not up to me." She smiled up at him. "I know, Mick. But you'll keep putting in a good word for me, won't you?" He nodded. "Sure, Virta. I swear, I deserve a thousand platinum feathers for what I have to endure by being your friend." She giggled. "Best friend. And you know you love it. Face it, you'd be bored out of your mind if you didn't have me around to keep you on your toes." He put an arm around her. "That's for sure. There's nobody like you, little wicked one." A blaring wail sounded through the village, startling Virta back to the present. It was the nightly call to Worship. She sighed loudly and waited for the annoying blast to subside. She never went to those worship services anymore, not since she'd gotten out on her own. That was one little measure of freedom she took for herself. She knew Mick and her other friends had already attended the service held right after work. Just another thing for Management to put in my file, I guess. She sat down under the small tree. I just need a few minutes more, and I'll be ready to party the night away, she thought. The demon's face haunted her mind now, whether her eyes were open or closed. There he was, the picture of perfect masculinity. Athan. She whispered the name again. And she trembled again, involuntarily. Something about the name is too powerful for casual use, she thought, feeling her body grow rigid. Instead of lusting over a killer, maybe I should just think of him as what he really is! She scolded herself. He's a bloodthirsty demon. Even she knew this sudden obsession with a demon was not right. This is what I get for going on forbidden sites. If I can't get him out of my head, I'll have to talk to a Counselor for sure on Monday. She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, trying to stay calm. She knew she could get in a lot of trouble when she was sitting in a Counselor's office, trying to explain that she'd given one of the most notorious demons in existence access to her mind! How had it happened? Not directly through the website, she knew. It must have been the Real Name. Oh shit. She'd thought it was supposed to protect her from him, not hurt her. It was obvious that she was going through a crisis of sorts. Maybe she really did need to calm down and stop breaking all the rules. Maybe it was time she stopped rebelling and go back to school. Maybe even work her way up to Office Manager I in a couple of years. Hell, why not go all the way for Archangel? She pulled her dark flowing hair away from her face as she laughed at herself. Yeah, right. Never in a million years. As wild as her heart was, she knew if she could secure a position on Earth someday, even just a short-term assignment, that maybe it would be enough to satisfy her preoccupation with being human. She'd get it out of her system, perhaps. But now, new questions invaded her mind. There were demons on Earth too. Her angelic power was so slight as it was; take on human form and would she even be useful? That's probably another reason why Management always denies me permission to work there, she thought. They never came right out and said it, but they think I'm weak. Rocking herself back and forth, she thought, They're right. She looked up into the sun, which was beginning to lower for the day. Soon, street lamps would start popping on to help illuminate the dusky atmosphere. The sun never set completely in Heaven. But Earth, she knew, held places of great darkness. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them. Virta wondered what would happen if she went to Earth and fell into the clutches of some horrible demon? It was something she'd never really given a moment's thought to before today. Her mind raced back to images of the god-man on the computer screen, and she felt a cold shiver despite the warmth of the evening. She had a feeling not even God Himself could help her if she fell into the hands of that one. She startled when she heard the chuckle of a man's deep, melodic voice coming from directly behind her. There hadn't been anyone there just a second before. "Hello, little angel." The voice was sensual, powerful. She turned to look up – way up – at the body of a devastatingly beautiful man. Her eyes traveled over the rugged jeans and tight black T-shirt, up the muscular arms crossed over the wide, solid chest and higher still, to the princely, well-structured face. Virta gasped in recognition at the One that consumed her thoughts. She whimpered pleas for mercy that fell on deaf ears, as her body was forced by unseen power to rise and face him. Her gaze was pulled - down, down, down - into the depths of his potent, shadowy eyes. And there she was helpless, staring her own destruction in the face. The only further sound she could make, flowed from her lips as a whispered sigh of surrender. "Athan." Falling Hard Ch. 03 Virta couldn't move. She was mesmerized by the splendor and power in those eyes, virtually drowning in them. No! This couldn't be happening. How could he – Athan - be here? In Heaven! She didn't want to accept that this wicked devil was actually here, right now, in front of her. This was supposed to be safe, sacred ground. Her mind began to look for explanations. She considered that this was just a nightmare brought on by her time spent on Demons Dot Com. Yeah, that was it. She was actually in her own bed right now. She would wake any moment... She heard his quiet laughter. It reminded her of the bamboo wind chimes on her back porch: Deep and sweet as they chinked together in the breeze. Pleasant. She was utterly terrified. He broke eye contact. Virta was jolted out of the thrall. She stood stunned for a few long seconds. Then her mind called out an order: Fly! Make a run for it! Suddenly, he was right up against her. His large hand went toward her neck, and she flinched back. He caught her gently under the chin with his fingertip and raised her face up to look at him. She tried to resist, but he was overwhelming her senses. Athan was touching her. It was just his fingertip. The demon is touching me, Virta thought. And I like it. She was all too aware of him at that moment. He was so close, she felt the warmth radiating off of his body. She closed her eyes and inhaled his manly scent. It was tobacco, leather and sandalwood. She'd never been so close to a body like this one, humanoid except for the supernatural power it contained. And he can have orgasms, she thought jealously. Being mindful of his delightful firmness made her all the more aware of her own body. It was so very deficient in femininity. She felt a moment's frustration and shame at her own wisp of a figure. A picture of Mandi flashed in her mind, the gorgeous human girl with voluptuous curves. Her body was equipped for sex. Virta scolded herself silently for her jealousy. And, for yearning to fuck a demon. She watched Athan's gaze travel from her face, down the length of her slight form and back up again. The look in his eyes seemed appreciative. I wish, she thought. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, shivering with fear and delight in his closeness. There was a stirring in her body. She snapped her eyes open as realization set in. She should be feeling nothing right now except the wind in her wings as she made her getaway. Damn his sorcery! She jerked her chin from his touch. How she wished she could reach up and slap that infuriatingly smug look off his face! But she held her response in check for now. Who knew when he might let loose and slay her? She heard him exhale and felt the absence of his warm body as he took a step back. Virta was aware that he was still looking at her, and she peeked up at him through her lashes. He was staring at her chest. She was acutely aware of the thin, filmy fabric clinging to her skin. "Nice tats." He said with a smile that was nearly as devastating as the power of his eyes. He pulled up the sleeve of his T-shirt. She saw words in a language she didn't recognize tangled across the inside of his prominent bicep. "What does it mean?" She found her voice and her curiosity somehow. "I'll tell you sometime." When she didn't say anything else, he just dropped his arms back to his sides and continued to regard her with interest. Why was he just standing there looking at her? He surely didn't drop in on her from across the span of the universe just to compare body art? She looked up to find him grinning at her as if she'd just said something funny. He must truly be unbalanced, she thought. This was certainly not what she expected from the frightening mass-murderer of Demons Dot Com. Perhaps he was just sizing her up, determining whether she had any abilities that could harm him. "Yeah, that's it," he smirked in a voice so low, she just barely caught it. "What?" "I can read your mind." He said it as matter-of-factly as if she'd asked him for the time. "That's impossible." He gave her a smug grin. Then, he tilted his head as if listening to something faraway. "Yeah, it IS pretty cool..." he said playfully. "...I've been reading your mind since I got here... It only works when I'm close to you... No, you can't learn it. I mean, you've either got it or you don't. "You know what I'm thinking!" She nearly screeched. He smiled at her. Virta glared. Her hands balled up into tight fists. "That's not fair." Athan shrugged. "Back when I was made, you know – back when dinosaurs roamed the earth – angels weren't so specialized as they are now. We early models were given lots of powers and abilities. I can do all sorts of neat tricks. I think they're afraid to dole it out like that anymore." He looked her up and down. "They keep you pretty weak. Of course, they don't want to have an uprising in Heaven like before." Virta regarded him with wide eyes. She didn't believe she could trust him, but he certainly was opening up the curiosity in her. "Tell me more." Athan shook his head. "This isn't the best place to talk," he said. "Why don't you come with me? I know places where we can say anything... DO anything." His tone was wicked. She gulped. "I don't think that would be wise on my part," she said. "Besides, I can't leave even if I wanted to. There's a device implanted, and, let's just say Security would have me before I could even turn around." He stepped closer again. He peered down at her through the blackness of his eyes. His big hand went to the side of her face, caressing it. Reluctantly, she pulled away. "I'll protect you," Athan said. "Once we're back at my base of operations, I can disconnect anything they're using to track or control you. They might look for you, but I can keep you safe. No worries." Then his ebony eyes turned seducing. "I know everything you want, Virta, everything you need. And I can give it to you. Hell, I WANT you to have it: Strength... power... knowledge. And sex. Lots and lots of sex." She felt excitement twist her stomach. "No," she breathed. "That's insane. You make it sound so easy. But I don't want to get myself banished or... Fall. The consequences are more than I can bear. Besides," she glared at him, "I will never trust a demon." He just stood there and watched her, his mouth a firm line. "Why are you so interested in me anyway?" Virta asked, nervously grabbing a lock of her hair and pulling it through her fingers. "I mean, I'm as low level as they come. Why not go for a powerful angel that could help you in your... cause?" "I'm always keeping a look-out for new recruits," Athan began, "angels such as yourself, who fit a certain profile. You definitely have potential, little one. You want to be free." His voice quieted. "But, you're afraid. I understand." She shook her head. Virta doubted this creature ever knew fear. "That's scary that you can rummage around in my mind. Would you stop if I asked you?" "Yes," he said, "but would you trust me?" "No. I'd be a fool to trust a demon, wouldn't I? "You wouldn't really know if I was keeping my promise." It was just a statement. His expression was thoughtful. "That's right." She carefully looked at him. "You're not endearing yourself to my trusting side, are you?" "I'm trying," he sighed. "If I promise not to read your mind, can I make some exceptions?" "What? No! No exceptions." He stood quietly regarding her for a moment. "Then, I've decided not to make that promise." "Why? I thought you already promised." "I didn't." She blew out an exasperated sigh. "You've got me all confused." She glared at him. "Just what I would expect from a demon." The word 'demon' came out of her lips like a snarl. "Hey, you know all about me, don't you?" He sounded exasperated. "I mean, Demons Dot Com? You can't get anymore reliable than that." "And you're reliable?" Virta asked. "Come one, you're a demon. Every other word you say is a lie." "You're brainwashed." "Maybe," she said. "But I'm safe. Or, at least I was safe, until you showed up here." She thought for a moment, and then decided to ask him a question. It had been in her mind since Mick had first mentioned Falling. "Why did you do it? You know... the "F" Word?" "I've done many "F" Words. Which one are you talking about?" His eyebrow lifted. She blushed. "You know exactly which one I mean, Mr. Mind Reader." "I'd love to talk to you about it. I'd love to answer all of your questions." "But?" "But, this isn't the place to do it. I'm sure Security already knows I'm here. And Worship lets out in a few minutes, the streets will be flooded. I tend to cause quite a stir when I show up in Heaven." He winked. "You're on the Most Wanted list; I saw that on the website." "There's not much time," Athan said. "I was planning to just get in and get out with you." Fear swelled up again inside of her. He was so sure of himself. Did he really think she'd just leave with him, knowing what he was? Apparently, he expected to just swoop in and snatch her away. She though of how Mick would look for her when she didn't show up at the party and didn't call. He would be worried sick. And then the report would come across his desk at the Office: She'd Fallen. He might never get over it. "I have friends expecting me right now. I have to go." He stepped toward her, holding out a hand. "Virta, if you come with me now, I promise you everything is going to be fine." Demons Dot Com flashed in her mind again. She should make a run for it. "No. I don't trust you." He took another step forward. She took several steps back. It scared her that for a second, she had considered going with him. But go where? Down to the dungeons of hell? How could she let him almost charm her out of Heaven that quickly? Even if she didn't go directly to punishment in Hell, his way led to an eternity on the run as a fugitive. And, at the end of all things, there would await her punishments so severe that she quaked in terror at the mere thought. "I'm not going with you." Her voice shook. "I'm not waiting much longer for you." "I didn't ask you to come. "Yes, you did," he said with one eyebrow raised. "You said my name with lust, more than once actually. You want me." "No!" she cried, backing even further away. She turned to fly to Mick's house, but Athan was suddenly in front of her. His large body blocked her way. She tried to push past the wall of his chest. He just stood there, staring her down. "I can give you everything you've dreamed of: Humanity, Sex and more sex. Oh, and did I mention Sex?" It's like he's dangling a carrot on a stick, she thought. I can't listen to this Liar. Oh, but he was slick. And, he was going to be the death of her, she feared. She had to get away. But, he could read her thoughts. How was she going to flee from him if he knew her every move when she knew it? Of course, he already knew that he was much faster and stronger. If she tried to run, he'd have her down in a second. She had to try. "I'm leaving now," she said firmly, attempting to step around him. Faster than lighting, his hand was on her arm, stopping her. "What if I won't let you?" Her eyes flew to his face. He was smirking at her. He dropped her arm. "You are Vile. Evil. Filthy. Sinful. You're a loser! A Wretch!" she yelled at the top of her lungs directly into his face. "You are God's Reject, and the most Wicked Arch Fiend that ever lived! Go back to Hell where you came from!" She was nearly out of breath when she finished and immediately felt regret for her outburst. His dark eyes glittered; they were unreadable. The thought occurred to her that he might really be going to kill her now. A silence hung between them that felt like an eternity. "That's me," he finally said. His voice was soft, even gentle. She let out the breath she'd been holding all in one quiet stream, hoping he didn't hear it. She didn't want to show weakness in front of him. If he was going to kill her, then at least she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her quake with fear. She would not go out begging for her life. "From the file I saw on you, you didn't strike me as one who would believe everything you read." He said, folding his arms across his chest. "File? You've been snooping in the Office?" He didn't answer. "What are you going to do with me?" She hated the way her voice shook. "Nothing, but give you everything you've ever longed for these past two thousand years," he said, a hint of enjoyment in his voice. She didn't answer. "Look, Virta..." He tapped a finger to his lips as he began to circle her slowly. Like a hungry shark, she thought. "...you don't have to be afraid of me." he said. She was confused. Athan's presence oozed with danger and violence, but his eyes and voice belied them with gentleness, softness, and even a glint of humor. This caught her completely off guard. Oh, but he was all silk and velvet in his tactics! No doubt, this was how he'd put many naive women under his spell. They were too dazzled by his good looks and the clash of contradiction. He could play the game eternally, until he wore them down. By then it was too late for them to escape with their bodies or their hearts intact. She would not be one of those unfortunate females. "I don't believe you." She worked to make her voice sound clear and strong. "I don't believe that you're just here to grant me your brand of damning freedom." She glared up at him. "What do you really want?" She had to keep turning to track his movements, and it was disorienting her. No answer from the demon, just soft chuckling. His casual attitude was unnerving and infuriating at the same time. She stared at him. "What do I want?" His voice sounded weary then. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, as though taking his time to seriously consider his answer. He stopped in front of her again, and she felt him staring down at her. She did not raise her eyes to meet his. "The same things you want." She swallowed. She didn't know what to make of his answer. She continued to avert her eyes from his, and found herself focusing on the crotch of his jeans instead. "I mean," she began, licking her dry lips, "what do you want with ME?" Her fear spiked anew as she thought of how he was taking his time, wearing her down. And she was succumbing to it. She needed to fly away. Now. Fight or flee, but either response seemed futile against this creature. She forced herself to look right into his obsidian eyes. "Aren't you going to... to..." "What?" His eyes turned emotionless, dull and flat. "Am I going to chain you up in Hell and torture you?" He sighed. "It's tempting. I love to hear angels scream in pain and terror. But, you know, that can get awfully boring for me - torturing the same little angel year in, year out. He cocked a wicked brow. "I'm sure you've read all about my methods. I have several I'm especially fond of." Her heart was pounding in her ears. She wasn't even aware her breathing had stopped until she found herself gasping for air. She unfurled her wings and started to move. But he was right in front of her again, his muscled chest blocking her way. Damn, he was fast. His voice was low, almost a growl. "Oh wait. How about I just bend you over and fuck you to death right here." Her wings drooped at her back. "I, uh, you know I don't have the right... parts?" Her voice was small and trembling. "No matter, tiny angel," he sneered. "I can improvise." He reached for her then. The movement of his large, clenched fists caused her to throw her hands up instinctively to shield her face from the blows. But he had grabbed her instead. His long fingers completely circled her thin upper arms. His hands were like manacles, forcing her up on her tiptoes. She was off balance and it tilted her head back, forcing her to look him in the face. She felt tears stinging her eyes. She tried to blink them away. "Now, this is more like it, isn't it?" His voice was frighteningly cheerful. He shook her so roughly that her wings retracted involuntarily. "I hate not living up to my reputation!" He suddenly pinned her mouth by force with his own, pressing firmly into her with hot, moist lips that intended to consume. Just as she tried to pull back for air, he dived in again, forcefully invading her virginal lips. Virta was senseless with fright and hunger for him. So many things were zinging through her mind. Close physical contact with a human male body. She was really kissing! Just like a real human. Her lips were being skillfully ravished by a devil. And she couldn't get enough of it. Her fear was forgotten in the moment. She began to kiss him back, hungering to taste and experience him with all of her being. As if sensing her growing need for him, he let go of his vice-like hold on her. Instead, he enveloped her into his arms and pulled her up against the length of his hard, muscular body. She reached up on tiptoes to slide her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him down closer. God, it was like she couldn't get close enough to him. If she could have breathed him into her very soul, she would have done it. She was aware of the swelling hard bulge in his jeans. She knew it was his cock that was pressing against her. Virta had never been this close to a real cock before. He wanted her. Perhaps her body could never turn him on, but he WAS turned on by her needful kisses. He was responding to her touch. It was enough to know that she had this powerful effect on this powerful man. She was giving him pleasure. And since when do I care about this demon's pleasure? But all thought swirled away again as the caress of their lips overwhelmed her. Athan's kiss became gentle, slow and teasing. The taste of his skin was salty, warm, succulent. She was aware of his fingers trailing through her hair, wrapping themselves into her brunette locks. Shivers went down her scalp and neck. "Virta." He murmured her name with a voice like water over rocks. Her body practially melted. His lips were back on hers in that instant. She breathed out a soft sigh - a breathy coo of pleasure. He returned with a low moan against her mouth, pulling her even more tightly against him. His tongue softly teased at the opening of her mouth, pleading for entry there. She parted her lips slightly, permission granted, and he began to taste, lick and tug inside her supple mouth. After a moment, he slowly moved his lips away, leaving her to chase after them with her own. She was desperate for more of his teasing, languid touches. Athan gently closed his mouth over hers one more time, pulling his face back slowly while dragging a little of her lips in an excruciatingly feather-light tug. He suddenly released her and took several steps back, panting. She fought for her own breath then, as she looked across the distance he'd put between them. She unconsciously placed a hand to her bruised, swollen lips. She watched him gaze at her with scorching, liquid eyes. Athan looked surprisingly vulnerable just then. She watched him adjust the bulge in his jeans. For the first time, he seemed uncomfortable and maybe a little afraid in her presence. She smiled. The thought gave her satisfaction. And she knew she wanted to kiss him again. Kiss him, yes. And not just his mouth this time. She wanted to pull those jeans down his thick, powerful legs and watch his cock spring free. It would bounce gently at her in anticipation of entering her lush, waiting lips. Falling Hard Ch. 03 If Security was watching her, she was in a lot of trouble. But for just one moment, she wasn't afraid. He cleared his throat. "I'm taking you. NOW." He stalked toward her, a determined set to his face. His words and action jolted Virta back to the reality of her situation. She shrank back in fear. "No, no no!" she whispered. He stopped abruptly then, just staring at her. Then he threw his hands up in the air, shaking his head. He looked as though on the verge of madness. She dared another look directly into those dark eyes and was surprised to find sadness and frustration there. It was as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and her fear and mistrust of him just added more to the load. She looked past him in the direction of Mick's house. It was just a few hundred feet away. Her best friend and his friends were waiting for her there. She knew they would be laughing and playing, unaware of the strange encounter with this agent of Hell she was having at that very moment. She took a deep breath. "I've read a lot about you," she began. "I know you're all about evil. I know how you have a penchant for killing." He sighed loudly. "There's a lot about me you don't know. Besides, if I wanted you dead, don't you think you would BE dead by now?" She didn't say anything. "Demons Dot Com." His tone was scornful. "It's run by a division of the Office, you know. Full of lies about me." "You're a demon. You're the one who lies." "Ouch," he said, imitating a hurt tone of voice. He began to walk toward her again, slower this time. "What was it we said back in the good old days?" He paused, standing to his full height, and raised one hand toward her, palm out. "Oh yeah...'Fear Not'." He dropped his hand and checked her reaction, a smile playing at his lips. Amazingly enough, she did feel a portion of her fear and anxiety evaporate at his words. She visibly relaxed. "I'll be damned," he said. "I've still got the touch." He glanced at his watch. "Come with me and I'll answer any questions you have. I have 65 million years of knowledge, and I'll share it with you." He checked her response and continued. "But, the window of opportunity for you to walk out of Heaven with me is narrowing. I don't come here personally to escort just anyone, so take advantage of it." She just stood there, looking at him. "Virta, we've got to go NOW. I can't wait any longer. You can come with me now, and be safe and free. Or, you can stay at the Office and deal with Them." "Them?" "You called me here. I'm here. You think they don't know it? I'm sure agents are on their way right this second. I'm leaving with or without you. I would prefer with you. Damn, I'd REALLY prefer to be with you. But, I'm not gonna force you against your will." He crossed his arms, his black eyes boring into her soft green ones. "It's your call, Virta." Thank you Everyone for the votes & comments. I appreciate the feedback. I've been a reader for some time, but this is my first stab at writing on Lit. I have worked up a basic outline for where this story is going, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Falling Hard Ch. 04 "Hell's Bells" rang out from somewhere below her. She reached into the slim pocket of her dress and pulled the cell phone out, flipping it open. "It's probably my friend," she muttered to Athan. She glanced his way before turning her back on him. She took several more steps away from the demon before speaking into the phone. "Hello?" Her voice was cautiously quiet. There was a click. Then, a bored-sounding woman's voice droned over the phone: "This is an emergency call from the Office, Universal Security Department. You will be connected momentarily to General Banner. This line is protected and neither your thoughts nor our end of the conversation can be heard except by the intended parties, as long as you keep the phone to your ear. Please remain on the line." "What? I don't understand." The voice droned on, "Listen very carefully to everything that General Banner says to you. Please hold now for the General." There was another click, and then a loud, authoritarian voice blasted at her through the phone. "VIRTA!" She nearly dropped the phone from shock. "Y-yes?" Her voice was tiny. What was this about? She was getting a call from one of the top brass at U-Sec? Of course! They knew Athan was with her. She began to sweat. She stole a glance back at Athan. He wasn't paying attention to her or her phone call at the moment. He looked busy scanning the streets and the sky, pacing. The bossy voice came through the phone again. "Open Code 15!" There was a click. The dry female voice responded, "Code 15 activated, sir. You may begin your commands." Before Virta could absorb what this was all about, the General spoke again. "Angel Virta, run Soldier Program, Code 15." Confusion and fear swept through her as his words sunk in. "W-what did you say?" she squeaked. No response. There was static all through the phone line. Then she realized the static was not in the phone, but inside her own head. "Sir," she called out, panic rising, "what's going on?" But he no longer talked to her as though she were a living being. All his words were commands and activation codes that made no sense to her. At least not to her conscious mind. But the chip in her brain was picking it up just fine. She felt pulses of energy and molecules of heat zinging around inside her, slowly at first, but picking up speed. She gasped at the painful, strange sensations. Her mind sought answers. Code 15. It was not something she'd thought about in nearly a year. Office workers were required to attend Department meetings, and one day each year they held a mandatory meeting on Security. Virta had not looked forward to the meeting. It was a whole day of sitting in a conference room, listening to agents from U-Sec talk to them about dull policies, procedures, and warnings. Boring stuff. Virta and Mick sat together, nibbling on Sweets and drinking Substance. Mick actually listened to the Instructor and scribbled down notes, but Virta sat doodling dirty pictures. She elbowed Mick to take a look at her latest creation, and grinned with satisfaction as he tried to hold back a laugh. Crimson stained his cheeks. Keeping his eyes on the Instructor, Mick pushed Virta's drawings underneath the folder in front of her... out of the instructor's watchful line of sight. Virta tried to stop him, but knocked over her Substance. It spilled all over the pages of the open U-Sec folder. The Instructor was there in a second, glaring down at her, irritation all over his face. "What's the problem?" he growled. "I spilled my drink." The Instructor rolled his eyes. "I can SEE that. Maybe we should stop allowing food and drinks in the conference room. What do you think, Virta?" She lowered her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Sir. I won't do it again." He finally walked away, shaking his head, still talking about policy while she dabbed at the mess. She pulled out her artwork and continued embellishing it, tuning out the rest of his dull presentation. But Virta HAD paid attention when they talked about the microchips. The chips were implanted in all newer angels. U-Sec reminded them each year what the capabilities and uses of the chips were... to prevent any unauthorized exit from Heaven, for tracking purposes, to diagnose any mental or medical related problems (though rare with angels, they could happen), and miscellaneous purposes as needed. The instructors had been careful to explain about Code 15's: They were only used in military personnel, only in emergencies, and only then in the intermediary zone between Heaven and Earth. All angels except full-time and reserve soldiers had the code 15 capability disabled. Mick had whispered to her that it had taken a lot of pressure from angel rights groups to get that code disabled from non-military personnel chips. She'd been paranoid anyway, until Mick checked her file and assured her that her chip actually had been disabled for 15's. His chip was fine as well. She'd been so relieved... "...It's a go!" screamed the General into her ear. Virta bit her lip and glared into the phone. She couldn't make out what he'd been saying to the chip in her head. It didn't matter. He had already gotten through to the part of her he needed. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. But she knew exactly why they were doing this. It was just that her mind couldn't accept it. This couldn't really be happening, could it? General Banner had initiated the command which would take control of her body away from her, and turn her into a weapon of mass destruction. She heard a strange clicking sound in her brain, and strobes of light began to flash by her vision. It became harder to move her body. She did not consent to this. Her will had been bypassed so they could use her as a suicide bomber - to kill the dangerous demon that now stood mere feet away from her. And her damned angelic body has no choice but to follow through. All of her power was being summoned, harnessed to detonate. Even the self destruct of a weak angel like herself would let loose the equivalent power of small tactical nuclear weapon. It would produce a supernatural, supersonic shock wave and extremely high temperatures, incinerating all celestial life within the blast radius of just under two miles. She would die instantly, of course. But, all the angels in the streets and nearby buildings would also be killed. Mick. She glanced down the street at her best friend's house, where she knew that he, Flash, and Carol were waiting on her, enjoying themselves at the party. Where she SHOULD have been if only she wasn't so stupid. Chatter and loud angelic laughter startled her to attention. Angels were leaving Worship and filling the streets. Her eyes zeroed in on two happy partners, locked arm in arm, walking home from Worship. "So, Wade, is it gonna be karaoke with Ray and Summer, or do you wanna catch that new documentary at the cinema? I hear it's fascinating." "Is that the film about the origins of black holes?" "Yeah. My boss was an extra in the film, so I'd really love to see it." "I don't know, Charity. After spending all day in that cramped cubicle, I was hoping to have some time outside, get some fresh air, stretch the old wings...." "We could go to the movie and karaoke tomorrow night then. When we get home, let's call Ray and Summer and get a game of Air Ball going at the park!" "I'm feelin' that," said the man, squeezing her middle as they walked. He stopped and leaned down to tousle her hair. "I love you." Charity turned to look at her partner and threw her arms around him. "I love you too, angel-baby!" They laughed together and nuzzled each other's faces. Virta could no longer make out the individual voices as they blended into the noise. She watched the partners lock arms and float away until she lost them among the crowds. There was a stab in her heart, on top of all the pain coursing through her elsewhere. Though she wished she could put all the blame for this mess on the Fallen One, she knew she had only herself to blame. He was just being what he was -- Evil. Was it not her own lust and stupidity that got her into this mess in the first place? If she hadn't poked around where she shouldn't -- if she hadn't been on Demons Dot Com, if she'd just gone straight to Mick's house instead. She wouldn't be on a collision course with her death at this very moment. She glanced back at the demon. He was keeping an eye on all the activity filling the nearby streets. That's what this was all about. Using her to get to him. Athan probably knew this was going to happen. Of course he did. It was a terrorist plot. His being there alerted U-Sec, and they knew their "bomb" was already in place with the enemy. Now he was just watching to make sure she went off right where he wanted her -- there were going to be mass casualties. Hell, he'd probably helped developed the microchip and the Code 15 in the first place, before he left the Office, she thought. She knew his plan: Athan was going to spirit himself away in the nick of time, when it was too late for Banner to call off the Code. Athan would sit with his buddies, drinking beer and high-fiving each other as they counted down her detonation, and then cheered the destruction from front-row seats. Satan himself would give Athan a raise, or a bed full of virgins to defile, or whatever it was that evil angels liked. This was all her fault. What a stupid, stupid angel she was! She was just a means to an end for Athan. Thousands of innocent angels would die, buildings would crumble, and another piece of Heaven would be chipped away. "No!" she gasped. Virta was aware of movement to her side. She turned to find Athan approaching her. "Virta, what's going on?" he asked. He glanced at her and back to the streets. When she didn't answer, he stepped closer, his eyes on her again. Was he aware that he was being blocked from reading her mind? Based on her agitated reaction to the phone call, he must surely be trying to read it now. In fact, he did turn the full force of his eyes on her then. She knew he was watching her to make sure she didn't hang up and try to escape. He wanted her to detonate here in the town, and not fly out in space where only she would be killed; the blast out of reach of other angels. Yes, Athan just wanted to make sure she didn't do anything to jeopardize his evil plan. Her heart began to pound wildly. There was sweat running down her body. She stepped away from him. The phone hung at her side. Her eyes were wide, her face felt frozen in shock. Athan stepped forward. "Virta, give me the phone." It sounded like a command to her. She had to struggle with herself not to raise the phone up and place it into his outstretched hand. She continued to back away, just out of his reach. She couldn't decipher the look on his face, nor in those nebulous eyes. She was in pain; she was afraid. She turned away from him again. "I refuse this!" Virta cried into the phone. Her voice shook with fear to be speaking that way to such a high ranking angel, even if he HAD just ordered her to a suicide mission. Banner's rough, booming voice came to her over the phone, addressing her personally again: "Doesn't matter, you little bitch! You have no say in it. Besides, when you were created, you took the oath. You signed a statement to defend Heaven against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Look at this as the ultimate sacrifice you can make for your Government. You WILL Code 15. That's an order." Before she could respond, she heard a click and someone else came on the line, the nasally-sounding female voice again. "Sir, Clean Up Agents are ready to be dispatched to the scene following the detonation." "Oh, god." Virta gasped. She hadn't realized she was backing up until she backed into the solid wall that was Athan. She whirled around to look up into the dark, raging anger of his eyes. "Un-fucking-believable!" he said, glaring down into her face. Every muscle in his body was tensed. His face actually did look demonic to her at that moment. He swore in languages she'd never heard. "Let me guess: U-Sec, right? Banner?" he snarled. He didn't give her time to answer. "Damn it! I didn't detect Code 15 capability in your chip. They developed some way to hide it from me. Otherwise, they know I would never have come here." She dropped the hand with the phone to her side. "H-how-" "Virta, give me the goddamn fucking phone!" Athan's voice was as forceful as the General's, and she found herself extending the phone out to him with a shaking hand. He jerked it away from her. "Hey!" She screamed toward the phone now in Athan's hand. "Help me! Sir, please stop this!" Athan put the phone up to his ear. That looks so comical, she thought. Such a big man holding my pink, dainty cell phone in his huge fingers! Now, why would her mind allow such thoughts when she was mere minutes from death? "Banner, you son of a bitch!" Athan roared into the phone. "I'm gonna rip you apart with my bare hands!" His voice was a threatening snarl. She stared at the phone in his hand, and then her eyes went to Athan, who was glaring back. His stare was unreadable. Suddenly, he hurled the phone with such brutal force that it shattered into thousands of pieces on the golden street. Virta watched wide-eyed. She knew that would be her fate as well in a few minutes. "I can't believe they called a fucking Code 15." She didn't know if Athan was speaking to her or himself. "I swear I'll make that bastard pay! He doesn't know it, but he's got an appointment with me in Hell. And, he's going to keep it." He clenched his fists in immense rage. She could only stare at him in horror. They'd left her, a sacrifice of her life for their cause. They didn't even cancel the Code. She began to cry bitter tears that wracked her body. "Why didn't they cancel the code?" she shrieked. "Why, oh my god, WHY didn't they cancel? They didn't cancel it. They didn't call it off." She kept repeating the same words over and over, her poor mind and body nearing the end of what she could bear. Athan would be gone in a second, and her death would mean nothing. Maybe they didn't care about her, but why let thousands of innocent souls die? She was going to die. And, take half the town with her, killing innocent angels, and her best friend, Mick. She had to fly! She could fly a mile per second. But her wings wouldn't move. She'd been trying them since she first heard the words, "Code 15." Her body was shaking hard. She could barely hold herself together. Athan was in front of her in a flash, strong hands on her shoulders. "You know they don't give a damn about you." he snarled. She could only stare up at him. "They're making you into a fucking suicide bomber, Virta!" He was furious. "What could they have done worse to you in banishment, than what they're doing now?" His voice seemed to take on a desperate tone then. His grip on her shoulders became softer. "I wanted you to leave with me. You're immune to their stupid commands when you Fall. I would never ask you to do this, Virta. This kind of shit is just one of the many reasons I left." The last bit of moisture that hadn't been dissolved in the inferno of her body came trickling out of one eye: A single tear that sizzled and danced on her cheek and evaporated under Athan's shadowy gaze. He seemed to jerk then as if he'd caught a whiff of something alarming... something so terrible it startled even him. Athan swore in some ancient, long-dead language. He caught her terrified eyes in his. "No fucking way." He snarled. "Don't even ask." "K-kill me," she croaked softly but firmly. "You know it's the only way to stop the bomb." "No." "Please. If you never do one good thing in your life, I beg you... kill me. I want to save my friends and these innocent angels. Please find it in your heart not to make me a terrorist along with you." His face flamed with sheer rage and frustration. She watched him turn his back on her. His huge body was shaking; his fists clenching and unclenching. He didn't turn back around to look at her when he spoke. His voice was as tense as a stretched thread: "Virta, I'm not going to kill you. Do not ask me again." The threat in his voice was unmistakable. She gulped. Of course he would not kill her. Just one angel dying instead of thousands? That would not win him any honors with Satan, now would it? There seemed to be nothing she could do. All her energy was being used in the buildup. Virta felt her power begin to rise further - the original angel power that would make humans bow low before her and quake in fear if they saw it in full manifestation. But now, it was about to be turned inside out of her body. She watched Athan turn to those on the streets. Many of them had already begun to stop and point, whispering at him in curiosity and fear. There was no doubt he'd been recognized. Cell phones were out, and calls were being made to the Most Wanted Hotline. Athan walked toward the street. "Hey!" he shouted. Angels who hadn't seen him before now stopped what they were doing to look up at him. Recognition struck them, and their faces went ashen, their mouths and eyes gaped open: This huge demonic entity was coming after them, shouting and waving his arms. "Listen to me!" he thundered, "Everyone get the Hell out of here, NOW!" They began flying. Angels left the streets in a rush. It was utter chaos. But within a minute, most of the street was empty. She saw Athan turn and start walking back to her, his dark eyes blazing. Her body and brain rumbled as the energy increased. She clenched her eyes shut. He knew what was happening. He would be gone a second from now, as quickly as he came. He'd be safe and sound, somewhere far away. The demon would leave her to die. Why wouldn't he? But deep down, she couldn't quite think of him that way now. Her heart knew there was something more to him. Perhaps she'd known it since she'd laid eyes on him. He wasn't quite what the website had said. She realized she wanted to see his face, those eyes, with her last second of existence, before he transported away from the scene of destruction. His glorious face would be the final thing in her mind as her atoms split. "Athan," she began, without opening her eyes. Her voice was a whisper. She was too weak and in too much pain for anything more. "...Athan, please... Please, don't leave me yet." There was no sound from him. No response. She opened her eyes. He was gone. She cried out. She was frightened, alone. Virta stood helpless, waiting to erupt. She could only move her head a little to each side now. Her eyes searched wildly for him though she knew she was alone under the tree. A glance to the left showed the angels were gone from the street. They'd listened to him. Her eyes followed the street down to Mick's house. It wouldn't be standing for long. Surely he and the others had escaped out the back door when they heard the commotion. She never thought she'd die so young. Two thousand years was just a drop in the bucket for most angels. She felt bad for Mick; he would miss her terribly. She felt bad for herself. She would never get to be human, never know what it was to have a human body like Mandi's. She'd never hold a man's cock in her hands or taste it in her mouth. She wouldn't know the feeling as it plunged into the depths of her body. What did pizza taste like? Virta would never know. Mandi sure loves it, she thought, a small smile on her face as she had final thoughts of the girl. Falling Hard Ch. 04 Virta mourned for the human things she would never do. One particular fantasy that had played out in her mind for months, now came to the front of her mind: She was human, and she was on the beach with a group of male friends. The sun burned down so intensely that she had to remove the baggy T-shirt that was covering her swimsuit. The guys stood watching as she pulled it slowly over her head. Inch after inch of tight, voluptuous body was revealed to their eyes. She was nearly naked in front of them, save for the bikini that strained to hold in her luscious curves. It was not much more than triangles held together by string. She heard soft whistles of appreciation as they fixed their eyes on her ripe, womanly body. She was tanned, slender, and well-defined. She worked out and kept herself in shape, after all! She stretched legs that were toned, long and glistening with suntan oil. They ended miles later at an ass so shapely she knew the boys groaned to feel it in their hands. Her stomach was flat and she had her belly pierced just like Mandi. Sexy. Her breasts were round, firm, and jiggled temptingly as she sauntered up to the males. The boys had forgotten their game of football, their attention was fixed on the female who'd stripped down in front of them. She saw their mouths hanging open, eyes fixed on her luscious, well-oiled flesh. She smiled at them. Her face had full, pouty lips; rosy cheeks; and eyes framed by long, curled lashes. Her hair was the crowning glory, spilling over her shoulders in dark, fluid waves. She shielded her eyes from the glare over the water. Movement caught her eye. A man was walking up the beach toward her. As he came closer, she saw the tousled-up dark hair. His shaded eyes locked onto hers. Athan. She breathed the name out with lustful anticipation. The boys standing to the side were all forgotten now. In fact, they disappeared. They were just there in the first place so she had males to admire her human, feminine body. Now, they were completely useless in this fantasy. She had the real man here now, the one and only man who mattered. He looked absolutely god-like in a black, button-down shirt, hanging open to reveal his sculptured chest and abs. A few scars were scattered across his front, which she longed to gently caress with her fingers and lips. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and his biceps strained at the silken material. He wore the same jeans she'd seen him wearing in Heaven, but his feet were bare. He was obviously not bothered by the heat of the summer day. He looked positively radiant, like the sun. The waves lapped at her feet as she walked toward him on the sand. But something made her stop. Something was terribly wrong. What did that feel like - the waves - the sand at her feet? What was it to smell the ocean air? Why didn't she know? She put a hand to her forehead trying to think. It was so hard to think now. Why? He was suddenly at her side. His voice was like the rustle of the waves. "I'm here," he said. "I'm right here." "Athan," she breathed. Her heart leaped. Her mind dared to believe... It was not a fantasy - Athan was there! "Virta, I never left you," said the velvety, potent voice from behind her. Her eyes snapped open. She didn't know whether to cry out from joy or fear as he walked around from behind her. He was all business. "Some of you newer angels have a serial number on the back of your neck. Yours isn't there. Virta, what's your serial number?" She couldn't respond. "Baby," Athan said, his voice a little more urgent, "tell me." When she still didn't answer, his large hands flew to her shoulders, gripping them. She could only stutter. Her throat was burning as the flames inside her climbed higher and higher. "Virta! You're serial number!" He was shouting in her face. She made choking, gagging sounds in her throat as she tried to speak: His commanding voice was forcing her to answer, but her mouth was physically unable to obey. He cursed and reached toward her with one large hand, pushing the damp hair out of her face. He stared hard at her, concentrating; his eyes scanned her face. "Where is it, where is it..." he muttered. Suddenly, he winced and shook his head. "Fucking god, you're in pain!" He groaned, rubbing his head in his hand. "I knew it had to be bad, but..." His voice trailed off as he refocused his concentration. "Damn it!" he suddenly grumbled. His voice was frustrated, desperate. "It's not in there!" he shouted at her. "You really don't know your own fucking serial number?" His tone of voice told her that he found it unbelievable, exasperating. He groaned loudly. He was at her side then, muttering codes into her ear, similar to the words she'd heard the General use. There was clicking in her brain. But the onslaught of power building within her was continuing to critical levels. "Damn, they've changed the override commands since I left," he said. "I knew they would, but I had to try." Athan looked desperate. He opened his mouth to speak, and she could nearly SEE and FEEL the command radiate out to her. It was as though no other sound existed. Nothing existed in those few seconds but Athan's voice. "You will stand down NOW, soldier!" She heard clicking in her brain, but nothing changed. She was still thirty seconds from blowing. He seemed confounded. His voice became louder. "You are being addressed by a Superior Officer. You WILL disengage. That's a fucking direct order!" Again, just clicks, flashes, and this time, some shuddering through her brain. His directives were not overriding the General's. Obviously, her chip had been programmed with new, top secret security measures. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while he looked at her with softer eyes; his voice was gentle. "Shit. I never meant to put you in this situation, Virta. I'm sorry." She could only stare at him, shaking. Was he giving up? He sounded like he was giving up! "Virta, give me your hands." Her body was seizing violently. He had to hold onto her hands tightly to keep them from shaking right out of his grasp. She watched weakly while his powerful eyes locked onto hers, and then it all became a blur... beads of sweat broke out on his face...strange currents flashed through black eyes - a lightning storm at midnight... energy flew through his skin like spidery shadows across a wall...there was a terrible, whirring noise... But she felt her angelic power dampening. It was working! She blacked out. What must have been just seconds later, she found herself on her back, her eyes fluttering open. She knew that Mick and her fellow citizens were safe now. She crawled to her feet. Athan was on the ground not far from her. Tremors were running through his large body. He was drenched with sweat. His eyes were clenched shut and he was gasping with pain. "Virta," he said, blinking his eyes open. He struggled to get up. He made it to his feet, but was doubled over in pain, one hand clutching his middle. Athan staggered toward her a few steps. She backed away in horror. She didn't know what to do or what to expect next. The strain his body must have endured... She knew it had taken immense concentration and power to neutralize the bomb. His face and hair were drenched in sweat. His normally tan face was now white with shock. Athan's whole body shook and staggered like a drug addict in the throes of withdrawal. It made her terrified. The worst thing was his eyes. They were no longer the healthy, shining, seducing eyes from before. They had been drained to a dull, gun-metal gray from the toll on his body. "Angel, come with me." He held out a hand. She could see it shaking with exhaustion and pain. "I'll take care of you, protect you." She looked into his smoky, ashen eyes. What he'd done would have killed any less-powerful angel. He'd been able to absorb, disarm, and release the explosive energy out into space, where it was harmless to everyone. But his actions had come with a high price for him. He faltered and went down on one knee before her, gasping, one hand bracing himself on the ground. "No. I can't Fall." She was crying now. "I'll take whatever punishment they put on me here." She fell on her knees as well, succumbing to the exhaustion of the ordeal. "Leave me, Athan!" she cried. He hesitated, still on his knees as well, still reaching for her. "Virta... please..." She screamed at him: "I said GO, you son of a devil! Get the hell out of here! Go back to Hell where you came from!" She wrapped her arms around herself, rocking back and forth, shivering from shock. Tears wracked her body. Suddenly, Agents swooped in from every direction. She nearly fainted again in all the noise and chaos. As she went down into the depths of unconsciousness, she knew only one thing, felt it with every aching fiber of her being: He was really gone now. Forever. * I corrected some writing errors I discovered and resubmitted this chapter. A few parts should read better now. Thanks again for the votes and comments. They are really motivating to me. Falling Hard Ch. 05 Virta sat up in the small, cold cell. She let her eyes adjust to the dim light and exhaled a hopeless sigh. She was still not in her soft bed in her small apartment. Nothing had changed since the last time she looked around. It was all exactly, TERRIBLY, the same. She was on a cot. Nearby, a chair was bolted to the floor. Her eyes raised to the video camera mounted high on the ceiling; it was spying down on her with its mechanical eye. A large TV screen hung just under the camera. There was no light unless someone turned it on from outside her room. The last thing her eyes went to were the shackles attached to the wall: Manacles that were used to lock her into place, flush against the cold, rough concrete. She had no idea how long she'd been trapped in there. The only way she marked the passage of time was when They came for her: her torturers. One of them was a tall, thin angel in horn-rimmed glasses. He had greasy, dark hair and soulless eyes. Virta couldn't help but think how much he looked like the skinny, quiet guy who'd sat in the back of her very first orientation. That boy had a habit of frequently pushing his glasses up his nose. She also remembered that he hadn't been much of a talker with the other students. This agent of her suffering didn't speak a lot either. He did smile frequently, to her chagrin. When he smiled, it was just the thin line of his lips pulled up at the corners. There was a deranged glint in his eye. It was a perverse smile that told her he got off on her suffering. He carried a briefcase with syringes, vials, and implements of torture. For some reason, she thought of him as the 'Medic', even though he never did anything to help her feel better. No, he hurt her with the things in his briefcase; he hurt her a lot. There was another angel who came in to help torture her. He was not the same guy she remembered from her first encounter with Medic. This one was a uniformed security guard. He was big, about as tall as Athan, and muscular. He didn't have a lot of hair on the top of his head, but he was hairy everywhere else that she could see. His job seemed to be to physically manipulate her and keep her in obedience to the Medic. He didn't have a name badge, and she didn't particularly want to know his name. She took to calling him 'Brawny' in her mind. They never answered any of her questions. In fact, when she tried to ask anything, her only answer was more punishing pain. She quickly learned to keep her mouth shut. They seemed to visit her often, just when she was managing to fall into an exhausted sleep. She still bore the scars of their first visits: The door to her cell slid open. She raised her head in panic, whimpered, and uselessly pressed herself into the wall by the cot. A flashlight shined into her eyes. Someone flipped her room light on, blinding her even more. Brawny grabbed her and dragged her kicking and screaming over to the shackles on the wall. She was helplessly locked there by her wrists and ankles. Medic prepared his instruments while Brawny pulled off the rough Government-issue gown she wore. She was forced to stand naked against the wall, shivering in front of the two men. Then, Medic went to work on her. At first, he'd seemed obsessed with the tattoos on her chest. He was dead set on removing them. He burned; he cut. Through her tears and delirium, she watched him at his work. She saw the joy lighting up his angelic face as he carved her up. She smelled her own skin burning. The next time she looked down, her cats were gone. There was just smoking, mutilated flesh in their place. She didn't stop screaming. She actually could not stop the screams until Brawny cuffed her on the side of the head. Then she sobbed as quietly as she could manage. Her felines were gone; Medic's first mission was accomplished. The next time her visitors came, Medic told her he wanted to remove her other tattoo as well. She'd seen herself looking back, terrified, in the reflection of his glasses. Brawny held her pinned to the floor for the crude operation. He pressed all of his weight down on her body, then held her legs apart while Medic burned and cut the dog right out of her calf. No anesthesia was used. They did, however, offer her a stick to bite down on, shoving it between her teeth before the physical torment began. Clutching her body in anguish after the sessions, she saw and felt the evidence of Medic's handiwork on her once-perfect skin. Her visitors didn't just work on her body. They seemed to want her mind even more. After the first two sessions that removed her tats, Medic's torture of her began to follow a pattern: He opened his briefcase and set it down on the cot. It was clearly visible from where she stood. Virta kept her eyes off of it since the second session. It seemed to make it all the harder on her - waiting while he picked up a tool and examined it thoughtfully, before putting it away and choosing another. Medic called them his "motivational tools," and with them, he claimed he was going to cleanse her of her rebellion. She knew all too well now what his motivational tools were: Pliers, scalpels, a small handsaw, tweezers, an awl, a small torch and clamps, for starters. But she knew that he preferred his special tool to all others. It was one that he'd designed himself. He picked up an implement and turned to her, sporting that villainous smile. He said, "Athan is one demon in a legion, aligned against Heaven and Earth. Athan is your enemy." Then, with seemingly great relish, he tortured her body. When he needed a break, Medic took off his glasses and casually cleaned spatters of her blood from the lenses. He put the glasses back on and gave them a push up his nose. Then, he looked her in the face again. "Virta, you are a bad angel," he said. "You deserve to be banished from Heaven. You should go into the pit of Hell. You are guilty of sin." The first couple times he'd said that to her, she had talked back. "So you're Mr. Innocent?" she spat at him. "What about this -- this torture? You know, what you're doing to me right now, you son of a devil!" As if on cue, Brawny stepped up and hit her in the mouth. Her head wrenched back with the force of the blow, and then hung limply at her chest. She tasted her own blood and tried to spit it out. Her lips were torn open. Her teeth felt loose. Medic gave his little smile and said calmly, "I'm just following orders." He pulled out a vial and began to fill a syringe as he continued talking. "I do what I'm told, Virta." His voice had the same tone one would use with a disobedient child. "Following orders isn't sin. It's obedience. Something you still need to learn." He jabbed the syringe into her neck, and she cried out as the liquid burned like wildfire through her veins. No, she had learned not to say anything back to the Medic. "Sin... rebellion," Medic repeated each time he tortured her. "You're such a naughty little angel. So much sin. I can SMELL it inside you, Virta. Did you know that? You stink. Oh yes, Virta, you smell foul indeed." That evil, demented smile again. "There's just so much sin to purge..." Virta trembled as she watched him reach into his case and pull out his favorite tool. He always saved the best for last. It gleamed in the overhead light, matching the perverse gleam in his ice blue eyes. Virta's head rolled back and she began to cry and plead. She knew what was coming next. Her mind began to wander on its own, back to when she'd opened her eyes in this cell for the very first time. Then, at least, someone had done something nice for her. Someone had tried to take away her pain, not add to it: The eyes were cat-like, and amber. Virta knew she'd never seen eyes quite like those before. Besides her unusual eyes, the angel leaning over her had hair the color of cinnamon, and a spattering of freckles across her nose and well-defined arms. "My name's Geneva," the angel said in a firm but gentle voice. "I'm in Housekeeping. Normally, I just clean this place after the day shift goes home. But, they asked me to come in here tonight and clean you up instead." She smiled. Geneva dabbed at Virta's brow with a warm, wet cloth. "I told 'em its not in my job description to be no nurse aid. But, I couldn't turn it down when they said it was you back here." Virta stammered in surprise. "M-me?" "Yeah, YOU, silly. You should hear the stories going 'round. They'll probably interview you on God TV or something." Then, Geneva's perfect face turned angry as she looked Virta's body up and down. "Look what the bastard did to you. Everyone's talking about it. That Hellion roughed you up pretty good, didn't he?" "I don't know what you mean, ma'am," said Virta. Geneva frowned down at her. "There'll be none of this ma'am stuff. I said my name is Geneva." She helped Virta sit up, and began to wash the wounds on her back. "Where am I... Geneva?" Virta asked through chattering teeth. "You're at U-Sec," Geneva answered. "Not the best accommodations I've seen, though." Her golden eyes took in the sparse room. "But, I guess they had to make do until today." "Today? What is today? How long have I been in here?" Virta's voice began to rise with panic. "Honey, it's Monday. It looks like they just tossed you in here Friday night and left you 'til now. Some way to treat a hero, huh?" "Hero?" "I'm talking about you, honey. You saved a lot of angels." Geneva's voice went dreamy. "I can just imagine the fabulous set of wings they're gonna give you." Virta put fingers to her forehead and closed her eyes, trying to think. "I don't remember coming here," she said. The angry look returned to Geneva's face. "I can't believe they just let you lie here like this all weekend - bloodied and bruised." Virta flinched when Geneva touched her skin with the cloth again. She glanced down her naked body and let out a gasp when she saw the wounds. "Here, here, honey. It's OK. Let me get those cleaned up. Then, I'll apply the healing balm, and your angel skin will be flawless again before you know it." Virta couldn't deny the gentleness in the woman's eyes and voice. She relaxed and let the kind lady tend to her wounds. Geneva finished cleaning her up, then applied the balm to her body from head to toe. It warmed Virta's skin and felt soothing and comforting. "He about tore your little dress to shreds didn't he, the bastard." Geneva held up the tattered wisp of fabric, shaking her head. "He's an animal." "Who?" Virta asked. "Don't you remember what happened? Geneva wrinkled her brow as she peered into Virta's face. "You're probably still in shock from facing down that big, bad son-of-a devil." Virta's thoughts began racing as it all came back to her: Athan had absorbed the energy of the bomb and defused it. She cringed when she thought of his condition afterwards. It just wasn't right for something so beautiful and so powerful to be so broken down. She remembered vaguely how the Agents swooped in, surrounding her. Though she was weakened, they still used handcuffs on her. Then, she was thrown onto a stretcher and taken away from the scene. That was as far as her memory went up until Geneva awakened her. Athan was gone. Had U-Sec taken him? No. He'd simply disappeared. After I made him, she thought sadly. She'd been so scared and confused. Her pain had been beyond anything she'd ever known. And, she was still afraid of Falling, whether by Banishment or of her own free will. She had not been ready in those few short minutes to make the kind of decision that would affect her eternal fate. True, she detested the Heavenly system, but for two thousand years, her heart had been set on getting an Earth assignment. Falling would just ensure a life on the run and then what? Eternal punishment? There had to be some explanation, some reason why U-Sec left her to die. She knew she wasn't a favorite in the Cosmos by any means. But she couldn't wrap her mind around Heaven just using her, or wanting her dead. She also couldn't bear to lose her best friend, Mick. He would think of her as the enemy if she Fell. Her head spun when she thought of Athan: Man of Contradictions. She shivered at remembrance of the power in his eyes... and in his kiss. He didn't kill or even hurt her though he could have done so very easily; he didn't seem to want her to be afraid of him; he'd even saved thousands of angels and herself at high personal cost. This was not the beast of Demons Dot Com, nor what two thousand years of Heavenly conditioning had told her. She ran her fingers through her hair. It was so hard to sort it all out after all she'd been through. "I saw the tape, and all I know is, you're lucky to be alive," Geneva said, helping Virta into a plain gown. "What was on the tape?" "You poor thing, I don't blame you if you don't want to watch it yourself. It could bring back all sorts of trauma." She began to pack her things away in a bag as she spoke. "I don't think I wanna watch it. I was just wondering what it showed." "Well, it showed that bastard catching you by surprise under the tree. He grabbed you and yelled threats at you." Geneva's hand flew to her face. "Oh my god, he was probably gonna kill you, then rape you, honey!" Geneva leaned down and stroked Virta's messy black hair. The amber eyes were full of fear. "It was hard to watch. I think they even edited out a lot of the worst stuff. I hear it was too terrible to show the public." Virta raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing while Geneva continued: "Then, the monster grabbed your phone; smashed it on the street. He grabbed you; it looked like you put a knee in his groin. He went down on the ground and the agents showed up. He just disappeared before they could cuff him." Geneva's voice was full of excitement. "Oh, but you should have seen yourself, girl! I don't think he's gonna forget this brave little angel anytime too soon." Geneva playfully tapped Virta's cheek. "So, they don't know where Athan went?" "A- who? Girl, I thought you weren't supposed to say a demon's name out loud. Didn't you learn anything in all those classes you Office people take? Even I know that much." Virta cleared her throat. "I think that's a myth," she said. "I mean, if you say it in lust, maybe..." Her voice trailed off and she felt a blush creeping over her cheeks. Geneva just stared at her for a moment, then shook her head. "You must have had some mighty angel watching over you that night, Virta," she said. "I mean, that demon could have done a thousand terrible things to your body and soul. You know... there are things worse than death." A visible shudder went down Geneva's body. Virta frowned. "That's just it. He didn't do anything to me. He saved me, in fact. He saved the whole damn town!" Geneva drew back and stared down at her. "Virta," she said. "Don't you know angels like him can implant false memories in your brain?" Virta sat staring in shock. She knew her mouth was hanging open. "Don't look so surprised, girl," Virta said, picking up her bag. "He could make you think you were in love with him if he wanted. Remember this if nothing else: You can never trust a demon." Virta wanted to ask more, but she felt anxiety rising. She didn't know who she could trust. It occurred to her that Geneva was a spy, sent in to gain her trust and get her to talk. She couldn't trust anyone anymore. Well, except Mick. "I've gotta talk to my friend, Mick," Virta said, twisting her hair around a finger. "He must be worried sick." Geneva stood up. "I've gotta go now, Virta," she said. "It's been real nice talking to ya. Can't wait to see how they reward you for all you did." The door slid open and a guard appeared to lead Geneva out. Virta didn't have to wait two minutes until the door opened and shut again. She looked up to see Mick striding in, two guards in tow. "Mick! Oh my God, I'm so happy to see you!" she squealed, flying into his arms. He held her, smoothing her hair. "I'm so glad you're OK," he said, holding her tightly. "I saw all the commotion in the street Friday, but couldn't see what was going on. Then I heard someone shouting at everyone to leave, and so we did. I'm not sure why, looking back on it. But at the time, I just felt compelled to get miles away from there." He looked at Virta. When she didn't respond, he continued: "I asked someone across town what had happened. They told me that one of the Fallen Ones had actually shown up on my street! God, I was so worried about you. I knew you were coming that way." Mick held her hand. "I called you, but just got your voice mail." "I've been unconscious all weekend." Mick frowned. "I looked for you at your place, and all the hangouts. Nobody here would tell me anything. I worried until I got to work this morning." "I'm fine." Mick looked relieved. "Everyone in the Department is talking about you, Virta. How you escaped capture by the Evil One." "What? Why is everyone talking like I'm a big hero?" "Because you ARE a big hero, Virta. The word came down from here at U-Sec." he said. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair before looking up at him. "Mick," she said, "don't you think it's really strange that I could fight off someone like that? I mean, let's be honest here. I'm pretty weak for an angel. Put me up against one of those really powerful ones, and I'd be toast." Mick's face took on a scowl as his eyes searched up and down her face and body. "From the official report, it sounds like he roughed you up really badly." "That's not how it happened. He didn't hurt me." Mick grabbed her arm and pulled up the sleeve of her gown, exposing cuts and bruises. "Then how do you explain these?" She shook her head. Mick went on: "There were eye witnesses - must have been hundreds of angels on the street. Everyone who was interviewed said virtually the same thing." He stroked her cheek gently. "I'm glad Agents got there when they did." "Somebody's lying," Virta said angrily. Mick shrugged. "All the reports say that Athan attacked you. He threw your cell phone down so you couldn't call for help, he grabbed you, there was a struggle. He ended up on the ground." Mick's eyes widened in awe. "Good going, Virta, you must have got a good shot into the groin or something." He smiled. "I don't understand. That's nothing like what happened. Athan, he saved me, he saved the whole town -" "Virta, you don't have to worry, he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore." "Mick, listen to me. You're not listening." "Ssh, don't try to talk too much. You're confused. You've been through a lot." Mick said, still stroking her cheek. Virta pulled back. "Look, my manager had to pull some strings to get me in here to see you. I only have a minute," Mick said. "I just wanted to see with my own eyes that you were OK." "If there's no problem, they why do they have me in a cell?" "It's just temporary. They wanted to keep an eye on you, assess your condition. I don't know why they'd put you in one of these isolation cells though. Guess it's all they had over the weekend." Mick's face brightened again. "Anyway, they'll debrief you, and then you'll go to training for however long it takes, getting you ready for an upcoming assignment." "Assignment? What are you talking about?" Mick smiled. "I'm not supposed to say anything. Just trust me when I say that the next time I see you, you're going to be so happy." He ruffled her hair. "I'm sure gonna miss you. But, I'm so happy for you." "Why? What's going on?" He just smiled. "Mick, she said, "What's going to happen to me? I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I?" Falling Hard Ch. 05 Mick sighed and shook his head. "Now you're the one who's not listening. Didn't I just say that you're a hero!" She just looked at him, tugging her hair. "I'm not supposed to say anything yet, " Mick glanced at the security camera on the wall and leaned down closer to her ear. "But, you can pretty much count on an Earth assignment, just like you always wanted." He leaned back to look in her face, his own face beaming. "They think you're ready after the way you handled yourself Friday night, " he said. "You didn't hear it from me, though. Act surprised when they tell you." He stood up then and brushed his knuckles lightly across her cheek. "Way to go, crazy girl," he said. " I saw the video footage they compiled." He grinned from ear to ear. "You were really kick-ass." Virta put a hand to her forehead, trying to think. "Something just doesn't add up here, Mick," she said. "I know that the General is going to debrief you about what happened; they're going to send you for some training and orientation --" Virta nearly choked on her dry throat. "The General! Did you say the General?" Mick smiled. "Yes, General Banner. It's such an honor, Virta. I've never met him, but he's one hell of a powerful angel. Let's just say I wouldn't want him for an enemy. He wants to reward you, Virta." "Mick, he tried to kill me... Code-" "I'm sure he tried to kill the bastard devil," Mick interrupted, "and would have, if he hadn't vanished into thin air. The cowardly demon had to save his own skin, I guess." Mick shrugged. "No, that's not it." Virta was trying not to cry. Mick frowned as he watched her. "Virta, I know you're just tired, and you've been through hell and back. You need to rest." "Mick, whatever information you've been given, it just isn't right. Don't believe what they tell you, Mick." He shook his head. "Your brain is still trying to process your near-death experience... you're in shock more or less. Has anyone been in to give you medical attention before now?" She shook her head. "I don't think so. At least, nobody cleaned me up 'til just now. There was a woman, Geneva." "Well, they're coming in any minute to give you a shot of medicine. I heard someone talking about it the hall." "A shot? No! I don't want any drugs. I don't want them to touch me!" The cell door slid open and in floated a couple of angels, both dressed in white lab coats. One of them was tall and thin, and wearing horn-rimmed glasses. He had a smile frozen to his face. He was holding a briefcase. It was the one she'd come to think of as Medic. The other angel was very round and tall, with short blonde hair. He immediately began to restrain Virta while the other one pulled a syringe out of the briefcase. He filled it with something from a vial. "No!" Virta screamed at the top of her lungs. "Leave me alone! Get your goddamn hands off me! Mick, help me; help me!" She thrashed so hard the chubby angel couldn't restrain her. "Help me hold her!" he yelled at Mick, his face red as he tried to contain the panicked, bucking angel. Mick ran over and grabbed Virta by the hands as the bigger angel sat on her legs. She slapped and clawed at Mick. "Virta calm down! Nobody is wanting to hurt you. All they're going to give you is a sedative, just something to help you relax." Mick turned to Medic. "Don't just stand there, help her!" he said. "No, Mick, no, I don't want anything to relax! Mick, don't trust anyone here, Mick they tried to kill me, and make me kill you... and the whole fucking town... no, no, no, no.." she wailed over and over. "Shh, everything is OK now, baby," he soothed her, wiping her sweaty hair away from her face. Then he turned back to Medic. "Please, help her, she's hysterical!" "This will calm her down." The tall angel with the greasy comb-over said pleasantly, as he flicked air bubbles out of the syringe. Virta began struggling so hard again that the two men could barely hold her. The big angel pulled Mick's hands away from Virta. "Trade me places!" he bellowed as he clambered up Virta's body. His meaty legs straddled her chest. He pinned her arms at her sides so she couldn't move; his massive weight holding her to the cot. She gasped for air. "Hey, is that necessary?" Mick said. "Just sit on her legs; keep her from kicking us." The husky angel snarled back. "I will not sit on her." Mick crossed his arms. "And you better get the fuck off her, now." "Get out of my way," Medic said as he brushed past Mick to get to Virta's top half. Virta was positively screaming now, her voice ringing out with everything left in her. A fat hand clamped over her mouth; her cries were muffled under the sweaty palm. She bit with all her strength. The big angel swore and backhanded Virta across the face. "Hey!" Mick called, lunging forward. He grabbed the angel by the shoulders, attempting to pull him backwards off of Virta. "Get your damn hands off her!" Mick was elbowed in the ribs. He fell forward with a grunt. "Mick!" Virta cried. "You will leave the room, NOW." Mick said to the bully, while pointing to the cell door. The big angel turned back and suddenly stood up, towering over Mick. "You wanna go somewhere with this, little man?" he snarled. "You've already lost your job. The camera up there shows you assaulting a hero," Mick snarled. "Don't make it any worse on yourself." "Now you're threatening me?" The beefy angel began advancing on Mick, fists clenching and unclenching. "I don't give a fuck about any camera, I will pound you into the floor." "No, you won't," Mick said, looking up into the eyes of the menacing hulk. "You will not touch her again, or you'll see if I'm just giving you idle threats." Then, Medic plunged the needle into Virta's neck and her will to fight ceased. She could only look up in a stupor... She heard the vague sounds of harsh words, the scuffle of feet, and then the door to her cell opened and closed. It was as quiet as a tomb. Mick's face appeared over her suddenly. She saw his azure eyes; there was concern there. His gentle hand stroked her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Virta," he said, his voice straining. "Are you OK?" She swallowed, her mouth and lips dry, and croaked out the affirmative. "I'm going to report that animal that attacked you," he said through clenched teeth. "Someone higher up owes me a favor, and I'm going to collect on it... he'll be gone by the end of the day." "Mick," she said, "don't leave me. Don't let them..." But her voice trailed off as she felt the effects of the sedative. "Everything is going to be just fine, Virta." Mick stroked her hair. "Look, I've got to get back to the Department." Mick turned to go. "I won't get to see you again until the end of your training." "W-what's going to happen to me?" He smiled reassuringly. "Really, Virta, everyone wants to honor you. Everything is going to be just fine." He tossed another reassuring smile over his shoulder as the guard slid the door open for him. She watched him leave her room. The lights went off. Silence and darkness. Suddenly, she detected the presence of someone else in the room with her. The sedative was not as strong as the primal fear that energized her now. She crept to the wall, pressing back against it and straining her eyes to see anything. Fingers wrapped around her throat. Virta cried out, but a large hand walloped her in the stomach. She heard the familiar voice, and her brain was shocked back into the present, torturous reality: "You collaborated with the enemy," Medic was saying. Virta gasped and struggled against the manacles pinning her to the wall. Pain was back, along with good old-fashioned Fear. She began to gasp as she pulled at the chains. "U-Sec has photos of you kissing him," Medic continued. "We have your conversation recorded." Virta moaned, her head lolling side to side. He continued. "We have charges of treason against you, Virta. You deserve to be punished for your multitude of sins." Virta sobbed as he held the wicked instrument of torture up for her inspection. Falling Hard Ch. 06 The cell door slid open and shut; she was alone again. Virta's body lay twitching on the floor. She was down there for what seemed like hours - bleeding, in pain, and waiting for the next sound of footsteps outside her door. The lady named Pearl would show up anytime now. But first, the TV came on. They had started making her watch TV just hours after she'd first gained consciousness. Though she didn't want to watch, she couldn't seem to pry her eyes from the screen. She wanted to hold her ears, but she couldn't help but listen. Always, it was the same stuff over and over. They showed Virta doing illegal things that could get her on the radar for Banishment. She didn't remember doing any of the things on the film. But there she was, stealing documents from the Office, defacing Government property, or using a stolen pass-card to get into areas where she had no clearance. They started showing video footage of Athan as well. She had watched hungrily, soaking in every bit of him that she could. But when it became apparent what he was really doing in these recordings, she tried not to watch or listen. It was in vain, however. Athan looked virtually the same in the videos as he had to her on the golden street: impressively handsome with his tousled dark hair, muscular body, and narcotic black eyes. In some of the footage, he had longer hair or facial hair, or was wearing different types of clothing. No matter the style, he was sublime; glorious even. Most of the filming was done on Earth. Athan was shown in battle: killing and maiming, or out with his gang of men having fun... hurting people, hurting angels. One scene in particular haunted her: this was a modern time, on Earth. Judging from the setting, she guessed it was taken in the last ten years. He was dressed very much like she'd seen him in Heaven. He wore a black T-shirt, but had on black pants instead of jeans. The look on his face was cold sober, as he leaned against the building. It looked as if he was waiting on someone or something to come along. Then, from the vantage point of the camera lens, Virta watched Athan dissolve into the shadows so that he was virtually invisible. Suddenly, she came into view. It was a tiny, young woman about twenty years old, with long blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. A human. And she was alone. The girl walked quickly down the sidewalk, glancing nervously around her. Her big brown eyes clearly showed her fright. Virta noticed that the girl's face had bruises and cuts. Suddenly, Athan was in front of her. No matter how many times Virta watched that segment -- and they showed it at least twice per day -- she never saw him move from the shadows to the girl. He was just that fast. Virta feared what Athan was going to do. This was the evil Athan she hadn't known, the nasty demon with all those years of cruel deeds and treachery in his past. The only experience she had with him was those few minutes on the street. "Athan," the girl whispered in surprise and fear. She was shaking as she craned her neck to look up at the strapping demon in front of her. "That's me," he said with a slight smile, his voice light and cheerful. "How you doing right now, Rose?" His tone and his face showed that he was mocking her fear. She glanced down at the sidewalk. "Don't play with me, Athan," she muttered. Athan moved a hand toward Rose's neck. Virta automatically flinched at the same time as the girl. It reminded her of how Athan had first touched her on the golden street. Sure enough, he put one thick finger under Rose's chin and forced her to look up at him. For a moment, Virta thought this was one of his recruitees, perhaps another of his converts to Hell. Someone else he thought had "potential". But it was doubtful. If he was trying to woo her over to the Dark Side, this obviously was the wrong way to go about it. Rose was visibly shaking with terror. Then, she made a break for it. But he had her by the arm instantly, a smirk sliding across his beautiful face. Clutching her arm with his hand, Athan dragged her over to the side of the building and slammed her up against it. Rose's back hit the bricks, and she grunted as the air was knocked out of her lungs. Before she could double over, Athan's big hand was on the center of her chest, pinning her to the wall. His voice sent chills down Virta's back. He sounded so menacing... evil. "You thought you could get away from me, huh, Rose. You thought I wouldn't find you?" Rose didn't answer. She was looking about wildly for an escape. "Don't even think about it, Rose." She tried to knee him in the groin, and he blocked her move. He shook his head like he was scolding a child. "I didn't even have to be a mind reader to know that was coming," he sneered at her. Athan leaned casually against the wall, one hand braced against it. The other hand was gently stroking Rose's shoulder. The way of escape was open right in front of her. But he didn't look the least bit concerned that she might take off running. She just stood with her back against the wall, letting it hold her up on her unsteady legs. "Look at you shaking. Poor little thing. You know it's hopeless, right?" he taunted her. Rose's breath was ragged, but her face grew furious. "Go to Hell, Athan," she hissed. He looked at her for a moment, and then started laughing. "Oh, I will, lover," he said. "But not tonight." The big hand on Rose's shoulder slid slowly across her upper chest, winding its way languidly up her delicate neck, until it stopped to linger on her bruised cheek. She flattened herself more tightly against the wall; her eyes shut; her chest heaving to get air in and out. He stroked his fingers gently down her face. To anyone else, it would have looked like a sweetheart's caress. "You look so much prettier to me now," he said, peering down at her injured face. "I think my men did some fine work on you. The bruises, the wounds... I've gotta say, it really turns me on." Her eyes snapped open and she gasped in horror at his words; she tried to jerk her head away from his touch. He didn't seem to notice her struggles as he continued to delicately caress her. Then, without warning, he swooped down to crush her lips with his own. He completely blocked the camera's view of her body with his much, much larger one. He finally pulled away, turning to lean his own back against the wall, a couple of feet between their bodies. Rose was visibly flushed, and she was panting. She didn't stand there but a second before she made another dash for safety. He rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. Then he pushed off of the wall and went after her. She was grabbed and pulled back up the sidewalk. He flung her to the ground with flourish. Athan stood over her while she struggled to make it to her feet. "You do know you can't get away from me, right?" "What are you going to do, Athan?" Her voice was ragged, breathy. "Stop playing with me, and just get on with it!" He glared down with his impossibly dark eyes. Virta could plainly see Rose's body was shaking, her breathing was heavy, and her eyes were wide with fear as she looked up at the dangerous demon. "Leave me alone," Rose cried. "I've got an appointment. They're expecting me now." "I guess they're just going to have to wait. That is, if they think you're worth the wait." She sat scowling up at him, her hands clenched into fists. A dark shadow crossed over his face. He leaned down and jerked her up to her feet, walking her backwards until she was up against the wall once again. Athan began sliding his hands up and down the sides of her body, brushing over the slight curves. He murmured seductively in her ear. "I know somewhere we can go where they'll never find us. We'll have all the time in the world. I can do whatever I want... for as long as I want." "Let me go NOW, or I'll scream." "I'm counting on it," he said, his smile playful. "But not here, not now." He ran a deceptively gentle hand over Rose's cut, battered lips. "Keep your mouth shut, Rose, or I'll permanently shut it for you." It horrified Virta how such violent words could be delivered on such a silken, comforting voice. Rose started to say something, then catching the evil look in his eye, she closed her mouth. "That's a smart girl." He immediately hauled her up, slinging her over his shoulder. Then, silent as a cat, he carried her away into the darkness. The screen went black, leaving Virta nauseous, wondering what Athan did to Rose. What had been the girl's fate? The TV wasn't blank for long. The screen flickered, and then images and sounds began to run once again. The date on the video file said 4,000 B.C. Virta could see that the location was inside U-Sec. Athan sat at a table in an interrogation room. He wore shackles on both hands and feet. Armed guards stood against the wall behind him. He was wearing a garment something like the one they'd issued her back in the cell. His robe was ripped, dirty, and bloody. It looked like he'd been beaten very hard on his stunning face. And everywhere else she could see, for that matter. A low voice from behind the camera was asking him questions: "Once more, tell us what you did to the humans living in the valley where the skirmish took place?" The look in Athan's dark eyes was distant, blank, as if his vision wasn't focused in the room, but somewhere far away. "We took off the men's heads and hung them up on poles to dry in the sun," he said without emotion. "And... then?" "Then, I... sliced up the babies with my sword." There were muffled voices off camera, and then Athan spoke again. "Yes, Sir. Me and my men - we ripped open the pregnant women. And the children... we hurled stones at them, killing them." Virta clutched at her hair with shaking hands. Tears ran down her face as she watched and listened. The video cut to Athan and his men cheering and laughing. Then, it cut back to Athan in the interrogation room. "And you committed sexual assault against the women and children?" "Yes, Sir. We did. It was bloody and brutal.... we showed no mercy though they were screaming and pleading with us." Another close up of the handsome but weary face. He looked incredibly tired. "The young girls who were still virgins...we" -- the camera closed in on Athan's dark, battered eyes - "forcibly raped." A different angle showed a close up him laughing maniacally in the dark. Back to another view of Athan in the interrogation room. His beaten face was shining with sweat. The interviewer asked: "How many humans have you killed altogether?" Athan took a moment to wipe at his bleary eyes. His fingers shook. He seemed to consider the question a while before he answered. "I don't have exact numbers," he answered softly. A fist slammed down hard on the table. Apparently, it belonged to the interviewer. Athan didn't startle at the movement or sound. He slowly looked down at the fist on the table... just stared blankly at it as if he was in a trance. "Answer the question as best you can, dammit!" Athan rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He shifted his eyes across the room in thought. Finally, he spoke: "I've slaughtered tens of thousands of men, women and children." He looked directly up at the interrogator. His eyes were blank; dead. "Seventy-thousand fell just last week." Another shot of Athan, from another angle. "We destroyed sixty cities... Yes, all the men, women and children. We... exterminated them all, regardless of age. Nobody was spared." More shots of Athan looking into the camera, and then some views flickered by of him in combat. When the scene went back to the interrogation room, there was talking going on behind the camera, but it was too muffled to make out. Athan appeared to be answering another question. "No, Sir. It's not been our policy to show mercy." Virta could take no more. She began to scream and scream until the noise and the pictures stopped again, granting her a few moments of silence and darkness. But never any peace. There was a knock at her cell door. Only one person knocked before entering. It was Pearl. Pearl had been visiting Virta daily. Usually after one of the beatings. There was the knock, then the door to her cell would slide open and shut. In slipped the petite, dark-haired woman with the pretty gray eyes. She always had a calm, kind look on her face. The voice and demeanor of this angel were a far cry from those of Medic and Brawny. She never moved in a threatening way towards Virta. Her presence would have been soothing, except Virta knew this woman was working with Them. Virta longed for the angel to hold and console her, despite this knowledge. She wanted to cry in Pearl's arms and have the woman smooth her hair and tell her that it was all going to be OK. Pearl always had a clipboard full of papers, a pen, and a bag when she came in. She would sit in the straight-back chair that faced Virta's cot. Virta, by this time, would be curled up in the fetal position. After this last torture session, Pearl entered and set her things down in the chair. She leaned down to Virta, holding a clear, plastic cup. "Virta, I have a glass of Substance for you from General Banner." Virta looked up, blinking, to see the cup full of the clear, sparkling fluid. She was suddenly aware of how parched and dry her lips and tongue were, and of how good the liquid smelled. It would taste even better. She licked her cracked lips. Seeing Virta's hesitation, Pearl smiled a little and raised the cup to her own lips. Virta watched with huge eyes as Pearl took a sip of the Substance and swallowed. Pearl held the cup out to her again. "Go ahead, take it. The General wants to help you." Virta snatched the cup with trembling hands. She gulped a mouthful down so fast she choked a little. Nothing had ever tasted so good. She began to feel a little better, a little more refreshed. She forced herself to slow down and sip the rest. "You can help yourself, Virta," Pearl said as Virta drank, "by letting us help you." The thin woman moved to the chair, and leaned in closely to Virta. "Will you let us help you, Virta?" she asked. Virta didn't answer; she just kept sipping from the cup, hands trembling. "You know why you're in here, don't you?" Pearl didn't wait for Virta's answer. "You were wrong in what you felt and believed before. You know that Athan is an evil demon that needs to be destroyed." The woman's voice took on a pleading tone. "Come over to our way of thinking. We will end the pain, the torture, the misery. You won't have to wallow in doubt or guilt and confusion anymore. We can make it all clear, very clear for you. I know you'd like that, Virta." Virta finished the Substance without speaking, and Pearl took the cup back. "You see, Virta, it was never you that was bad." She stroked Virta's damp, clingy hair with her slender, delicate hand. "You were just misguided -- misled - in your beliefs. No, you weren't a bad person, Virta... it was just your thoughts... they were bad. You didn't know any better though, right?" She peered into Virta's hazy green eyes to see her reaction. Virta slowly nodded. "You just needed information, didn't you, sweetheart?" Pearl continued to play with Virta's long hair. "Now, you know. Now, you have the right information. Now, you can make the right choices and believe the correct things." Pearl slid off the seat and knelt in front of Virta. She took one of the angel's trembling, cold hands in her own. "Denounce Athan and the old ways of thinking." She was looking directly into Virta's eyes. "Are you ready to confess to the General? He wants to keep you from being Banished. This is the only way he can do it. You have to help him help you." Virta opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. "General Banner can help you, Virta," Pearl said. "Just admit your sin to him. He will get you back on the right track... confess all of your rebellion and your... naughtiness. Are you ready to seek forgiveness from the General?" Virta closed her eyes. Her lips parted. "Y-yes," she said, quietly. She opened her eyes to see Pearl still gazing at her. There was a warm, loving look on the other angel's face. "Yes," Virta said more firmly. "I'm ready to speak to the General now. I want to confess." Pearl moved back to the chair, and made some notations on her clip board. Then she produced a large tub of healing balm from the bag at her side. She held it out to Virta. "This will undo everything They did to you," she said. "Well, physically, that is." Virta took the jar from Pearl. "Will it give me back my tattoos?" she asked, studying the jar thoughtfully. Pearl looked at her with concern in her eyes. "No, Virta. It won't restore your tattoos." Virta sighed. She looked around the small room for a moment, tossing the jar of balm in her hands. Then, she turned back to Pearl. "Good," she said. Pearl looked at her for another long moment before pulling some more items from her bag: Cleansing cloths, a crystal gown, a comb. She gave them all to Virta. "Congratulations on your wise decision, dear," she said, standing up. She picked up her things. Then, she turned and left the room without a sound. A few minutes later, the door slid open again and in strolled a short, thin female with long black hair. "My name is Song, and I've come to transport you for your appointment with General Banner," she stated. Virta's eyes widened as she recognized the monotone voice from the cell phone call, the day of her Code. She'd never forget that voice. "No, not you." Virta's own voice was just a whisper. Two guards filed into the room after Song, and reached down to grab Virta off of the bed. Handcuffs were slapped onto her wrists and she was shoved roughly out the door. Song fell into step behind them. At first, Virta tried to walk instead of float, but the guards yanked her forward too quickly for walking. She let her wings sprout, and went with them obediently. They entered a door at the end of the hall, and Virta was dragged into a huge, lavish office. A large angel was sitting behind a desk. His back was to the door. When he heard them come in, he turned around in his big leather chair. His eyes took in the angel in handcuffs, and then he nodded his head. "Virta, have a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. As she trudged to the chair, he looked at Song. "That will be all." He waved his hand, and she and the guards were gone. With the door shut, it was just the two of them in the room, and the General leaned back in his chair to appraise her more thoroughly. Virta felt his penetrating eyes take in the long, shiny gown that covered her from neck to feet. She had her hands folded in her lap. Her wrists were held together by the handcuffs. He stood up, and walked around to the front of his desk. Virta could only stare up at him in awe. The General was huge. And he wore a uniform decorated with medals, stripes, stars, buttons, and cords. He looked like he commanded respect just by his very presence. He had thin, dark hair and a squarish jaw. His eyes were the only angelically beautiful thing about him, Virta noted. They were magnificent, and as blue as a cloudless October sky. He pulled a key off his belt, bent down, and took her hands. He felt warm, almost too hot to her touch. He thrust the key into the lock, and her handcuffs fell off. The General turned and threw them onto the desk. Then, he leaned against the front of his desk, just looking down at her. Falling Hard Ch. 06 He cleared his throat before he spoke. "Now, Virta," he said. "If you want to avoid Banishment and live, you will have to do something for me. "What? Oh my God, I'll do anything." She didn't know where she found her voice, but it was there, as desperate-sounding as she felt inside. "Good," he said, pulling a cigar out of his breast pocket. "Get on your knees." Falling Hard Ch. 07 Virta slid forward and knelt in front of the General. She didn't even try to look all that way up into his face. She saw his knees, and she talked to them. "I'm sorry," she began. "I repent of my sins and rebellion. I confess to having traitorous thoughts and desires for a... a demon. Please forgive me, Sir." Tears were running down her cheeks. He didn't answer. She didn't dare look up. Virta thought she heard a snap; and seconds later, the striking of a match. Then came the sound of the General taking puffs from a cigar. The only other sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall. She began to shake from anxiety, and tears dropped from her eyes onto the marble flooring. She smelled earthy, toasted tobacco, the leather from the chairs, and the fine wood of the desk and cabinetry; masculine scents that reminded her of someone or some thing from her past. She just couldn't place it. The General quickly spoke. "You don't think what you have done is worthy of Banishment?" "No... I mean, yes. I mean..." Her voice was tiny, quivering. She heard him pick something up from his desk. Daring a glance upward, she saw that he was holding a fat file with a rubber band wrapped around it. "I guess you know what this is," he said, looking down at her sternly as he removed the rubber band. She nodded. "Get back in the damn chair," he grumbled. She obeyed. He began to flip through her file. "Theft, envy, lust, insubordination," - he read down the list -"attempting to access illegal internet sites, falsifying documents and defacement of Government property..." He glared down at her as he snapped the file shut with one hand. He continued to puff on his cigar. She shrunk back in the chair under the General's scrutiny. "Any one of these could put you on the highway to Hell," he said after a moment. "But, where you went wrong in my book, is that you summoned an upper level demon right into Heaven - the Enemy." She wanted to protest that he had it wrong, but he made a quick motion with his hand for her to zip it. "I already know your thoughts, so spare me having to actually HEAR your excuses." He got up and began to pace a little in front of his great desk. Her heart raced, her skin perspired as her anxiety increased. "I take treason very, very seriously, Virta." She kept her mouth closed, and concentrated on remaining calm... something nearly impossible to do around this big, intimidating man. "Our spy satellites caught you kissing the the demon." He sounded disgusted. The General shook his head as he walked around the desk. He sat down in his big leather chair, eyes boring into her. The silence, the suspense, was nearly too much for her to take. "First of all, you must repent for your treason," he said. "Sir, I just did." He immediately slammed a fist down on the desk, making her jump out of her seat. "Don't interrupt me, goddammit!" She clutched tightly at the armrests of her chair. "I don't care about your tears or your begging," he said, his voice like sandpaper. "They mean nothing to me. What I want to see are results. THAT'S the kind of repentance I care about." He stared at her so intently that she flushed with shame. She felt naked in his presence. "Now, there's also the 'small matter' of you not following through on your Code 15." "But, he knew it was going to happen. He just kind of took over," is what she wanted to say, but her fear held her back. "You didn't cancel it. You tried to kill me..." repeated in her thoughts. There was a blur as the General moved from behind his desk. He stopped short right in front of her. She had no time to react. His face was inches away from her own. "Your job is not to question orders, but to obey them!" he roared. She was stunned into silence in both her body and mind. She watched him slowly circle around her chair. "You've been reprogrammed to obey, as you should have done from the very beginning of your existence. You will never question authority again. Do I make myself clear?" The hair on the back of her neck stood up when he spoke from just behind her ear. "Yes, Sir," she thought. He was muttering under his breath as he marched back to the desk. He turned and stared her down. "You didn't Code 15. You let him stop it. God knows how he did it, but he did. It allowed him to gain more info on our technology. So now, we've had to reset all the systems again. This 'little incident' of yours has caused us an immense amount of trouble." He took more puffs on the cigar. "Tell me, Virta, what would you do if you were in my place?" She could only look up at him in shocked silence. "Well, you actually have a couple of choices," he said after a few moments. "Maybe I'm feeling extra generous here. The most deserving scenario is, that you will be Banished." She gasped. He pointed to a very formal looking document lying on the top of his desk. "I have an Executive Order calling for your Banishment, right here. As you know, a Banishment Order has to be approved by God himself." He snatched up the document and held it across the desk at her. "Look there. See God's signature? He's already signed off on your destruction. It's also been witnessed by an Angel of the Presence. That's two out of the three signatures needed to cast you down. It's just waiting for MY signature. And when I sign it... then, my little angel, you are gone." Virta slid to the floor, sobbing, no longer trying to hide her fear and hopelessness from the General. Her hot face pressed onto the cool marble; she clutched at her hair, tearing it. The General got up from his chair, and walked around the desk to where she had prostrated herself. "First, you will be sent to the Mines for the next two thousand years - mining gold, platinum and diamonds for the streets, for wings, for buildings, for whatever. After that, you will be thrown down to Hell." General Banner moved closer to her. She saw his expensive, shiny, black leather shoes in her face. His voice boomed down from above her. "Wait 'til they get ahold of you down there," he said grimly. "Fresh meat." He began to pace again in front of her. Chills cascaded down her body as he told of her fate: "You'll never see Heaven again. And, if you do escape Hell, or they let you out for a while to wreak destruction on the Earth - and it's been known to happen on rare occasions - then you're fair game for us." Banner stopped his pacing, and turned to look down at her. She felt herself being forced to look up. His eyes penetrated her. "We'll hunt you, and we'll find you, Virta. We'll do things to you that make the last two weeks look like a vacation in Paradise." The General reached down, grabbed the back of her crystal gown, and pulled her up off the floor with one hand. He dropped her back into her chair. Then he leaned down toward her, his face red and angry. She smelled the cigar on his breath, saw the fire in those cold, blue eyes. "Finally," he said, "we'll destroy you with a destruction that never ends." She was shaking and crying uncontrollably now. The General walked back around his desk. She watched him pick up the Banishment Order; heard the rustle of the fine paper. He snatched up a platinum fountain pen in the other hand. "Please, no, please, have mercy," she wailed. "I promise, I will do ANYTHING you ask if you just give me one more chance." Her trembling hands were outstretched to him; her face a mask of anguish. He sat there, pen poised over the document, regarding her with a harsh look on his face. To Virta, it seemed like an eternity passed, while she waited for him to scribble his signature across her fate. She'd be on her way to the Mines while he was on his way to the golf course. "There is one other option," he finally said. He casually dropped the pen, and picked up his cigar again, taking a satisfying puff. "Yes, please. I'll do anything, anything at all," she pleaded. "I'm sorry; I'm so sorry. Please, give me a chance to make things right." Banner threw the document back on his desk. "Athan destroyed your chip," he said angrily. "It was too badly damaged in the heat of your near-detonation to be of any use to us now." She put a hand to her head as she took in this information. "That's why we had to reprogram you 'old school', Virta." The General got up from his chair and walked to the liquor cabinet behind his desk. He poured himself a scotch. "That's how we did it back in the good ol' days... before we had all this technology... computers... microchips." His voice was a low mutter. He took a drink from his glass, then looked lovingly at the rich, amber liquid inside. Then he scowled down at Virta. "Back in my day, we took a rebel angel like yourself and tossed him in the isolation cell for a couple months, even years; whatever it took." "H-how long was I in there?" she squeaked. "Just a couple of weeks," he said. "No time at all, really. But I think it did the job." He paused just before taking another drink. "Do you think it was long enough, Virta? Or do you want a little more... you know, just to make sure it really took?" She gasped and shook her head fervently. "That's what I thought," he said, swirling the scotch in the glass. "I know it worked. I can see it in your eyes and in your mind. My people are pretty damn good at what they do." He tossed his head back and drank. The General moved forward to his desk and sat down. He held his glass of single malt in one hand, the cigar in the other. Then he leaned back comfortably in his luxurious chair. "It wasn't just mindless torture, you know, Virta. It served a Higher Purpose. I think you know that as well as I do." He reluctantly set the scotch and cigar down, and picked up her file again. She watched, shaking, as he perused through the many pages. He shook his head, making a grunt here, a sigh there. Finally, he tossed the fat file back onto his desk, and looked down at her, his arms crossed over his massive chest. "Virta, I said you had a choice." His voice was brusque. Her eyes were caught in his intense gaze. The General looked battle-scarred and hardened; tough as nails. But his eyes were the only thing about him that looked angelic. They held deep power, like Athan's. She knew better than to look into them for very long. She was relieved when he glanced at his computer monitor, breaking the lock he had on her eyes. But it didn't last long enough. The General leaned forward in his desk, his eyes boring into her again. "If you don't want Banishment, then your only other option is to help us bring Athan down." She sat in stunned silence for a moment. "How could I do that, Sir? You said he destroyed the chip in my brain, and I can't Code 15 again." "We're thinking of a more subtle operation this time," said General Banner. "We've had experts analyzing the footage of you and the demon. We believe the demon has a sick, twisted interest in you beyond just the usual." He smirked as he went on talking. "If he has a weakness at all, we must exploit it to our advantage." The General stood, and walked to the front of his desk. "I know what he said to you, and I know you wanted so badly to believe the lying snake. But you can't trust a word from his mouth. His kind will say ANYTHING to an angel to get them to Fall." Banner began pacing in front of his desk again. "Athan knows your weaknesses; he knows just what temptation to dangle in front of you... to bring you down," he said. "In your case, it was knowledge. And sex." Virta felt a deep blush sliding across her face and throat. The General didn't seem to notice. "Don't ever underestimate a demon. Don't ever trust one. Especially this demon, Athan." "But Sir, why would he save me then, and at such obvious risk and... discomfort... to himself?" Banner chuckled and shook his head. "You really don't get it, do you?" He glared down at Virta, and she squirmed uncomfortably in the chair. He leaned down to pound on his desk with a fist, emphasizing each word as he spoke: "A demon will do anything to tempt you to the Dark Side!" He quit pounding on the desk, but continued to glare down at her. "This one, especially. He's a master at what he does. He lies; he doesn't play fair. He can make an angel like you think or do anything he wants if you're not on guard." The General leaned against his desk again, his thick arms resting on his chest. "Listen to me, Virta." His firm voice held warning. "This is not a demon to trifle with. When he has you in his clutches, you can abandon all hope." Banner's voice became more urgent, more insistent as he went on: "He won't have mercy on you... he can't be bargained with except at the expense of your soul... he can't be begged out of doing whatever he wants to do to you." Virta swallowed. She was sure Banner heard it. "But, whatever it is he wants to do with you, Virta, we haven't seen him display quite this behavior before. He must see potential in you as a very special play-thing for himself. And so, we have a special assignment for you." The General reached around and picked up his cigar again. "We're going to send you to Earth," he said. "Just like you always wanted. We'll even be extra generous with you: we'll let you pick out your own human body." He took a few puffs from the cigar, squinting at her with his brilliant blue eyes. "We rarely do that, you know... especially with an angel like yourself." "You're sending me to Earth?" Your mission will have two parts. The primary objective is, to get the demon in a vulnerable state so we can bring him in. The secondary part of your mission, your cover, is to protect a girl who's being victimized by one of Athan's men." "Sir, I don't know how I'd get Athan in a vulnerable state. But even if I tried, he can read my mind." "We have ways to prevent that." Banner walked behind his desk and and pulled out one of the drawers. He picked up a small bag and tossed it into Virta's lap. "Put that inside your ear. It will scramble all the thought signals that radiate from your mind. Nobody will be able to pick your brain." She opened the little bag and pulled out a tiny, bullet shaped device. At the General's insistence, she pushed it inside her ear canal. She startled when it began to move on its own, implanting itself even further inside her ear. She gasped and shook her head. "Just let it do its thing," the General barked. It finally came to a stop far inside. "The battery will die in one week, and the device will fall out of your ear. But that should give you plenty of time to complete your mission." "This really works?" "Yes, it really works!" he thundered. "I can't read your mind now, for which I'm grateful... you're quite a mess in there." Sitting down in his big chair again, the General said, "You'll be given a packet containing all the details of the mission. That packet will self-destruct two hours after its opened, so make sure you don't open it unless you have plenty of time to go through it." He picked up some papers from his desk, shuffling through them as he continued to speak. "When you get to Earth, you'll meet up with Athan again." "How will I find him?" she asked. He looked at her. "That's not a problem. He'll find you, of course." His attention went back to the documents. "We're counting on him to show up within the first 24 hours of you touching down." "Oh," she said, her voice small. "Won't he be suspicious when my mind is... unreadable?" "No. He won't necessarily be suspicious that you're working against him. The blocking devices are standard issue on most Earth work." "So I'll have an assignment, a cover. And also have a relationship with him?" she asked. "Yes. You must make him believe that you're interesting in Falling." He looked her up and down and sighed. "Do whatever you must to get him to trust you. You have total freedom to use any means necessary to successfully complete this mission ." Virta struggled to say her next thoughts. "The sex... you're going to allow it?" She knew her cheeks were blushing terribly. "I mean, most of the time, you don't let angels have sex on their Earth assignments, right?" "Of course we do, under certain select emergencies. And this definitely qualifies." He threw the papers back down on his desk, and caught her with his twinkling, blue eyes. "I said you will be unrestrained in your methods as long as you do what you're sent there to do. This is a very risky operation, Virta. You may not come out of it alive." He smirked down at her. "But at least you finally get to have all the nasty, dirty sex you always wanted." She wanted more than anything to drop her gaze to the floor, but it was impossible with him capturing her eyes like that. "Just remember, you've got one week to bring him in. If you fail in that..." He pulled the Banishment Order from his desk again, holding it up in her face. She gulped. "You'll be given everything you need to complete your mission. Your success or failure will be completely up to you." The General got up and opened his desk drawers again, rummaging around inside. He pulled out a box and tossed it at Virta's lap. When she had it in her hands, he motioned for her to open the lid. Inside, was a stunning object, a disk. It looked very intricate; very old. She carefully removed it from the box. It fit into the palm of her hand. The disk was fashioned from something that shined with inner light. She felt instantly mesmerized by its beauty. There was an ancient quality about it as well. She felt as though she were holding history in the palm of her hand. "What is it?" she asked, unable to remove her gaze from the object. The box dropped to the floor at her feet. "That is what's known as a relic. If you're thinking it's very old, then you're right. It was fashioned from materials left over after the Big Bang. But, the materials were not handcrafted into that device until the first big Fall of angels." "When Lucifer rebelled and he and his angels were cast out of Heaven?" Banner smirked. "So you did pay some attention in your classes." He went on: "It's actually a high-tech, binding, incapacitating device. And it's the only way a weakling like yourself could subdue a demon like Athan." "How does it work?" she asked, still staring at the relic in fascination. The office lights were playing on its delicate-looking surface. "All you have to do is find a moment when he's most vulnerable. You simply press it onto his chest. It will do the rest. It attaches itself, and then -- well, let's just say he'll be as weak and harmless as a kitten." Banner laughed. "You'll then take him to the predetermined meeting site, where our Agents will pick him up." She finally gazed up at the General, her eyes wide. "Don't worry, Athan can't hurt you once this is attached to him. He'll cooperate with us quite willingly." Her voice shook, but she had to ask the question. "And what will you do with me after I hand him over to you?" The General smiled. "Why, you'll be rewarded handsomely. You pull this off and you can have permanent assignments on Earth. We'll give you anything you want..." He picked up his fountain pen and began twiddling it in his fingers. "...all of your past rebellion will be expunged from your file. You'll get a blank slate. A promotion, even: a higher office than you ever imagined." She caressed the relic with her fingertips. "Do you understand what you must do, Virta?" She nodded. He tossed the pen down and leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on his huge desk. Falling Hard Ch. 07 "Really, we're cutting you quite a deal. You get to pick your own human body, go to Earth, have as much sex as you want, and help us get rid of a nasty thorn in our side. Quite attractive compared to the alternative of Banishment, huh?" He grinned at her, and she immediately put her attention back on the relic. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "I see potential in you, angel. The others just wanted to Banish you right away. But I alone saw what you could become." She continued to gently finger the relic. "Thank you, Sir. I won't let you down," she said. "You could be tortured or killed by him at any time. We can't hold your hand down there. You know the risks." She nodded. "Just be forewarned, Virta, there is nothing he won't do or say to trick you. He wants you to Fall." "I have absolutely no desire to do that, Sir. Athan is an evil demon that wants to destroy me." She glanced up. The General had a satisfied look on his face. He sighed and put his feet back on the floor again, leaning forward on his desk. "You have one week to complete your mission and meet at the appointed time and place for pick up. Failure to do this will mean your immediate Banishment." "I won't fail you, Sir. I want everything you've offered me. I don't want to be Banished." She leaned forward in her chair. " I'll give you Athan," she said. The General nodded. "Good decision, Virta... I love a smart woman." Falling Hard Ch. 08 Virta turned the relic this way and that in her slender fingers. She finally set it back in the box at her feet and looked up at the General. He was taking another drink of scotch. "You said I'll have a real Earth assignment, besides Athan. There's a girl in trouble?" The General nodded grimly. "Yes, and you know her well. It's Mandi." Virta felt as though her heart had been kicked from her chest. Surely he was not talking about the same girl she'd begun to think of as a sister. "Mandi? MY Mandi? What's wrong with her?" "Just look for yourself." He turned his computer monitor around so that Virta could see it too. It was the Watch Over program, only a much more sophisticated version than she'd seen before. The amount of detail available in the General's version was incredible. There were controls to monitor everything from the temperature in the room to heartbeats, smells, and probably even the number of flies on the wall. Virta peered at the scene before her. Mandi was out to dinner with a guy. It looked like a very swanky establishment. They sat in a corner by themselves, their hands entwined across the table. His plate was empty; Mandi's sat untouched. The girl's face was strained and had an unhealthy pallor. "I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling that well, Heath," Mandi said. A slight sheen of sweat clung to her forehead. She removed one hand from his so she could dab at her forehead with her napkin. Her big brown eyes stared listlessly up at her date. Heath was really big. Even though he was sitting in a chair, Virta could tell he was tall. Muscles bulged against his shirt. He had short, spiky, blond hair, dark brown eyes, and a healthy, even complexion. It was no wonder Mandi was out with this guy. He was just her type. But Virta recognized something about him that set her heart racing and her stomach burning in anxiety. Unable to tear her eyes away from the screen, she addressed the General. "S-Sir? Am I wrong here? He looks like an angel to me! Is he there to help her?" The General grunted. "Good eye, Virta. Yes, he is an angel. But I'm sorry, no. He's not there to help her. Far from it. He's a Fallen One." Virta gasped. "Oh god, no. That's what I was afraid of ..." her voice trailed off in shock. Virta's eyes were locked onto Heath. The demon was casually sipping a glass of champagne across from the unsuspecting human. No, not just any human, Virta thought angrily. MY human! "Heath is one of Athan's top men," the General said as he watched the monitor. "Athan trained him personally. Plus, Heath is just a cruel prick who enjoys his work." The General sighed and leaned back in his chair. "We have intel confirming that Athan sent Heath on this mission... to Mandi." "To do what, Sir?" "To hurt her, of course." "But, why would Heath want to hurt Mandi?" "Don't be an idiot, Virta," the General growled. "Why? Because he can. Because he was commanded to - and he follows orders. But more importantly, we think Athan is using her to draw you out. He knows you're watchful of Mandi, that you feel protective of her." "Don't you have an angel you can send to save her?" "Yes, we do." The General turned his sapphire eyes upon her. "It's you, Virta." "Me? Mandi is my assignment?" "Athan and his people want you down there. They're going to keep hurting innocent humans because of you, until they get you on their turf." The General pounded on his desk, making Virta jump in her chair. "Don't you see what's at stake here?" he thundered. "They have their eyes set on you, and they won't back down until you're twice the child of hell as they are. If they have casualties like Mandi along the way, it's nothing to them." "No," Virta cried. "They're hurting people because of me? Oh my god, I couldn't bear that." Tears slid down her cheeks as she turned to the handsome couple on the screen again. "It looks like they're just out for a nice dinner," Virta said, puzzled. "Other than Mandi not feeling well, things look fine. So what is he doing to her, poisoning her or something?" "Just watch." * * * "Ready to go back to your place, sweetheart?" Heath whispered. He had moved around to her side of the table, leaning down behind her with his lips brushing against her hair. His big arms were gently draped on her shoulders. He kissed her softly on the temple. Mandi tried to smile. She had one hand clutching her lower abdomen. She was shaking in her chair. The look on her face registered pain. "Yeah, I am. Could you take me home now? I just need to lie down for a bit. Maybe I'll start feeling better." She sighed. "Sorry about dinner. I know you spent a lot of money on me tonight." He knelt down beside her, stroking her hair gently as he looked into her face. "Don't worry about that. You're what's important to me. Let's get you home." He helped her up, holding her steady on her feet. He threw some large bills down on the table. Then, tucking her under his arm, Heath held Mandi against his body, supporting her as they left the restaurant. His Aston Martin was waiting at the front, and he set her down carefully in the passenger's seat. After buckling her in, Heath climbed into the driver's side and took off, peeling out of the parking lot. Suddenly, the scene switched to Mandi's small apartment. Heath was carrying Mandi through the door. Her face was pressed against his broad chest for comfort. He held her like a baby, as if she weighed nothing. Heath shut the door with his foot, then freed one hand to turn the lock. "Let's get you into bed," he crooned. She mumbled and buried her face deeper into his chest. He chuckled down at her. Crossing the floor in a few large strides, Heath smoothly set her down on the bed. Removing her shoes, he carefully position her body and then covered her gently with a blanket. Heath sat down on the side of the bed next to her. He supported himself with one hand on the bed, while the other was softly stroking her face and hair. "Heath, I don't want you to go yet," she said, opening her hazy eyes to gaze up at him. She placed a hand on his bicep, which didn't even begin to wrap around it. "Will you stay with me tonight? I mean, just hold me; talk to me?" His warm eyes looked down at her. "Of course I will, Mandi. You didn't even have to ask. I was going to stay and watch over you; take care of you." She nuzzled her face against the warm hand that was cupping her cheek. "Thank you," she murmured. Then she tried to sit up a little. "I was going to talk to you about some things tonight, if the evening had gone better for me." "Take it easy, Mandi," he said, gently easing her back down onto her pillow. "I know - " She paused; swallowed; and started again. "We've just known each other for a week. But, I feel like I've known you forever. Like you are the guy I've been looking for all my life. And... I have to confess something to you." He pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. "Go on, sweetheart," he said, a soft smile on his lips. "I normally don't... wait...to, um, you know...BE with any guy I'm attracted to." Her eyes were cast downward and her lip shook as she struggled to get out the words. "But, I sensed something different about you from the moment we met. I wanted to get to know you first... let you get to know me, and see what developed. I wanted more from you than a one-night stand. And I get the sense that maybe, you feel the same way I do." Her eyes finally looked up at him, searching his face for a reaction. Heath was smiling sweetly down at her. "I do. I feel exactly the same. I was going to have this same talk with you over dinner at the restaurant... and afterward. I wanted to tell you and show you how I really feel." "Oh, I'm sorry, Heath. I wish I didn't feel so beat up... I feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck. I ruined the evening by being sick." "No. We're still together. It's perfect. Except for you being sick, of course. You should let me take you to the ER. Are you sure you don't want to go?" She nodded. "Just as sure as the last twenty times you asked me." A small smile found its way to her face. "I've got a doctor appointment in the morning. This doesn't seem to be getting better on its own. It's like... oh god, I don't want to gross you out. But, I'm bleeding... down there, and it's not my time of the month; it's not the same at all. I hurt too, inside and out." She sat up a little more, pulling the blanket off her. "And look at this," she raised the hem of her dress up just enough to show him her bruised thighs. "I don't understand where this came from. I, uh, haven't had sex in weeks, so... it's not that." "Good god, Mandi," Heath gasped. "You need to get to the hospital right now. Maybe you were drugged at a party and abused. I'll call the police." "No," she cried, grabbing ahold of his arm again. "That's not it. These just showed up over the last few days, and I haven't been anywhere since I met you on Friday. Besides work, I've only been with you." Her eyes took on a playful glimmer. "And it's not like we've even been intimate yet." She managed a little smile as she pulled the hem of her skirt back down. She gasped in pain then, clutching at her lower abdomen. Heath stroked her back, soothing her. After a moment, she said quietly, "My Mom had a blood disorder and Grandma had it as well. I don't remember what it was, but they had easy bruising, bleeding, pain... Maybe I inherited it, and I'm getting the symptoms. I don't know. But the doctor will run tests tomorrow. I know I'll be OK." Heath eased her onto her back and tucked the blanket around her again. Then he went back to caressing her face and hair. "You better be OK," he said, his eyes full of worry. "It makes me sick, the thought of something happening to you..." She nodded. Then suddenly, her demeanor became shy, hesitant. "I know we're both ready to take this relationship to the next level, physically. And... I want you," she whispered, "very much. And I know you want me. I thought tonight would be it... our first time. But, I'm afraid we'll have to put it off until I get healed up." "Ssh," he soothed her softly. "Don't even worry about that right now. Of course I want you. God knows I want you so much. But the important thing right now is, that you get better. I'm willing to wait as long as necessary to be with you." She smiled appreciatively. "I'm glad you understand. And I'm so sorry. I was, uh, wondering if you wanted me to, you know, RELIEVE you?" She looked seductively at his eyes and then to his crotch. Her trembling hand slowly reached toward it. He caught her hand, holding it just where it was, poised over his lap. "Nah, baby," he said, raising her hand to gently kiss the back of it. "Not now. I'll be fine. I just want you to rest, concentrate on feeling better. You need a good night's sleep." He kept her hand near his mouth, caressing the back of it with his warm lips. The look in his eyes was tenderness, love. "Ohh," she moaned. He reached out and laid the back of his hand on her forehead. "Damn, you're burning up, baby," he said, frowning. "You've got a fever. Let me get you a cold, damp cloth to put on your forehead; get you some water and aspirin." "Oh," she breathed, clutching at him, trying to hold him onto the bed with her. "No. I mean... in a minute. I wanted to tell you something.... Heath, I'm, uh, really falling for you. I think I..." Her voice trailed off. She closed her eyes in concentration, as if trying to will the words out of her mouth. "What I mean to say is..." Then she pulled her hand back from his, pressing it against her face, which was etched with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she said in an agitated voice. "I don't want to say too much too soon. I don't want to scare you." He pulled her hand away from her face and turned it over. With the finger of his other hand, he gently, lovingly, traced patterns on her hot, damp palm. His touch was whisper-soft. "You can't scare me, you know." She sighed. And sighed again. He looked down at her through his dark lashes, his eyes sweet and tender. "Come on, we both know there is something intense... serious... huge... between us. There's no use holding anything back." His beautiful brown eyes held hers gently as he spoke. "The truth is, Mandi, I love you." He paused to let his words sink in. Mandi's full lips were slightly parted, her eyes widened. Her pulse increased, and her feverish body trembled. "From the moment I met you, and this whole week that we've spent together... I heard your voice, your laughter... saw your intelligence, how good your soul is – the person you are inside... Don't even get me started on your outer beauty," he said, chuckling. She smiled, but didn't speak. "Mandi, I love you. I hope that doesn't scare you either. I know it's crazy to say that after only a week. But it's just how I feel. And, like you, I've never felt this way about anyone before... " He paused, looking down at her. Then, a big, dopey grin came over his face. "Could you say something before I feel like a bigger idiot than I already am?" he laughed. "I mean, tell me I'm a moron, tell me to get the fuck out of your house, just say something." Her eyes brightened and she giggled up at him. "Don't be silly," she said, smiling ear to ear. "Everything you're saying is exactly what I wanted to hear; it was the best thing I could ever hear." She tugged at him and he leaned down and kissed her fully, deeply on the mouth. When he pulled back and looked down at her, she was still smiling. "You're right, we both feel something amazing between us," she said. Then, she looked up at the ceiling as she spoke, her tone of voice more sober. "But I wondered sometimes if I was just imagining it. I was nervous about telling you. I thought I'd lose the best thing that's ever happened to me... scare you off for sure. " "I've told you before – I don't scare easily," he said, leaning down again to brush her feverish lips with his own. "Oh, Heath, I'm so happy." She reached for him; tried to sit up to hug him. Mandi winced as the movement caused her pain. "I've never felt this way about anybody in such a short amount of time," she said, just before Heath kissed her tenderly, careful not to press too hard against her aching body. When she could think and speak again, she said, "Hell, I don't think I've ever felt this intensely about anyone, period. I guess this is what they call a whirlwind romance or love at first sight. I just never thought it was real." "I feel the same." He pulled back a little and looked down lovingly into her deep brown eyes. "Oh, damn," she said tensely, her forehead wrinkling between her brows. "I've been blabbering on, haven't I? Now who's the moron? I'll just blame it on my fever." He kissed the lines on her forehead until they relaxed. "Let's finish this conversation later, after you've had a good night's rest. You look so tired, baby." He stroked gently around her shadowed eyes. "Oh, I know," she said. "I think if I could just get a good night's sleep, it might cure most of this illness, whatever it is. I haven't been sleeping well lately. I mean, I'll start to drift off, but I never seem to get into a deep, refreshing sleep." "You want me to get you some warm milk or anything?" "Oh, no, thanks. I'll be fine if I just can lay here. I could doze off right now. This feels so good to me, just lying here all warm with you next to me. Are you really gonna stay with me tonight? " Heath kissed her tenderly, then he pulled back, just staring down at her, stroking her damp hair from her face. "Of course. I told you I'd be here, watching over you. I'm good at that." She moaned softly in pain, clutching at the blanket that covered her sweat-drenched clothes. Then she wrapped her arms around him as best she could. "Just rest. I'm going to get you that glass of water and something for your pain." "In the medicine cabinet in the bathroom..." she moaned. "Just don't be long, please. I'm so cold without you." A slight smile escaped her shivering lips, despite her pain. "I'll be back in a second. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you. I'll drive you to the doctor in the morning too." "Oh god, Heath, thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you. You're like my guardian angel or something. I don't have anyone in my life that's half as good a friend as you've been to me this past week." "Go to sleep, baby," he said softly. Her eyes shut; she sagged on the bed as exhaustion took over her. Heath slowly untangled himself from her arms and pulled the covers over her, tucking them in around her. Then he got up and stood by the side of the bed, just studying her sleeping form. A provocative smile spread across his face. He began to undress slowly, quietly, by her bedside. After he'd shed the last of his clothes, he reached down between his legs and gave himself a few strokes with his hand. Then he turned to the sleeping girl on the bed. "Hey, Mandi," he called. "Get up, bitch." Mandi obeyed, sitting up groggily in confusion. "What? What's going on?" She wiped her eyes and then gasped as she took in Heath and his big, naked body. She shrank back on the bed as the large man advanced, his huge cock jutting out at her. "Oh my god," Mandi breathed, eyes locked onto Heath's erection. "What's going on? What are you doing, Heath?" "If you can't tell what I'm going to do, then you really ARE a stupid cunt," he said. Seeing the fear and confusion in her eyes, he smirked. "I'm going to fuck you, of course. Nothing hundreds of other guys haven't done already. Nothing – I – haven't done hundreds of times already!" He grinned lewdly. "What's the matter with you? I told you I don't feel well... and I need to get some sleep." She gasped as he pushed her back onto the bed roughly. "Get your hands off me, Heath!" She began to struggle. "Now, Mandi," he said in a scolding voice, "you fucked me every night since we met... and you loved it!" "No, I've never had sex with you, and you know it!" she cried as he forced her flat on her back. "Ow! Stop hurting me!" His voice began to taunt her. "OK, maybe I get a little carried away - you get a few bruises here, some internal injuries there - but come on, can you blame me? You're just SO hard to treat like a lady!" He grabbed her small hand and forced it onto his huge cock. As soon as he released his hold on her, she tried to jerk away from him. Heath quickly snatched her hand again, this time locking it into his much larger one. He began to squeeze slowly. There was the sound of delicate bones crunching together. "Oww – stop - please!" she shrieked in desperation, her voice going higher with each word as the pain increased. He let go of her hand and began to rip her clothes off instead. "Don't scream!" he snarled as he tore through her lingerie. "I'm not a big fan of the screaming." She physically couldn't scream after that, but she cried and pleaded with him to stop, over and over again. It seemed to fall on deaf ears. One second she was wearing her dress and lingerie, and the next second, they were lying in shreds on her floor. She was completely naked. "You're crazy!" she gasped, clutching at the blanket to cover herself. He yanked it away from her and threw it across the room. Mandi tried to get up, but again, he pushed her violently backwards. "Let's see, do I want you to fight me tonight or not?" He seemed to be thinking out loud to himself, trying to make a decision. She stared up at him, eyes huge, trying to catch her breath. "No baby, please," she said, gasping. "What are you doing? I wanted our first time together to be special." Falling Hard Ch. 08 She was crying. "But, all our first times have been special to me," he said in a mocking, tender voice. Her bottom lip was trembling as tears rolled down her reddened face. He moved in with surprisingly gentle fingers to wipe them away. She watched as he licked her tears, one by one, off his fingers. "I don't understand what's wrong with you... I don't want to do this," she whimpered. "Hey," he caught her shoulders in his hands, giving her a shake. She raised her puffy, tear-filled eyes to look at him. "We're going to do this whether you want to or not. I've tried it both ways all week long. I like it when you struggle. But I also like it when you're all wet for me; ready for me to plunge in... "You're an insane rapist," she said. "Oh, Mandi, you know you want me. You even told me so just a little while ago, of your own free will. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't already want to do. You know what I'm saying is true in your heart... and in your pussy." He grinned cruelly. "You're really sick," she hissed. "I can't even believe you're the same person. What happened to you?" "Just lie back and shut up, bitch. You're going to spread those hot, sexy legs and let me fuck you six ways to Sunday." Then he flipped her over and gave her a sharp smack on her smooth, rounded ass. "Oh!" she jerked with shock at the sudden way he'd handled her, and the intense pleasurable sensations that it sent through her lower body. The expression on her face betrayed that she liked it. Heath kissed his way down her spine. His hands felt up the sides of her breasts: the swell of their curves pressing against the mattress. Then he traced down the length of her graceful hips and thighs... and back up to the shapely roundness of her thick, taut ass. Mandi moaned at his expert touches. Her legs were spread for him, waiting, and not because he'd commanded it. Suddenly, he jumped up. "I'll be right back," he said, brightly. "Don't go anywhere." Heath turned and looked directly into the celestial camera of the Watch Over program. There was a sick, sadistic smile on his face. "Virta... General," Heath said politely as he gave a nod and a mocking salute. "I know you like to watch, Virta," he said into the camera. "Sorry if you've missed out on all the fun this past week. But if you're watching now, it won't take you long to get caught up." Virta gasped, her body already shaking from the terrifying turn of events in Mandi's small apartment. Her eyes flew to the General, looking for answers. Banner looked unsurprised at the events on the monitor, maybe a little bored even, as he emptied the glass in front of him. "He's talking to us! He knows we're watching now? What is he doing?" she gasped. "There's no feedback from us to him," the General said as he pointed back to the monitor. "But yes, he knows we're watching." Heath continued to talk as he swaggered toward the camera. "Think of this as a recap of the week-long, Heath and Mandi Fuck-a-thon," he said with a huge grin. "Let's see how the bitch handles all she's gonna get tonight." He stopped walking forward; his beautiful face now filling the camera lens. "Oh, you know she loves me, right? You heard that too?" He laughed. "Poor slut thinks a rich, young guy really wants more from her than just a good lay? She's such a dumb cunt." "Anyway, as usual, I'm going to erase her memory of the night, and do it all over again tomorrow night. And the next, and the next. Until I get bored with her. And then, well..." his eyes took on a murderously shiny glare, "then, she's just... fucked." Heath laughed again, a deranged laugh that sent shivers down Virta's back Heath backed up and made a few outrageous poses in front of the camera. Then, he gestured over his shoulder toward the brunette waiting on the bed. He winked lewdly at the camera. Mandi appeared not to have any realization of the strange, one-sided conversation going on just feet away from her. A glance at the girl showed that her frightened eyes were still locked onto the spot where Heath had been moments before, brandishing his cock like a sword at her. The monitor indicators showed that Mandi's body was in the beginning stages of sexual arousal. "No, Mandi, no," Virta breathed. Mandi's body had responded to Heath's sexual advances. But Virta knew that Mandi's heart and mind wanted nothing to do with this psychotic bastard... she was terrified of this lunatic monster that somehow took over the body of her loving boyfriend. Heath sauntered a little closer to the camera again. "Athan wanted to be here to do the job himself," he said. "But, I volunteered. I knew I had to get a piece of this fine ass the moment I saw her picture. Wish you were here, Virta. A threesome would be a blast." Virta could only stare back wide-eyed, non-breathing, as she watched Heath turn and stalk back toward Mandi. "Hope you enjoy the show," he threw over his shoulder. The General reached over and turned the monitor off. He turned in his chair, looking to see Virta's response to the whole thing. "We've got to stop him!" Virta cried. "Let me get down there, now." "You've got to stop Athan as well. That's your first priority." Virta's eyes narrowed. "Of course I'll stop that bastard. Look at the suffering he's responsible for. You'll be lucky if I don't kill him myself before I hand him over to you." The General glared down at her. "Do not mess around once you've put the relic on him, Virta," he warned. "There have been a few others who tried to bring him in as well... but they failed when they made a little 'pit stop' along the way. It became their undoing." "I'm not going to fail my mission. I want to see Athan and Heath - and anyone else working with them - suffer for what they've done. Just let me go to Earth now." "All in good time, Virta." The General pulled a thick, sealed envelope from his desk drawer. "This is the packet with your mission profile. It contains all the information you need for success. Make sure you fully understand all the details. Oh, there's also an extra relic in there, just for Heath." "Good," she said. "When can I leave? Mandi needs me now." The General flung the packet across his desk toward her. "Are you ready to choose your human body?" "Yes, Sir. I'm ready." Falling Hard Ch. 09 Virta was escorted down a long corridor and into a small room. It contained a desk and a computer. Song pointed at the screen. "This is the program you use to choose the physical traits of your human body," she explained in her spiritless voice, while clicking on the mouse. "It's pretty self-explanatory as you go. So, unless you have any questions, I'll leave you to work on that now." Virta shook her head, eyes riveted to the screen. She barely heard Song leave. She couldn't believe this moment was really here. She'd dreamed about it for centuries. Now it was actually happening. It wasn't under the circumstances that she had hoped for, but at least she was Earth-bound. She could cycle through and choose any body, any face. The combinations were endless. But she didn't waste time. She knew exactly what she wanted, both in her facial features and other, more intimate parts. With the choosing out of the way, she'd be on her way to Earth in no time. It was a very complicated process when she was 'beamed' to Earth. They would meld her angelicness with human flesh on the fly; transporting her in the twinkling of an eye into the mortal coil. Song dropped her back off at the General's office. He was just hanging up the phone. "Let's see what you've chosen, Virta." He typed and clicked on his computer. Then he leaned back, evaluating the monitor. "Pretty much what we thought you'd go for." He smirked at her. "It'll do." He leaned forward in his desk. "It's time to go to Sending." "Can I say goodbye to my best friend first? He's just over in my Department." Banner sighed. "Fine. But make it quick. You're scheduled to be out of here at 1300 hours, Mandi's time." "Thank you, Sir." A guard walked with her. When they got to Mick's office, she saw that his big glass door was closed. His back was to them; he was talking on the phone. She never knocked before and she didn't knock now. With a smile on her face, she quietly opened the door and stuck her head in. "A-hem," she said, clearing her throat. Mick whirled around in his chair to face her. His eyes widened and then a huge smile broke out on his face. "I'll call you back," he said into the phone and hung up. "Angel!" he cried, practically leaping over his desk to take her into his arms. "God, it's so good to see you." He squeezed her tightly. "Mick, you have no idea how much I've missed you." She was trying to breathe inside his suffocating grasp. "Oh, sorry, Virta, I'll let you have air now." He chuckled, loosening his grip. "I haven't seen you for two weeks, but it seems like forever." "I know," she said. "You must be thrilled to be on your way to Earth. I can't believe you won't be around up here anymore." She just stood there. "What's the matter, Virta?" He peered into her face.. "You picked out your new body, right?" She nodded. "Well, go have fun with it then." His smile turned mischievous then. "I've got a bet going with Flash and Carol. A pile of manna says you'll lose your virginity within the first 24 hours." Virta said nothing, just averted her eyes. Mick caught her chin in his hand, lifting her eyes up to his. "Hey, what's the matter? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Virta. I thought you'd get a kick out of that." She forced herself to smile a little. "Where's my Patron Angel of Sarcasm?" he asked. Virta tilted her head to the side a little, but didn't quite meet his eyes. "I'm right here." He looked closely into her face. His voice was uneasy. "You sound... broken. What did they do to you - in training?" "Nothing," she said, looking at him. "Aren't you happy for me? I finally get my Earth assignment like I've been whining about for the last 2,000 years." "Yes, I've very happy for you," Mick said. "But you're... different." "Maybe I'm just being the angel I should have been all along." "Ah, you've just got pre-mission jitters. Don't worry." "You're not worried about me going up against Athan? And his men? I might be killed." Mick looked puzzled. "What I saw of your mission -- it's to protect Mandi from Heath, nothing directly involving Athan. It's not likely Athan will even show up. That's small potatoes for him. Besides, you almost got him killed once. Doubtful he wants to tangle with you again. He doesn't want to be caught." Virta shook her head. "Hmm, I wouldn't be too sure. He strolled right into Heaven a couple weeks ago, didn't he?" Mick sighed. "Are you sure you wanna do this? "I don't really have a choice," she said angrily. "Oh, because it's Mandi? You do have a vested interest in this assignment, it's true." Virta said nothing. Mick pulled her into an embrace and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Be careful, please," he said. "I will." "I want to see you first thing when you get back to Heaven." Tears began to well up in her eyes, making their lovely green color even brighter. Mick looked pained. "You just don't seem as happy as I would have thought. Are you sure you're OK?" Virta sighed. "I just don't know what to think anymore. There's been too much information thrown at me, no - forced into me - over the last couple weeks." She lowered her face toward the floor. "Mick, there's a chance I won't be coming back." His hands went to her shoulders. He dipped his own face below hers, trying to look up into her eyes. "What are you talking about?" "This assignment... things could go terribly wrong." "Don't talk that way, Virta!" Mick glanced around and then pulled her away from the door and the guard standing just outside. He leaned down and put his mouth to her ear, speaking low. "Find the perfect moment to slap the relic on him, Virta. Once you do that, you'll be home free. Trust me, I've seen them bring Fallen angels in before with the relics. They're so weak you could knock them over with your little finger." Virta shook her head. She took Mick's hand and placed it on her chest, over her pounding heart. "Hey," he said softly, "you're really afraid. You don't have to do this, you know." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Yes, I do. I've gotta go now. I have to help Mandi if it's the last thing I ever do." "I have faith in you, Virta." Mick glanced up at the camera on the ceiling. "Just one more thing before you go." He guided Virta into a spot in his office that the camera couldn't find. "I don't know how much I'll get to watch you, he said. "I'm sure it won't be nearly as much as I want to." Virta did manage a tiny smile at that. "Don't watch EVERYTHING," she said slyly. Mick cocked an eyebrow. "You mean you're not gonna wear that chastity belt I got you as a going-away present?" She smiled a little bigger, feeling more like her old self, if just for a moment. "Ooh, are you jealous, Mick? Jealous that you won't be my first? That you're not gonna be down there for me to suck your big, fat cock?" She licked her lips slowly, sensually. Crimson spread over his face. "God, Virta," he said, looking away and running fingers through his sandy blond hair. "You had me fooled for a minute there, but you're still the same wicked, crazy angel." He grinned. She matched his grin, feeling a little better; a little more at ease just being around her best friend. "Here, I want you to have this." He took something from his pocket and placed it into Virta's hand. He continued to hold onto her hand for a moment, giving it a gentle squeeze. "What is it?" she asked, looking over the small device. "You know me," he began, "always trying out the latest in technology..." "Yeah, I know," she said. "So what does this do?" Mick's face tensed a little as he began to talk in a lower, more serious tone than usual. "They aren't going to give you any means of communication back to Heaven. I've seen them do this lots of times to high-risk, low-level angels. No offense, Virta," he said. "None taken." "Anyway, they sort of throw you to the sharks and it's sink or swim. Eat or be eaten." She frowned. "I figured that much. My packet said that I couldn't communicate back to Heaven once I'm down there." "And so, I wanted to give you something that will let you communicate with me." She looked at the small device in her hands. "You can only talk to me with it. Use it if you have an emergency, but only use it in certain places... in the pockets." "Pockets? What the hell are the pockets?" "Ssh," Mick said, watching the mounted video camera just outside his office door. "Pockets... they're metaphysical hiding spots on Earth... think of them like air bubbles between the dimensions of Earth and the Cosmos. Apparently, once you're in one, nothing you do or say can be monitored by Heaven. That can be a good thing for the demons... but a bad thing for angels." Virta put fingers to her forehead, trying to think. "I've never heard of such a thing in all my 2,000 years!" "The official Office statement on them is, they don't exist. That means they don't admit to them existing. But, they do, and it's an embarrassment to them... that demons can come and go on Earth without the Office being able to track them." "Where would I find one of these pockets?" "That's the thing, we don't know. I'm hoping you'll run across one while on assignment. Mick leaned up against the wall, looking down soberly at the device in her hands. "So, I take it the Enemy makes full use of the... pockets to hide from us?" "Definitely. Demons go skipping on and off the radar all over the place, evading capture with these things. Why do you think we have such a hard time bringing them in? I mean, they're hard enough to find when they don't hide, let alone when they jump into one of these holes. They know the lay of the land down there." "But I thought they were bringing in the baddies all the time... thought they were running scared from U-Sec." Mitch cocked a brow, a sarcastic look on his face. "Well... from what I've heard, they aren't bringing in too many upper level demons these days." Virta shook her head, trying to make sense of it. "Just remember to use the device if you ever get inside one of these pockets. Like if, uh, Heath is running from you and you chase him inside one. U-Sec won't be able to hear you transmitting from there, OK? Just me." She smiled at him. "Thanks, Mick. God, you've always looked out for me. I don't deserve a friend like you. You're a real guardian angel. You're the only true friend I really have." She threw her arms around him, unable to stop the tears of gratitude, of sorrow, of fear, from falling onto his neck. She felt him hesitate and then he slowly enveloped her in his arms. He stroked her back, whispering comforting words in the angel language he knew she loved best. She pulled back and looked at the small device she was clutching, then up at his beautiful face. She hugged him again, clinging tightly to his angelic body. Finally, she broke free. "I have to go now," she said, looking into those amazing blue eyes for what she knew could be the last time. He stroked her face and mussed her hair gently. "Goodbye, Virta." She turned and left with the guard. * * * Mick stared after her until she disappeared down the corridor. Then, he sat down at his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. "Yeah, Song," he said into the phone, "this is Mick, U-Sec Internal Affairs... I need to speak with Banner..." "Hello General. Yes, she was just here to see me. She's on her way to Sending now. No, Sir, she doesn't suspect a thing... "I gave her the device and she thinks its just a line between the two of us... Of course, we think Athan will take her into at least one pocket. "Right, Sir, once we have a reading on one or two of them, we should be able to locate more on our own... I understand Sir... That's right, Sir." "Yes, I'll be meeting you on the golf course this weekend, like always. Thank you Sir." Mick hung up the phone with a sigh and sat back in his chair. He reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a flask, and took a long drink. He stared at the wall for a moment, and then his eyes drifted down to a small picture on his desk. He picked it up, staring at it as he took another drink. The picture had been taken by Carol at one of his karaoke parties. Mick had his arm around Virta and she was smiling up at him. The song she'd chosen was "Summer Nights" from the Earth musical "Grease". Virta had slicked his hair up like Danny and made him wear a black jacket. She'd draped a sweater over her shoulders Sandy-style. The guys and girls had joined in the song. They'd even tried to do some of the dance moves from the film: the guys in one group, the girls in the other. Everyone had a blast: Carol, Flash, all of them. Of course, Virta didn't know everyone there secretly worked for U-Sec; that they were all working against her. They were just having fun while they maintained their cover. Virta had laughed and laughed, and so had he. He remembered the innocent twinkle in her perky eyes, her shining face. He turned the picture face down, and took another long drink. Then Mick stood up and shoved the flask back into the desk drawer. He pulled off the Office Assistant badge, threw it down on his desk, and left. * * * Virta was escorted to the Sending room. She was made comfortable on a bed while technicians from both Sending and Supernaturals worked around her. "We're giving you a shot to make the transition easier on you, dear," one of them said. She was a cocoa-skinned angel with a name badge that said, "Twila". Virta sat straight up. "No, no shots. I refuse it." "Are you sure?" Twila asked, concern in her deep brown eyes. "This will keep you from getting all wired when you come out on the other side. It's very disorienting, especially if you've never done it before." Virta gripped the bed, flashbacks of Medic's needles before her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure," she said firmly. "No needles." Twila shrugged and went back to her monitor. Virta slowly curled up on the bed and closed her eyes, for what she knew could be her last time in Heaven. Suddenly, things began to vibrate and heat up. She felt like the bed was rocking. It was frightening but also very interesting: her curious mind wanted to experience what the translation process was like. Her body rumbled like a rocket at take off. There was a whoosh of air. She saw amazingly bright light through her closed eyelids, and felt the sensation of traveling through a tunnel at impossible speeds. It was very disorienting. She felt as if her body was disintegrating into millions of pieces and becoming light itself. There was a roar in her ears like a freight train. Finally, she felt what could only be her atoms coalescing together. Then, heaviness... so much weight pulling down on her. Suddenly, it all stopped. There was stillness, quietness. She saw darkness behind her eyelids. Sound trickled in... music. She recognized it as a hymn. Soft light filtered in through her closed eyelids. The faint smell of incense, which she knew well from Worship, permeated her nostrils, and she was aware of cold tile under her skin. Virta breathed in a strange, heavy air, but her new lungs caught on after just a few gasps. Virta opened her eyes, and immediately she knew that nothing was the same. She was naked on the floor. Virta sat up and looked down at her new human body. She could see right away that it was not like the one she had before... no, unlike her angelic body, this one had flaws... and it was beautiful. She got to her feet shakily, supporting herself on the bathroom sink. She looked into the mirror, seeing her human face for the first time. Some things were very much the same: her mossy green eyes, the basic shape of her face, her long, dark hair, all the features... so much the same. Just human now. And the flaws, she thought excitedly. Human flaws! Peering closer in the mirror, she saw a few enlarged pores, faint expression lines, even some dry skin that needed lotion. Awesome! She couldn't wait to use beauty products and makeup because she HAD to, not just because they seemed cool to her when she was an angel. It was so much better being imperfect, she mused. The fun part was going to be decorating, fixing herself up. She fingered her long, flowing hair. The texture was a little different than what she'd had as an angel, but it was dark and shiny, just like she liked it. Ah, humanity and all its flaws. She was starting to feel at home. She knew she shouldn't dally around with superficial things. She had to stay focused. She had two serious missions after all. But she also knew that Mandi was at work, safely away from Heath. It would be a couple hours yet until the girl got off work. Virta knew she had some time to look around, to experience. This might be the only time she had to do so. She turned around to look at her back in the mirror. No wings. Yes! she thought. Nothing on my back. Freedom from those darn flappy things. I get to walk everywhere, or I can learn to drive or take a bus. Too cool. Her eyes lowered to her bottom. Nice. Maybe a little wider than she would have liked, but still, it was round and felt good to grab ahold of. She squeezed it with both hands, then gave herself a sharp slap. Whoa, that's really good! she thought. She turned to inspect the front of her womanly self in the mirror. She felt like it was Christmas day. Her breasts were so pretty. The nipples had definite borders and were rosy brown. She had chosen her breast size very carefully. She thought if they were too big, then they might just get in the way. So, she'd ordered a C cup. But now that she was in her new body, her breasts looked a little smaller than that, probably a small C. She frowned, turning her body this way and that, inspecting them. She knew that oftentimes, things didn't translate perfectly in the beaming of angels across the Cosmos - from Celestial body to Earthbound human flesh. But hey, no complaints from her - she had boobies! And they looked like a lot of fun. She cupped her hands around each one, squeezing, juggling, playing with them. The tips began to tingle and tighten. She slid her fingertips up to the nipples and began to gently squeeze, pull, and twist a little. Exquisite sensations radiated out from them. She moaned a little. So, her breasts were very sensitive. This was going to be good. Just for fun, she jumped up and down a little and watched her breasts jiggle and bounce in the mirror. She giggled. Yes, breasts were fun. Her eyes traveled down the dip of her waist, out over the curve of her hips. She wasn't a slight, straight, wispy angel anymore. She had womanly curves. And a belly button! How sexy, she thought. Then was something between her legs now. She turned her attention to the curls down there. The hair was dark and short. She ran her fingers through it softly. She wondered if she should get it waxed. That's what Mandi did. Mandi had everything removed but a little 'landing strip." She decided one of the first things she'd do was get a waxing at the same place as Mandi. Grabbing the mirror off the wall, she set it down against the counter and lay down on the floor with her legs spread wide, the mirror reflecting what was between them. She gently spread her folds open. She saw the little bump of her clitoris and further down, her virgin hole. Her hymen stretched around her vaginal opening, making the hole look impossibly tiny. She couldn't resist taking one finger and massaging it over her inner labia. It felt good, but where was that intense sensation? She licked her fingers like she'd seen Mandi do and then began caressing down there again. Ahh, that was better. She let a finger slip into her vagina. Wow. It was a little wet in there, and so hot. She marveled at the tightness of it around her finger. Falling Hard Ch. 09 So that's where the man would put his cock when they had sex. She'd seen Mandi have sex countless times, but now that she was faced with her own female anatomy, she was perplexed. How did humans get it to fit? That looked and felt like such a tiny hole for such a big, round, long object. She became a little frightened then. She did not want anymore pain, she'd had enough of that in Heaven to last her an eternity. It stretches open, she reminded herself. Of course it does, because human women can push babies out of there. Yeah, it would be fine as long as things went slowly and gently her first time. Her first time. Would it be with Athan? When would it happen? She was going to pretend she cared about him and wanted to be with him, and sex was a part of that, she knew. She thought back to their kiss on the golden street... Her finger was already sliding in and out easier, completely coated with a slick, hot substance that her own body had created. She managed to fit in a second slender finger. Even better. Yeah, so it's true... I will eventually stretch enough for a cock to fit in there. She was relieved. And damned turned on. Her nipples were tingling, aching, begging to be touched again. Oh god, if this was just a taste of what was to come! She would wait to do her exploring until she was inside her own apartment. The small bathroom was too cramped, and besides, someone might need to use it too. She cleaned herself up and started to walk out the door, but just in time, she remembered she was naked. Inside the bag that Sending had packed her, she found some clothing. She threw on a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. I should go to a lingerie store and pick out something really fitting for a body like this, she thought. Perhaps Mandi will go with me when we get to be good friends. She finished dressing, slung the bag over her shoulder, and crept out of the bathroom. She paused in the vestibule of the church and peered into the sanctuary. The music and incense became stronger. She saw the flicker of candles. A marble angel sculpture near the front caught her eyes. The place was nearly empty. Nobody noticed her. There was a woman and a child sitting in the pews, facing the front. But then she gasped as she saw a big man sitting off to one side by himself, also facing forward. Was it him... Athan? Had he found her already? No, she thought as the big man got up and came down the aisle toward her. It was someone else. Probably an Agent, just there to make sure she got in without human disturbance. If so, she knew that was all the guarding she would get. The man brushed past her, not even glancing her way. When she looked after him, he had already disappeared. She crept out of the church and onto the street. It was noisier out there than in the church, and much, much warmer. As she strolled along, Virta realized that even walking was more fun as a human than as an angel. She instantly had the hang of it. She checked her pockets. Yes, they had given her plenty of money for the week. She'd be here a week! She had to make the most of each and every moment. No time could be wasted. She pulled the GPS from her bag and did a quick search. Then, looking both ways, she took off down the sidewalk toward Mandi's neighborhood. * * * Fresh from her waxing, Virta's new genitals were stinging and mostly bare. Ugh. So much for trying to avoid pain, she thought. She almost limped, she was so sore from the waxing. Her thoughts unwillingly turned to Medic. He missed his calling, she thought sadistically. He should be working an Earth assignment as a Brazilian bikini waxer. She shook her head at the strange thought. Virta walked into the cold air conditioning of a clothing boutique. She wanted to go shopping since she had plenty of money. Shopping was something that Earth girls liked to do, and she was an Earth girl now, after all. She wondered what Athan would like to see her in. That thought brought instant guilt down on her. She shouldn't be shopping with a demon in mind, wondering what would please him. She must be disoriented, her mind trying to process that she was really on Earth... trying to deal with all she had been through... having been thrust into a dangerous mission to bring in not one, but two deadly, deranged demons. Sighing, she flipped through the clothing racks. She had no idea how to choose something that looked good on her, so she decided to just go with pieces that showed off her body the most. Later, when she stepped back out onto the hot sidewalk, she again felt like she was being watched. She knew all eyes were on her as she walked down the street in her new sexy clothes, but this was a different thing altogether. It was the third time since she touched down that she'd had that eerie feeling that someone was watching. But when she whirled around, nobody was there. Probably just my nerves, she thought. The disorientation Twila told me about. I haven't said Athan's name out loud in lust or anything else. So, I doubt he's found me already. A check of her watch indicated that there was still plenty of time before Mandi got home. Virta took off, tottering down the sidewalk in her new high heel shoes. Her feet hurt, but she ignored it. The looks she garnered as she walked down the street made her smile. She was getting attention from not only men but women as well. The looks ranged from surprise, lust, and disgust... or maybe it was just jealousy, she thought. She must look really hot. Every time she passed a guy, Virta thought to herself, "I could fuck this guy right now if I wanted to... I have the right parts... the parts that coordinate with his parts. Ooh, I could fuck that one too... And that one." Then she remembered, she was gonna have to fuck a demon. She had to get with him, and soon. He was supposed to be the main priority. She had to get him to trust her, let her into his innermost circle... and fucking was going to be a part of that, she realized. She trembled, not sure how she felt about it. On one hand, she was terribly excited. On the other hand, she was so afraid it was laughable. Mandi's apartment complex was in sight. She went to the office, signed her lease, and got her keys for the apartment that Earth Relations had already reserved for her. It was in the same building as Mandi's, just on opposite ends of the building. She relished the moment she stepped into the door of her own human abode. She looked around the small space. There was a TV; she turned it on. Then she saw a radio and flipped it on as well. So much information... No computer, but she could go to a café and use one, perhaps. Her stomach began to growl. Of course, food! She would get to eat real food. And she knew exactly what she wanted. She found the phone, which conveniently had the number for a local pizza delivery place taped on it. Half an hour later, Virta was kneeling before a large cheese pizza on her living room floor. She inhaled the aroma, felt the steamy warmth. She slid a hand under one of the hot slices and lifted it slowly. To her delight, a string of cheese trailed on and on, as high as she could raise the slice. Then Virta bit down slowly, savoring the hot, delectable combination of crust, sauce, cheese. Half an hour after that, Virta lay on the floor clutching her stomach, most of the pizza devoured. "Oh shit, oh shit," she kept saying. She suddenly jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She came out later, her hand clutching a bottle of antacid. Earth Relations had set the place up for her, and they obviously knew she would overindulge. Well, what could they expect? She wasn't used to Earth food yet. When she felt better, she decided to go out and sit on the picnic table near Mandi's apartment to enjoy the late afternoon sun. It was quite intense even that late in the day. It would be the perfect place to watch for Mandi to get home from work. Virta enjoyed the gentle breeze on the air, the warmth of the sunshine on her body. She inhaled deeply, a combination of scents that she wasn't used to smelling... human food cooking, car exhaust, her own sweaty body. She put her head down on the picnic table for a moment. The birds were singing. Occasionally, she'd hear a dog bark or a car horn in the distance... Earth sounds that were foreign to her ears. She didn't know how much time went by, but she felt her skin tingling in a slightly uncomfortable way. Perhaps she'd had a little too much sun. Still, she sat there. It felt so good, very relaxing and soothing. Virta didn't know she'd dozed off until the sound of a car pulling in caused her to jerk her head up. It was Mandi's car: Virta recognized the silver Honda Civic. It was really happening. She was going to see her idol, Mandi, for the first time, in the flesh. They would hit it off so well. Virta knew they would become very good friends very fast. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She had to keep the mission in mind. Mandi's life was in danger. Virta got up from the picnic table and approached Mandi's car. Falling Hard Ch. 10 Mandi was leaning down in her car, gathering up her bags. She didn't see the woman approach. Suddenly, there was a voice just behind her. Her head nearly hit the roof of the car as she whirled around to see who it was. She gaped at the woman who was standing there with a strangely happy... no, an eerily joyous smile on her face. You scared me, goddammit!" Mandi clutched a hand over her heart. "Don't you know not to sneak up on people?" The woman took a few steps back, her expression was apologetic. "Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to frighten you. My name is Virta. I need to talk to you. It's very important." Mandi looked the woman, Virta, over carefully. She was probably in her late 20's, and about the same height and build as Mandi. She had long, dark hair and intense green eyes. A little too intense. Mandi found it hard to look at them, but hard to look away as well. Virta broke eye contact for a moment and Mandi felt free to look at the rest of her. She saw that Virta was smiling even harder at her, as if that was possible. Mandi's eyes were drawn down to the red tube top that barely covered the swell of Virta's breasts and left her stomach bare. Her nipples were clearly poking out of the material that stretched tightly over them. Dropping her gaze lower still, she took in Virta's white, very short shorts. As tight as they were, it was obvious that she wasn't wearing underwear. Nothing on the woman's body was left to the imagination. My god, she's even wearing red stiletto heels with this outfit! Mandi couldn't help but shake her head. Going back up to Virta's face, she saw too much red lipstick. And she was starting to get a sunburn; her once-fair skin now turning the slightest pink. No matter the strange clothes or makeup, the woman was very beautiful, Mandi had to admit. But what to think? Was she homeless? Mentally ill or dangerous? There was no weapon that Mandi could see. It looked like she had no place to hide one in that skimpy little outfit. Still, Mandi let her fingers sift through her bag, enveloping the canister of pepper spray there. "I'm on a mission to help you." OK, what was she, some kind of religious nut? "Mission? What the hell are you talking about?" Virta smiled again "I'm actually on two missions. I'm undercover, you could say." "As what? A prostitute?" Virta's face fell. "Look, I'm sorry," Mandi said. "But you're hanging around my apartment complex in that skanka dilla outfit, sneaking up on me getting out of my car, and you have something to tell me. So tell me already." Virta glanced around nervously. "Let's go inside." Mandi wanted to reach into her handbag and pull out either the pepper spray or her cell phone. But she did neither. Something in the woman's eyes and voice made her forget all common sense. "You said your name is Virta? I just got home from work. I'm hot, tired, I don't feel that well, and I need to get these groceries in the house." "Oh, let me help you," Virta said. "I'll just follow along." Mandi reluctantly handed the grocery bag over to Virta. She carried her handbag and a bottle of wine as Virta followed her into her small apartment. She had no idea why she was trusting someone she'd met thirty seconds ago.... Mandi was definitely not her usual self lately. She could be letting a complete lunatic into her home. Still, something about Virta made her feel as if she was in the presence of an old friend... she had to at least listen to the woman. "Have a seat at the table," Mandi said to her, indicating the small dinette that seated two. Virta slowly pulled out a chair and sat down, looking around the little apartment. Mandi put the small amount of groceries away. She didn't have much of an appetite herself lately, but she wanted to have stuff in the kitchen in case Heath was hungry. The man was a bottomless pit. She smiled at the thought of him sitting across from her at dinner each night, shoveling in the food. Mandi pulled out the bottle of wine she'd bought for later tonight. Dom Perignon. It was her way of splurging for her man. She knew he loved expensive champagne. She'd have to scrimp for a while – no ordering in lunch at work, no extra groceries; she'd have coffee at home and wouldn't be buying clothes for a while. But beyond the champagne, there were money problems. She just couldn't account for where so much of her cash had gone the past week. But she wouldn't worry about that now. There were more important things to think of, she realized. Like what was going to happen tonight. Later, they would make love for the first time... She wanted it to be perfect. Her thoughts went to lingerie. But the new negligee she'd bought a couple days ago was missing. She couldn't understand it. She was certain it had been neatly folded in her lingerie drawer. She'd turned the place upside down; it was gone. Doesn't matter, she thought with a smile. Whatever I wear tonight won't be on for long anyway... "Nice place you have here, Mandi," Virta said, taking in the small efficiency apartment. "It's just like mine. Only you know how to decorate." Mandi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, thanks. But you didn't come in here to share decorating tips, did you?" Virta turned those moss green eyes on her. "No, I've seen it all before," she said. "I've been watching you for a long time, you know." Mandi nearly dropped the bottle of Dom. She pushed it to the back of the counter where it was safe from falling, and turned to Virta again. "What are you talking about?" "I have to tell you something that you're not gonna want to hear. It's about Heath." Mandi crossed her arms. "You know my boyfriend? What about Heath?" Virta fidgeted in her chair. She was clearly nervous. "He's dangerous. He's not who or what you think he is." "Oh? And who, or what, is he?" "Will it suffice to say that he's someone who has hurt a lot of women? I'm here on their behalf, as well as yours. I want to keep him from damaging even one other woman. "So, you're a disgruntled ex-girlfriend?" "No! God, no. We do come from the same... er, place, that's how I know him. I want to get you away from him." "And then what? Swoop in and have him all for yourself?" "I promise you, I have no ulterior motive. I'm not here to steal your boyfriend. I'm not doing this for money either. You're safety is all that matters." "And I'm just supposed to believe that? Why do you care about me? You don't even know me." "I don't know if I should share this with you. But I will, because I trust you that much. You see, Mandi... Oh hell, I'll just say it - I'm a... an angel." Oh god... this woman, Virta, was a nutcase for sure. She strained to remember why had she let the her into her home. But a lot of things didn't make sense anymore. "Oookaaay then," Mandi said. She hoped her tone of voice let the lunatic know she was not buying it. "Let's, uh, call the police right now and you can tell them all about Heath." Mandi reached for the cell phone sticking out of her handbag. She saw her hand shaking. "The police can't be involved. They are powerless against Heath and Athan." "Heath and who?" Mandi had the cell in her hand. She flipped it open. "Athan... his evil overlord." Oh boy. Mandi punched in 9 -1 -1. "Mandi," Virta's voice was firm, insistent, as she spoke her name. Mandi looked up at Virta, her finger poised to hit the 'send' button on her phone. "Please put the phone down and listen to me. Please. I care about you like a sister. I won't let him hurt you. You're an innocent woman." Mandi's eyes cast down for a moment. "I'm far from innocent." "I still don't get why I should believe you? You're talking about crazy stuff. Angels? I don't know what you're using, but come on, I've seen people on drugs before..." "I'm here to protect you. You're just going to have to trust me." "I don't have to do anything." "Heath is hurting you." "You're wrong. You've got the wrong person." "I told you, I've been watching you for a long time, Mandi. I know you, I love you, and I will stop at nothing to prevent Heath from hurting you." "This is my boyfriend you're talking about here!" Mandi was starting to lose patience. "I'm calling the police." "There's just one way this can go down. And the police can't be involved." Mandi's eyes went from Virta to her cell a few times. She sighed and finally flipped the phone shut. Why didn't she just call the cops now and be done with this woman? "You're crazy. Heath is not a criminal. Heath is the only guy who's ever cared about me, and he's perfect. Now I want you to get the hell out of my house." "I'm sorry about your boyfriend, Mandi. But he's evil. And he's not the only demon I'm after. Heath has a supervisor, as I said, named Athan. He's very dangerous, even more so than Heath. I'm going to try to take him down as well." "You're nuts. This is all a bunch of bullshit. I know, I'm on a hidden camera somewhere, right?" Mandi began to glance around the kitchen, even though she knew it was hopeless. This woman was serious. "Mandi, I know you have a hot date tonight. I know your brain is awash in the chemicals of romance. But think beyond that. Has there been anything out of place; unusual? Such as missed time, strange, unexplained bruises, sickness, bad memories, nightmares?" Mandi frowned. "I was sick this week, but Heath took me to the doctor first thing this morning." "And?" "And, he found nothing. My fever was gone, and I didn't have so much as a scratch. I mean, I still don't feel that well, but there's nothing apparently wrong with me." "He is controlling you. Think really hard, Mandi. You know something isn't right." Mandi glared for a moment before speaking. When she did speak, her voice was low and angry. "You're what isn't right, dammit." "Look at me, Mandi," Virta said. Mandi looked into those deep green eyes. "I can't make you do what you don't want to do. Unlike your boyfriend, I don't have that kind of power. But I'm begging you to consider what I've told you. I don't want to see you get hurt." "And I don't want to see Heath get hurt. For all I know, you're the criminal - setting Heath up so you can get your sick revenge. I'm thinking you're just a jealous, bitter ex-girlfriend." Virta stood up. "No. Please, don't see him tonight, Mandi." "I want you to leave now." "What if I'm telling you the truth?" Mandi leaned back against the counter. She put her head in her hands. "Why won't you go?" she moaned. "I need your help right now." "My help? With what? And why would I help you?" "I need a makeover. I have a lot of money. I'll pay you for your time, the clothes, everything." Virta reached into her bag and pulled out a huge wad of cash. "Where'd you get that? You're a thief? You sell drugs? Prostitution?" Virta grimaced. "No. It's... funding I was given for my mission... so I can help you." "You mean your angelic mission, right?" Virta nodded. "Will you take me shopping? I get the feeling my clothes, my makeup... it's not right at all. I don't know what to do about it on my own." Mandi looked up at her. "Hell, I'm not gonna go spend time on the town with you. If I give you this... makeover... will you go away?" Virta nodded. "I'll go back to my apartment." "Fine," Mandi sighed. "Then step into my bathroom..." An hour later, Virta was showered and primped to perfection. Mandi had her dressed in a pair of dark jeans that showcased her ass. She wore a slinky, blue sleeveless halter top. It had a split V neckline, and a silver chain around her neck that attached to the top, holding it up. It was form-fitting and satiny. When she turned around, most of her back was exposed. She was wearing a pair of heels that put her somewhere close to six feet tall. Virta's dark hair was in flowing waves, lapping around her sleek, sexy shoulders and back. Her makeup was a touch of glamor, but not overly done like before. It simply enhanced her natural good looks. Virta's skin that had earlier been tinged with pink, was now softly glowing from the aloe and bronzer mix that Mandi had rubbed onto her after her shower. "Wow," Virta couldn't stop staring at herself in the mirror. "Wow is right." Mandi said. "You're gonna turn heads, babe, and in a good way this time." Virta felt tears forming in her eyes. She dabbed carefully so as not to disturb her eye makeup. "Mandi," she said. "You've made my life." Mandi laughed. "You're not dramatic at all, are you?" Virta turned to the girl. "No, I mean it. What you did for me... I've never done girl stuff before. I'll never forget this. Thank you." Virta threw several hundred dollars down on Mandi's bathroom sink. Mandi stared down at the money. "I'm not taking your money, Virta," she said after a moment. "Just go back where you came from. Please, leave me and Heath alone." Virta shook her head. "I said, keep your money." It made Mandi uncomfortable to see tears sliding down Virta's cheeks. "You're the best human ever, Mandi," she said, dabbing her tears away. "Thank you." Oh no, she was coming in for a big hug! Mandi stepped back. "Well... you're welcome, Virta. Now, I need to finish getting ready too. You better go on home now." "Oh, sure. But can I get a ride to the club with you later?" "No," Mandi said through her open bedroom door. "You've been trying for the last hour to get me to believe your bullshit. I still don't know. There's no proof. And as far as you being there tonight with Heath? I'm not sure I want you guys together." "Mandi, if you really have that much faith in him, then just give me this one night, no, just a few hours to prove what he is. That's all I'm asking." Mandi called out the door: "It's just that, tonight I had special plans for us. We were going to leave the club early, come back here and... you know. Have a romantic um, first time." And why was she telling this woman such private things? Crazy. She looked up to see Virta standing in the doorway; she looked frightened. "I've seen it happen," Virta said. "It isn't pretty." Mandi threw an armful of shirts down on the bed in disgust. "Damn it, I don't want to hear this!" There seemed to be no explanation as to why she hadn't pushed Virta out her door. Mandi no longer felt like worrying about it either. She had enough on her mind. Disregarding the warning in Mandi's voice, Virta continued on: "Would you believe me if I told you he has mind control and can even read your thoughts?" "No, I wouldn't believe you. That's impossible." "He's a Fallen angel; he has all sorts of power." "You're such a bullshitter. OK, if he's an ex-angel and you're one of God's angels, then why can't you just slay him with a flaming magic sword or whatever?" Mandi returned to her closet, shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't know if those even exist," Virta said. "I wasn't given one. Unfortunately, I have to prove myself with what I've been given. Or else..." Mandi raised an eyebrow, one hand on her hip as she turned to face Virta. "Or else, what?" "Or... else," was all Virta said before averting her eyes. "So if you're really an angel, show me some magic or something. Where are your wings? Can't you fly or become invisible?" "No. I got rid of those stupid wings when I came down here. And I don't have any special powers that I know of." "Damn, then you're pretty much useless as an angel, aren't you?" She was angry and she couldn't meet Virta's gaze. Mandi suddenly started laughing. Tears of frustration and helplessness rolled out of her eyes. Oh, the irony of it! "Hey," Mandi said, gasping, laughing, choking. "Heaven must really care about me, huh? They sent me a leftover flunky angel. I guess that's what they think of me... it's all girls like me are gonna get." She was just crying now. Surely the crazy woman would leave. But she felt Virta's slender arms go around her shoulders. Virta hugged her against her own body, stroking her hair gently, soothing her with soft, gentle words. Mandi cried and cried. "I just don't know what to think. Just your presence - you make me want to believe you," she said, her voice catching and thick. "I know something isn't right. But I don't want what you're saying about Heath to be true. I wanted a man to care about me for real." The woman didn't say anything, just held her like a mother holds a crying, hurt child. "Look at me, I'm a mess. I have to get ready." "You don't have to come to the club tonight, Mandi," Virta said. "I can deal with him on my own. You'll just be in more danger." "No, I want to be there. I still don't believe you. Not without some sort of proof. You're a very persuasive person, Virta. But I have to see Heath. If there's a problem with him, I'll find out tonight for myself." "Can't we go together then?" "I have to stop at a friend's house for a while first. She's having a problem with her boyfriend and wanted to talk a little. Anyway... goodbye Virta." Denial was just too easy; it was what she wanted to fall back on. Yet as much as she didn't want to admit it, there was something 'off' about Heath. She sighed, almost crying again from the pain in her heart. She decided to watch Heath extra close tonight. She would guard her drink and whatever else she consumed. She would be as vigilant as possible. She couldn't let him suspect anything though, or he might get angry and break up with her. And Mandi couldn't lose him. She couldn't be alone anymore. * * * Virta sat in her apartment, munching on potato chips and dip, cookies, and the baby carrots that Human Relations had stocked in her kitchen. God, what was it with this Earth food? Her stomach had barely stopped hurting since she got down here. She watched some TV, mindlessly flipping through the channels. It seemed everywhere she turned, someone on there was trying to sell her something; trying to convince her that she wasn't pretty enough, clean enough, didn't drive the right car or drink the right beer. It could get kind of lonely down here, she thought, sitting on the couch with a 2 liter of soda and the remote. I don't really have any friends besides Mandi, and she doesn't like me nearly as much as I'd hoped. Virta sighed and went back to the kitchen. She thought she'd seen a carton of ice cream in there... Later, Virta realized that she'd dozed off a few times on the couch. Glancing up at the clock, she saw that finally, it was time to go. She called a cab and went to brush her teeth. Soon, she was on her way to the club. It was loud inside. At least nobody was smoking. Her fresh pink lungs probably wouldn't like that. Almost no time had passed before she had male attention. She saw their eyes checking her out, looking her up and down. The guys nudged each other when she walked by. Some even approached and offered to buy her drinks. Wow, it's just like my fantasies, she thought. Suddenly, her awareness took in someone or something else behind her. It was the same feeling she'd had several other times that afternoon. Now, it was strong. She turned on her chair and looked up. Heath was looking down at her, amusement and derision shining in his hooded brown eyes. "Hello, Virta," he sneered. "It didn't take you long to get down here. I guess the show was rather.... motivating?" She couldn't speak now that her target was inches away. A guy was sitting next to Virta. Heath elbowed him off his seat. The guy started to protest, but getting a better look up at Heath, he moved on willingly. Heath gestured to the bartender and ordered two beers. He slid one toward Virta. She sniffed at it; her nose crinkled up at the smell. "What is that stuff?" Falling Hard Ch. 10 "You might as well get broken in sooner than later." "Don't get too excited about later. Mandi's not going to be your plaything anymore." Heath took a drink, smiling into his glass. "She can't resist me." Then he eyed Virta from head to toe for the first time. "Wow. You know, you look really hot. I mean, damn, you definitely make a hot human, Virta." He adjusted the front of his pants as he leered down at her. "I'll be having some of that later tonight. Just think, you and Mandi both down on your knees in front of me, worshiping my cock." "Ha. You wish." She scooted further away on her seat. "Are you just really that evil?" "Just following orders, Virta," he said, sipping from his glass. "And having a lot of fun while I'm at it." His eyes went to the TV over the bar. A ballgame was on. "Yeah, that's what everyone says," Virta grumbled. "just following orders." She took another sniff of the beer and then stuck her tongue out for a tiny taste. She grimaced. Heath chuckled down at her. "I have a question for you. Does she really love you or are you manipulating that too?" Heath smirked. "Love? That's all her. I didn't even have to plant that stupid thought in her mind. She's so desperate for a rich cock... I'm the best thing that's ever come along in her pathetic life." Heath finished his beer and put the empty glass down. The bartender quickly replaced it with a fresh beer. "What did the General tell you to do, Virta? Let me guess, you've got a relic on you." Virta's hand went unconsciously to the small bag at her side. "I can't read your mind, so the thought scrambler is in place. You're all set to try to take me down, aren't you?" He grinned evilly as he lifted the mug back to his smirking, sensual lips. "You're actually not my main priority. You're not that important," she sniffed. "Ah, of course. You're here for my boss. You think you really have what it takes to bring him in? I mean, having feelings for him and all." Virta took a tiny sip of the beer. She spit it back into the glass, her face scrunched up in disgust. "What makes you think I have feelings for him? He's an evil demon like you, and I don't trust him." Heath chuckled. "Whatever." Then he caught her eyes with his deep chocolate ones. "Tell me what you're planning, Virta." She was trapped. The compulsion to lay out everything in her mission profile was almost overwhelming. She remembered her training. She had to look just a little to one side. And in her mind too... shift her focus just a little... It was just barely enough. She felt herself growing hot; felt the beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead from the effort of resisting Heath's command. Heath was watching her, obviously enjoying the strain she was under. "You did learn something up there, huh? Not quite the dumb cunt you're known to be all over the Universe." She glared, still holding her concentration. "Fine," he growled. She felt his grip on her mind let go. "Later, though, look out. Your stupid little blocking trick won't work when I decide to press you harder." He stared down at her, a look of concentrated evil in those murky brown eyes. "And I could press you much harder Virta. So hard, I could scramble your brains, permanently." Then he turned back to watch the TV over the bar. Virta just stared at him, trying to regain her composure. She was starting to really be afraid. He casually took another drink and said, "It doesn't matter anyway. You're no better off than Mandi is with me. And I'm gonna have some fun with the both of you tonight." "There's no way you're getting us in one of those pockets," she hissed. "That's it, right? You wanna get us away from the crowd, where nobody can see?" Heath laughed. "I don't even have to use those stupid pockets if I don't want to. Look at how many times I fucked the hell out of Mandi right in her own place? Sometimes we did it on a crowded street corner or in the back of a cab... I'm not afraid of anyone watching." He stared down at her, his gaze a mask of evil. "You shouldn't have come here, Virta. Now, you're just gonna get yourself killed... or worse." "Not that I give a damn though. It's all fun and games to me." Virta swallowed hard. "It's people's lives," she breathed. Heath laughed at her. "What's to stop me from breaking your neck right here and walking out? Nobody here would remember seeing a thing, of course. Then maybe I'll have one last fuck with Mandi and finish her off as well." Virta's heart was accelerating. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. "Virta..." Heath said. He was looking at her as if she was a piece of meat. She hated the way her name sounded coming from his deceitful mouth. "...you're coming home with us tonight. Someone has to pop that luscious, wet cherry of yours." Virta was mortified. Another command. She had to resist. "You can't make me do anything." "You know very well I could make you." "No. I know something about resistance now." Heath just laughed. "I don't have to use my angelic powers on you, you worthless cunt. I'll tell you right now how I can make you." "Here's what you're gonna do tonight if you want to see Mandi live. You're gonna come home with us and I'm gonna drink that bottle of Dom that Mandi so lovingly bought me... for our first time... again," he rolled his eyes. "And both of you bitches are gonna suck my cock like your lives depend on it. Because they do. I'll spurt my cum all over your lovely faces and you'll lick it off each other." "You're a sick son of a devil. Dream on." "You know what Athan said he'll do when he gets ahold of you girls? He's gonna put the both of you, one on top of the other, asses up, and take turns reaming all your holes... alternating between the two of you." Virta recoiled on her chair. "You're both evil... sick," was all she could stammer. Heath shrugged. "It sounds like a good time, actually. I think I'll do that to you girls myself... for hours. Don't worry, I can last a long, long time." "No fucking way you're gonna touch either me or Mandi tonight." "You'll either do it, or Mandi is gonna suffer like hell tonight. And she'll die a slow, agonizing death. All because of you." Virta stared at him wide-eyed. Her hand went to her bag again. She felt the roundness of the relic through the material. There seemed to be no alternative to keep Mandi safe but to give into his demands. She would slap the relic on him when he was distracted by their sexual activities. "I doubt your girlfriend is gonna go for this arrangement," she said. Heath just laughed. "Oh, I can talk her into anything." "What do you get out of this? You're sick, sick, sick." "It's fun. And Athan pays me." "I'm going to find a way to get rid of the both of you." "Not happening. And I know that coward, Athan. He'll deny it all." "Yes. Because all you demons will lie to get whatever you want." "I haven't said anything that wasn't the truth, and you know it. Athan on the other hand... I may work for him, but that doesn't mean I like him. He just pays well." Virta narrowed her eyes at him. "You're going to be sorry you ever met him. I'm not going to let either of you survive." "Well, good luck with that. Did they give you any weapons?" "No... Would they work?" "Of course they have weapons that would work. Haven't you ever heard of flaming swords?" Heath laughed heartily. "Man, they really did send you down here to dispose of you." Virta's mouth and throat were so dry. She took a long drink of the beer, no longer caring that it smelled bad and tasted worse. She nearly spit it out again, but forced herself to swallow instead. Suddenly, arms slipped around Heath's broad shoulders. "Hey baby," he said without turning around. Mandi leaned down and kissed him. "How'd you know it was me? It could have been some other woman in this club." He reached around and pulled Mandi down into his arms. "I know your scent, your touch, your mind." Mandi looked up at Virta. "Hope you're not hitting on my boyfriend, Virta." "So the two of you have met," Heath said. "Not exactly. Virta here says she's my guardian angel. I told her I didn't need one. I've got you." Heath smirked and squeezed Mandi in a suffocating bear hug. "Uhh... not so hard," Mandi gasped. She turned and looked into Heath's beautiful brown eyes. "She thinks I shouldn't trust you. But I'm not sure I trust her." "You're right not to trust this one," Heath told her. "I know she's been warning you all about me, hasn't she?" Mandi looked surprised. "Virta and I come from the same place, you could say. She's carrying a grudge that I got out and bettered myself... made something of myself and am living the life. While she's poor and dumb and useless." Mandi looked back at Virta. Virta wondered how in hell she was going to pull this off. She decided to just go for the big, bold truth. "Heath wants me to join the both of you tonight, Mandi," she said. "In bed. Now, imagine - how romantic is that? The night of your first time?" Mandi's eyes widened. Heath chuckled. "You wish, Virta." He turned to Mandi. "See how the bitch lies? She wants me so bad." Mandi reached out and slapped Virta across the face. Virta put a hand to her cheek in shock. She watched Mandi turn to Heath. "I don't feel like being here. I don't want to be around her. Can we go?" She tried to slide off Heath's lap but he held her fast. "Actually, I kind of like Virta's idea. I wanna fuck the both of you tonight." Mandi leaped from his lap and he let her. She whirled on him, but stopped as if she'd hit a brick wall. "A slap would feel good, baby," he said, smiling widely. "But save that energy for later." He stood up from the bar. "Right now, I feel like fucking." He started to drag Mandi out of the door. Her eyes were pleading for help. She couldn't seem to cry out. Nobody was even paying attention. Virta grabbed her bag and took off after them. "Let her go, you insane son of a devil!" she yelled, grabbing onto Heath's arm, trying to hold him back. He just pulled her along with them, out the door, around the corner, into the alley. "Why wait to get home. Let's just fuck right here, right now, up against this brick wall." "No! Get your damn hands off me, Heath!" Mandi made a lunge for safety, but Heath grabbed her and slammed her against the wall, hard. Old brick chips and dust cracked off and fell down onto her as she slid down the wall, crumpling into a heap on the ground. "Mandi!" Virta was at her side in a second. "Are you OK?" Mandi moved onto her back and opened her eyes. "I don't know," she gasped. "You might have broken bones, a concussion. Just lie still, Mandi, I'm calling an ambulance." Virta reached for her hand bag. But her bag wasn't there. It must have fallen on the ground somewhere nearby. With so little light in the alley, she began to blindly search around her feet. "No!" Mandi clutched at Virta's arm, tears shining in her eyes. "Just save yourself, Virta. Get out of here; he's coming." "He's gonna have to kill me to get to you." Virta's voice held more bravery than she felt. Where was the damn bag? Her cell phone and the relic were in it. "You were right, oh my god, Virta," Mandi was crying. Both girls looked up. Heath's hulking form was coming for them. Virta crouched lower over Mandi. Just then, Heath screamed. Virta saw several large, shadowy forms surround Heath at the entrance to the alley. He went as limp as a rag doll in their arms. Without another sound, Heath and the others were gone. It was all over in a matter of seconds; very fast and efficient. Then, it was just Virta on her knees holding Mandi. But they weren't alone after all. A huge figure was slowly coming closer. He stalked through the shafts of light that beamed faintly into the alley. Suddenly, he stopped, just looking down at the two women. She knew without a doubt who it was. Athan. Falling Hard Ch. 11 They were trapped. Athan stood at the entrance to the alley, blocking their way. Heath's words went through her mind. Now that the two girls were together and vulnerable, Athan was moving in to take them. She knew the relic was in her bag, but she didn't know where her bag was, at the moment. And she was too afraid to move. Mandi was hurt in her arms. "Virta, are you OK?" That voice: so silky and smooth and full of concern. She never thought she'd hear it again in person. Her fear was instantly taken down a notch. But she knew it was just his manipulation. She didn't answer. She thought she could see an unearthly shine in his eyes - just silver glinting out of the darkness. She was glad she couldn't see them clearly. Were they still gray? He likely blamed her for what happened when he was injured in Heaven. He would want revenge for his suffering and pain. "Can't read your mind," he said. "You're gonna have to talk to me, baby." He was sauntering toward them in the dark alley. Then he stopped. "She's hurt," he said. "Stay away from her, Athan," Virta snarled, like a dog protecting its master. "I won't let you hurt her." She could no longer see his face at all - the shadows covered it. His large form blocked out the light. "I'm not gonna hurt her. Or you. Let me get her out of here." "Leave us alone." "Virta." "You can't make me do anything. I know your evil tricks." A sigh. "Virta, I'm going to ask you nicely, will you move aside?" "No. Just leave us alone. I'll take care of her." "Not like I can." "Yes, I can. It's my job." The closeness of him set her mind whirling. Without another word, he reached down and scooped Mandi up, right out of her grasp. Before Virta could protest, he'd turned around and was walking out of the alley with the girl in his arms. Virta saw her bag when he crossed back over a shaft of light. The relic was in there. She snatched up the bag as she ran after him. "Stop it, Athan!" Virta cried. "Put her down!" Athan didn't answer; just kept walking. She thought about grabbing ahold of his arm, but she was afraid he'd drop Mandi. "Where are you taking her?" Mandi was calling for her: "Virta! What's going on?" Not wanting to frighten Mandi anymore than she already was, Virta answered, "Um, don't worry. That's my boyfriend. He's uh, helping us." "Oh. Are you sure? I thought you called him Athan... isn't he on your hit list too?" Athan threw a glance over his shoulder at Virta. "Walk faster," he growled. "We're going somewhere private." A pocket! Oh no, she couldn't let him take her there. It was like going from the frying pan into the fire. Thoughts of what Heath was going to do to them - what he said Athan would do when they were alone with him. It flashed all too clearly through her mind. "No, we can't go into one of those pockets, Athan." "Yeah, we can." He could dash into one and leave her stranded outside. Just him and Mandi in there. She had to stay close. "Wait for me!" "Keep up." Suddenly, the air and everything shimmered around her, and she felt like she was walking in slow motion. One second they were on the street, the next second, they were in a large room. It had a bed, and that was pretty much all that was in it. Virta began to panic. Athan was already setting Mandi down on the bed. Fighting back fear, Virta rushed to put herself between Mandi and Athan. She was at Mandi's side, kneeling by the bed and taking the girl's limp hand in her own. "Mandi, are you OK?" she breathed. "Ohh," was her only answer. Mandi's skin was cool and clammy, she was sweating, and seemed to be going in and out of consciousness. There was blood on her, and bruises were forming. Virta became aware of Athan standing directly behind her. She turned around to look up at him, hoping he could see her determination. He just looked irritated. "I won't let you touch her," Virta stammered. And no, his eyes were not gray anymore. They were back to their original dark, snapping ebony. She had forgotten the power they held. She tried to look away. "I can help her." Virta rose to her feet. "You'll do nothing to her. You and your sick, sadist, cruel ways." "That's enough, Virta!" His voice caused her to flinch. She said nothing else; just watched him pace a few steps before stopping again in front of her. When he spoke, his voice was gentle once more, almost apologetic. "I'm tired, I've had a really bad day, and I'm almost to the end of my patience." "I didn't ask you to come here this time. And... uh, don't try to bedazzle me with those eyes." They were very dark, very potent. As tired as he claimed to be, he looked even stronger than she'd seen him before, in Heaven. He sighed wearily. "Virta, if I was going to hurt either of you - " "I know," she interrupted, "it would have happened by now! Well, you didn't have us alone in your... domain, before now." He let out a small, gasping laugh. A hand was on the back of his neck, rubbing there. When he looked back up at her, his expression was dead serious. "You're friend is in shock," he said. "Just from a quick scan, I can tell she has broken bones, head trauma, ruptured internal organs... and, there are older injuries than what Heath did tonight." "Yeah, you would know all about that, wouldn't you? Since you sent him to do it?" Athan stopped all movement then, like a cat who was ready to spring at its prey. He didn't speak for a long moment, as she stood there, shaking. "They worked very hard on you," was all he finally said. Virta was determined not to move. He grabbed her, his large fingers completely encircling her upper arms. "Let me go!" He didn't answer, just hauled her forward against himself. She was pressed against the whole length of his lean, muscular body. He felt so warm and masculine through his clothes. How much better would he feel without them... He looked down with dark eyes that she was afraid to look directly into. His expression was soft; his voice, low and soothing. "It's great to have you down here, Virta. You look beautiful." Was that lust in his voice? She stiffened against him. "I know you're here on an assignment, for Mandi." She didn't answer. "She's lucky to have you." "Hmm. I don't feel like I've done anything to help her." "Let me help her." "I won't let you kill her." "Good god, Virta." He was shaking her a little as he spoke. "I know they messed with you up there. But you're just gonna have to trust me." "I can't. I can never trust a demon." Virta pulled her arms out of his grasp; he let her go. She backed away toward Mandi. "You're so full of fear." "I thought you couldn't read my mind." "I don't have to." She reached one hand into her bag as she continued to move toward Mandi. Her eyes were on Athan, who was coming after her. "Look, I didn't want to have to do this, but you're leaving me no choice." She lost her grasp on the relic inside her bag when he reached down and grabbed her again. He turned her so that his body was between her and Mandi. And then, he walked her backwards across the room, until her back was up against the far wall. "It's so nice to touch you again," he whispered against her ear. He had her pressed gently but firmly against the wall with his huge, solid frame. One large finger trailed like fire across her cheek, down her neck, over her collarbone. Somehow, she even felt it between her legs. "But I didn't want it to be this way," he breathed as his full lips moved through her hair. She couldn't speak. His liquid voice, the feel of his breath on her skin, his energizing touch... she felt a delicious shiver go down her spine. It was part fear, part lust. His eyes caught hers. Oh, what had she learned about resistance? It left her mind the moment she looked up into those powerful, midnight eyes. "Stay here," he said. He turned and left her standing there, rooted to the spot. He was back at Mandi's side in an instant. She saw the human girl lying there, trembling, groaning. She no longer seemed to know what was going on around her. "No, leave her alone," Virta begged from her position across the room. Mandi looked up. "What..." she began. Kneeling beside the human, Athan began to gently stroke her sweaty hair back from her face. "Virta?" Mandi said uncertainly. "What's going on?" What could Virta tell her? A demon has his hands on you - again - and there's nothing I can do about it? "Shh," Athan said. He placed the back of his hand softly against Mandi's forehead, then her cheek. Then, he then took her hand in his. "Mandi, look into my eyes," he said. If Virta had been helpless in those eyes, then Mandi stood no chance in hell. Vita struggled to move from the wall, but there was nothing she could do. Damn him! She wouldn't forgive him for this. Finally, he spoke to Mandi again. "You're healed." He got up and took a few steps back, still watching the girl. Mandi suddenly sat straight up in the bed. She looked around. "Where am I?" Her eyes went to Virta who was standing against the wall on the other side of the room. "What are you doing over there, Virta?" Virta looked from Mandi to Athan and he gave her a nod. Instantly, she felt the hold on her release, and she rushed to Mandi's side. "I'm right here," she said. "How do you feel?" Mandi took a moment to think about it. "I feel great. I don't know when I've ever felt this good." Sure enough, she looked radiantly healthy; all bruising and cuts were simply gone. Virta's eyes went to Athan. He was leaning against the wall by the bed. His expression was unreadable. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, without looking at her. "Go where?" Virta asked suspiciously. "I'll take Mandi home. And you." "Where are we?" Mandi asked, looking around the room. "Not far from the club," Virta said. "Now, Athan, just tell us how to get out of this... room, and I'll get us a cab." "Where's Heath?" Mandi asked, her voice quivering. Athan looked down at her. "You don't have to worry about him anymore." Mandi seemed even more relaxed. But she frowned as she looked up at Virta. "I guess you were right all along. I just didn't want to believe it. But it all came back, rushing in when I was with Heath tonight... the whole week's worth of abuse. All at once." Her gaze traveled from Virta to Athan, who was still silent against the wall. He turned his head to look back at her, and Virta saw Mandi visibly recoil as she was swallowed up in those hypnotic eyes again. "I, uh... I don't know how you fixed me, but you did. I'm not even freaked out about what he did to me. I know I should be, but I just feel peace. Shouldn't I be calling the police on him?" "No," Virta said. "Like I told you before, he's not human. There's nothing humans can do." Athan made a gesture, a sound, as if he was going to say something, but he must have thought better of it. He went as still as a statue again. Mandi shook her head. "Just so he never hurts anyone else." "I've seen some weird things before," she continued. "I know there are things out there... unexplainable things... My friend is dealing with something like that right now. I think I understand her so much better after this... what she's going through. I need to go be with her." "Let's go," Athan said. They followed him to a corner of the room, and it was as though they walked right through the wall... it disintegrated to become the street not far from the club. "I'm going to call a cab," Mandi said. "There's one coming." Athan pointed down the street. The girls looked, but no cab was in sight. Virta looked at her friend. "I can take care of you, Mandi," she said. She knew the hurt must be showing through in her voice. "I live right next to you." "No... I don't want you to." Then Mandi's face and voice softened when she looked back at Virta. "It's not that I don't feel gratitude, because I do. But, I need to sort this out. I don't know what to think." "Welcome to the club," Virta breathed. "But I should go with you. I'm responsible for you. I shouldn't leave you - especially not tonight." A cab pulled up. Athan went to the driver and handed him some bills. Mandi walked over to the cab and opened the door. She turned one last time to look at Virta. "I'm sorry... but, I need to get away from you... whatever you are. You don't have to worry about me." She smiled. "Thanks, Virta." She looked up at Athan then. "And thanks. I don't know if I believe you guys are really angels, but you helped me. And that makes you angels in my book." Virta stood there, watching Mandi's cab pull away. She suddenly realized that Athan was right there, behind her. She was alone with him. She turned and looked up. His face was all planes and shadows in the streetlight. She swallowed back her fear. There was silence between them, and she didn't know whether to run or throw her arms around him. Neither option would probably go over well with him right now. So she just stood there. "Do you want me to walk you home?" he asked, finally. "I should be with her." "She'll be fine now. She wanted to go." She took a deep, cleansing breath. Her mission of protecting Mandi seemed well under control at the moment. It was time for the most dangerous one. She had to get Athan to trust her. He was a job, an assignment, and to fail meant severe punishment. But if she succeeded, she'd have everything she wanted, and never see the Mines or the horrors of Hell. But after seeing how he saved them from Heath and helped Mandi, she felt her mind and heart softening towards him. Then, the General's words rang unbidden in her head: "A demon will do ANYTHING..." "I want to go with you tonight. Will you take me back to the pocket?" He stepped forward. When he spoke, she heard reservation in his voice. "You want to go home with me... tonight? I'm sorry, Virta, but just minutes ago you were ready to rip me apart because you thought I was going to hurt you and your human." He raised one dark eyebrow at her. "And now you want to spend the night alone with me?" "Look, you're right, I've had a tough day. I'm sorry about the craziness back there." She lowered her voice until it was just above a whisper. "There's another reason I came down here, something I kept hidden from them... up there." She glanced heavenward. "I want to learn more about Falling... I think I want to do it. But I can't just make a blind leap of faith. I have to have all my questions answered first." He nodded. "I understand, and I think you're smart to ask questions first. I know of a place that's a little further away, but roomier, more comfy. One only I know about." Words spoken in his confident voice echoed through her mind: "I know somewhere we can go where they'll never find us. We'll have all the time in the world. I can do whatever I want... for as long as I want." She forced herself to grab his hand. It felt so large and strong, so warm and comforting. She had to remind herself that those hands had killed and hurt so many. "Yeah, let's go there, now." She pulled him down the street. He held back a little. She turned to see why. He was looking at her strangely. "So you're really not afraid anymore? Of me, I mean?" "No... I just didn't have the right information before. But I watched you save my friend tonight. How could I not trust you?" She knew exactly when he would be most vulnerable. She just had to get him there. And that shouldn't be any problem with a seductive, lusty devil like him. "I want to be with you," she said sweetly. He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He started walking with her, hands in his pockets, looking down at the street as she tried to hurry him along. "Thank you for what you did for Mandi," she said. "You don't have to worry about Heath," he said. "I had my men take him away to a pocket... one we use for interrogation. And I have a man watching Mandi, to make sure she gets where she's going OK." Hmm. That news did not comfort her. 'His man' watching Mandi could be no better than Heath. Maybe the entire show of helping Mandi was just to get him on Virta's good side... a trick. She'd been told that he would do anything to get to her. Well, she would do the same. She'd get the relic on him tonight, leave him in this place, and come back for him on Thursday. Then, she'd take him to the meeting place where General Banner himself would be waiting. There would be plenty of time to make sure Heath was really disposed of, and she could spend more time with Mandi, bonding and doing human things. Except, a part of her was unsure about her plans for Athan. A little unsure, yes, and also afraid. Beyond that, she felt something else: sadness. "What's the matter?" he asked, stopping and looking down at her. His hand was on her shoulder, making her stop too. "Nothing," she said, barely meeting his gaze. "You just looked really worried, unsure. If you want, I can just take you home." "No. It's just disorientation, I'm sure. I should have let them give me a shot before I came." She tried a smile, but it came out weak. "It's been a rather long, strange day for me." She looked around her. There were street lights, but their faint light only seemed to emphasize the darkness that much more. She'd never been any place where the sun completely set as it did here. She shivered at the dark, unwelcoming shadows and alleyways. He started walking again but kept his hand on her shoulder. Was he protecting her or restricting her? "I feel the same. So how long do we have?" "What do you mean?" "Until you were supposed to bring Heath to the appointed pickup place?" She frowned, not sure how much she should tell him. "I have until Thursday." "That's great. I'm going to delegate as much of my work as possible, so I can have plenty of time with you this week." "I'd love that. I want to know everything about you, and what it is you do. I want to see more of the pockets too." Oops, why was she talking so much? Damn. His expression was a little off. "I do wanna share everything with you..." he said in a quiet voice that trailed off. "But?" she asked. "But we can start on that tomorrow, when we've had a good night's sleep. I've had a really bad day and I'd like to get off the streets." Athan turned and started walking again. She followed like a puppy at its master's heels. He slowed and let her catch up to his side. Then, he threw a smile down at her and said, "Well, it was a bad day until I saw you, that is." The next thing she knew, she was being hauled across the dimension portal again, into a pocket. He was right, this one was nice. It was his own personal place, an apartment of sorts. Not huge, but perfect for one person... or two. Her eyes traveled around the room, taking in the very masculine details. He was much more neat and organized than she thought he would be. And he had good taste. There were a lot of brown and neutral tones. It was very soothing. She breathed in the scents of leather and wood. Her eyes traveled to a huge leather couch. It looked so inviting, and she realized her feet were hurting in her shoes. She wondered how many females he'd brought here, angel or human. He'd said only he knew about the place. That was probably a lie, she decided. He'd brought plenty of women here, seduced them, and then... "I'm not used to being shut out of people's heads." She turned to his voice. Athan was removing some items from his pockets and placing them onto a narrow table against the wall. Falling Hard Ch. 11 "What are you thinking?" "Nothing," she answered. She looked around and then back to him. He was staring at her. She hadn't moved from where she stood since she'd entered the room. "Just make yourself at home. Get comfortable," he said. She turned back to the wall they'd just come through, feeling at it with her hands, trying to push through back to the street. "I'll show you how to go in and out later. I promise. I just don't want you running off into the night. There are bad things out there in the dark." She stared at him, wide-eyed. She wasn't feeling too safe in here either. She blinked, and suddenly he was right in front of her. "Now," he said, pulling her into his arms. "It's been so hard to keep my hands off you." "What are you talking about?" she said warily. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. She was angry for a second, but then she hungrily kissed him back. She felt some of her resistance to the demon melting away. "I'm so damn weak," she thought. But she was quickly losing all ability to think in his arms. He pulled back and looked down at her. "I'm sorry." Then he crushed his lips against hers once again. Finally, he released her mouth from his devouring kiss. "Hell, what am I saying? No, I'm not sorry. I had to do that. I've been wanting to do that for so long." When she didn't answer, he released her and walked over to the big leather sofa. "Right now, I'd just like to sit and talk to you." He stood by the sofa, a beckoning look in his eyes. She walked toward him, unaware if it was all her own will pulling her there. He moved from one thing to another so quickly, it only added to her feeling of confusion. "You just want to sit and talk?" This made no sense in her mind. "What would you like to drink?" he asked as he crossed the floor to the small kitchen. Oh, maybe he was going to poison her. He opened the fridge. "Mostly beer in here. You probably don't like that do you? It's an acquired taste." He grinned at her over the door of the fridge. "Hmm... I do have this bottle of wine I've been saving since 1867." "Oh? I like wine." "Yeah, they didn't let you have it much up there. I've been saving this one for a very special occasion. And you're it." She watched the corded muscles in his arms as he removed the cork and pulled a couple of glasses from the cabinet. With his size, he seemed so out of place in the small kitchen. He brought the bottle and glasses to where she sat on the sofa. He handed her a glass, poured wine for both of them, and then clinked his glass against hers. "To us," he said. She was too startled to drink at first, but he was drinking deeply, so she did too. She had to remember that she needed to get him to trust her. It appeared that he did. She just had to stop being afraid and go along with him. Or else he would get suspicious about everything. "So," he said, putting his glass on the table next to him. "Let's get caught up." She just looked at him. Did he think they were old friends? "What do you want to know?" she asked. "Everything," he said. "I imagine you just had the worst two weeks of your life in Heaven. Do you want to talk about it?" She looked down. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard. I was trying to check up on you these last couple weeks." "Who would you get information from up there?" she asked. "Oh, I have sources." She took a long drink from her glass before speaking. "It was hell," she finally said. He moved closer, putting a hand on her shoulder. It felt so hot on her bare skin... so good. "Virta, I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm not surprised it happened, but I'm very sorry. You're a very strong angel. And I'm glad you're down here now, with me. I won't let them get to you again." She was sorry when he dropped his hand from her shoulder to pick up his glass once more. "It happened to you too, didn't it?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, a long time ago. And it was far longer than two weeks." She shuddered. "But I guess they thought they got you reprogrammed, huh? They sent you down here to save Mandi." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes. And here's what's interesting. They said Heath is one of your men... you taught him just what to do to Mandi... said you were gonna do it yourself even." She instantly wished she hadn't said that. He scooted back from her, glaring, and she felt fear rising again. "But you don't believe that, do you Virta?" She stared down into her glass before asking, "So do you know him at all?" "Yeah, I know the bastard. A long time ago, in Heaven. He's not been around here in ages." "I don't know where you took Heath, but I have to take him to my appointment next week," she said. "We'll hold him for you until then." "You don't need him for another assignment?" Now why had she asked him that? She was supposed to be getting his trust. Oh, but she was bad at this game! The look in his eyes could have killed. Wait... he couldn't kill with just a look, could he? She was tired of being afraid. She'd just let him talk. Maybe he'd get drunk and that would make it all the easier to capture him with the relic. She'd find her chance to slap it on him soon. Athan took another drink of the wine. She could tell he was thinking. He leaned back on the sofa and sprawled out. He takes up a lot of space, she thought to herself. He set his glass down on the coffee table a little too hard, clearly agitated. He seemed like he was going to say something, do something, but changed his mind. His silence and his movements were frightening in their own way. He finally settled back into the sofa. She was relieved that he appeared relaxed. He spoke then, staring at the wall ahead, not looking at her. His voice was empty. "Yeah, he's been a good worker, but I'll let you have him. You can do whatever you want with him before you take him back... Mandi can even torture him if she wants to..." He leaned forward, one hand rubbed the back of his neck and the other hand was resting on his knee. He looks so tired, she thought. Part of her was tempted to reach out and stroke his broad back and shoulders. But she didn't dare. "... It would be easy for her," he said. His voice, the expression on his face - he was a million miles away. "With the relic, an angel is vulnerable, powerless. That angel can be tortured, humiliated..." Virta didn't know what to say. Finally, he reached forward, picked up his glass again, and poured himself more wine. He filled her glass as well. "Yeah, I don't think he's been doing his best work lately." Athan's voice was hard. "I'm disappointed. I taught him better evil than that." She couldn't speak; just looked at him. He turned to her then, shaking his head. "I can't keep doing this with you," he muttered. His voice became louder, intimidating. "If you think he's one of my men, if you think I'm that evil that I sent him to torment Mandi... why are you here with me?" Athan leaned away from her. He put his weight on his left arm, which was leaning against the armrest. She flinched as his black eyes glared across the sofa at her. "I wasn't made 2,000 years ago, you know. You don't want to Fall, Virta. You want to turn me in." She couldn't meet his gaze. Virta shook her head. She had to deny what he was saying. This was all much more dangerous than she realized. She finally dared to look up. But he wasn't preparing to pounce on her. He was still just leaning against the armrest, looking at her with an expression that made her want to crawl into his lap and cling to him; tell him everything, and especially how sorry she was. "Heath doesn't work for me," was all he said. She took a deep breath. "I don't believe you." "I don't care if you believe me or not. I did work with him on some missions in Heaven though, before I Fell. He was a brutal bastard then, and he still is." "He Fell with you?" "He was Banished later," Athan said. "only after much public outcry for it. Banner loved him, as I recall." He finally looked her way again. "You don't have to worry about Heath anymore. You can consider your Earth mission successful." "Yes," she said. "Now, I just want to spend the rest of my time here with you." He was quiet for a long time, not meeting her gaze or even drinking. He seemed at war with himself inside. Then he turned to her and smiled, and it was so breathtaking, she nearly gasped. "Maybe I can talk you into Falling yet." She sat up straight. "Actually, you might be able to," she said with a smile that she didn't feel inside. She felt so wrong, and so confused about Athan. He turned, taking her drink and setting it down with his. Then he took ahold of her shoulders and pulled her to him, pressing her against himself. His lips came down and captured hers in a kiss that seemed to dissolve her mind. When he pulled back from exploring her mouth, she was left panting for more. She wanted him to kiss her like that again. There was no confusion; no thought involved. She felt free when he kissed her. "Damn it, I missed you." He reached over and started stroking her raven hair back from her face. "And, you look so hot. I like that you kept everything the same... you're eyes, your hair." He looked her up and down slowly. "I love everything about you." She was blushing as she felt his hot gaze traveling her body. She scooted a little further away on the couch. He picked up her glass and handed it to her. "So," he said, turning toward her and settling back into the couch with his glass. "What would you like to know?" She looked at him uncertainly. "What do you mean? About what?" He smiled. "I told you in Heaven that when we were somewhere alone, I would tell you anything. So, ask away." When she hesitated, he playfully patted the sofa as if to coax her on. "Come on, don't you want to know the secrets of the Universe? What killed the dinosaurs? Who built Stonehenge? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I know it all." She watched the angles of his face pull up into another beautiful grin. Though her head was spinning a little, the invitation to ask questions sparked her curiosity, and she felt encouraged by his suddenly light tone. "Ha. You're older than grass, aren't you?" she teased. "But you aren't THAT old and wise. Come on... you aren't one of the really, REALLY Ancient Ones... around since the Big Bang." He shook his head. "Why does everyone tell me that?" He was still smiling at her. It was affecting her ability to form words. He went on: "It's true, I opened my eyes for the first time when the dinosaurs were breathing their last." Virta nodded. "There must be thousands of angels who were there when the Universe was forming, who make you look like a toddler in the grand scheme of things." "But only about 300 of those really, really Ancient Ones - as you call them - are still alive. That's including the angels who Fell, those of us you call demons." He leaned back, still smiling at her. "Not that many, really, when you think of all the ages that have passed, and the uncountable number of angels they mass produce up there." She sighed. "Alright, Oh Elderly One..." They both laughed at that. "... tell me, why did you Fall?" She was sorry to see his brilliant smile fade. "To put it simply, there were those in authority who were running campaigns that I didn't agree with." "You mean General Banner?" He looked at the wall across the room, his expression hardening. "Yeah, he was definitely one of them. They were sending us down here to do terrible things. It wasn't about protecting. It wasn't even about avenging, other than petty, childish stuff." He sighed. "But Virta, that's not to say I'm innocent. I have done terrible things. Did they show you a video of me?" She nodded. "Yeah, I've heard they're showing that to the ones I've had contact with." He took another long drink. "Damn them." She wondered who else - what other female angels like herself - he'd had contact with. Who else had he wooed out of Heaven? She realized, she was jealous. "What have you done exactly?" She shuddered as she thought back to his battered face on the video; to his broken voice as he retold the horrible things he'd done to humans. He didn't answer. He was rubbing his forehead with the fingers of one hand. Finally, he spoke. "I didn't do all the things you hear on the tape." Athan sighed. "I got tired of being controlled, ordered around, made to do things against what I believed. I wasn't a mindless drone like some of them." "So they kicked you out?" "They kicked a bunch of us out. But not me. They didn't want to lose me, I guess. Thought they could change me. I was tortured a really long time..." Athan set his jaw, turning to stare at the wall ahead. "I thought if I stayed around, I could work from the inside and help those of my friends who Fell. Try to change things in Heaven for the better. But that didn't last long. They just wanted to use me as their killing machine. Like before." "So you Fell?" "Yeah. I'd had enough. I saw friends being blown up like bombs... just like they tried to do to you. I saw good angels under extreme duress from the Higher Authority, doing terrible things they wouldn't normally do. It was making me crazy. There were experiments on some of the angels. I know you met Song... Banner's Secretary?" She nodded, remembering the bland woman with the dull, monotone voice. "Once, she had the finest voice in Heaven..." The way his voice trailed wistfully, Virta knew he was back somewhere in history in his mind, sometime long before she was even thought of. "Her singing gave rise to that expression, 'the voice of an angel'," he said. "That is, until they went to work on her." His voice was bitter. Virta just sat there, taking it in. "Nobody would listen to the case I had against Banner. The corruption went too high." Neither of them spoke for a moment. He suddenly looked at her. "So you must be pretty tired?" She picked up her glass and fidgeted with the stem. "I didn't think I'd be able to sleep, but the wine is helping me relax. I'm just so tired, and maybe a little disoriented still." "A good night's sleep should fix that." He touched her cheek and she felt electric fling through her body. "Do you need something to eat?" he asked. "No, I've had enough food for the day." "I know you've gotta be exhausted. You can sleep in my bed," he offered. She raised one eyebrow. She started to say that she'd stay on the couch. But she needed to get him vulnerable and slap the relic on him. Didn't she? He must have thought the look on her face was from worry. He laughed. "I was gonna take the couch." "You don't want to sleep with me tonight?" she asked. He just stared at her. "Hell yeah; I want you bad. But we need to clear some things between us first. That's better left to tomorrow when we've had rest and we're thinking clearly." They set their wine glasses down at the same time. She suddenly flew into his lap, throwing her arms around him. It was desperation. She was torn between her fear of failing and Banishment, and her heart for this demon. "I need you now." He untangled himself from her, depositing her back on the sofa. When she looked up a second later, he was already on the other side of the room, leaning his back against the wall, holding onto it as if for support. "Sorry, my patience has been worn a little thin today," he said. "I know I've said it before, but it's been a long, hard day in the field. I don't really trust myself at the moment." He crossed his arms over his broad chest. Then he raised his head and looked her in the eye. "I don't have to be a mind reader to know what's going on with you, Virta." "What do you mean?" She swallowed. "I'm not stupid. There's too much that doesn't add up. I know I'm your mission..." Her eyes got wide but she shook her head. "It's OK, I'm not going to punish you for telling me the truth. I'm a man who values the truth very much. But I don't tolerate those who lie to me." "You're wrong," she said in a soft voice. "I'm here for you, it's true. But in a different way..." He crossed back over to the couch and sat down again. When he turned to her, his voice and eyes were pleading, urgent. "Tell me everything now, and I promise it will be OK. If you wait and I find out something different... well, I can't make any promises on how I'll react, Virta." His hand went to his chest then, as if he had a weight on his heart. "I have some scars... emotional, mental, and I can't seem to help myself like I can help others. I have a special abhorrence for betrayal, for lies... for relics. " She picked up her glass and took another sip. "You'll get none of that from me," she said. She didn't know if that was true, but at that moment, she wanted it to be. She felt something for him. Trust, even. It made no sense after what she'd had drilled into her head about him for the last two weeks. But it made perfect sense when she was with him. He wasn't looking at her anymore, just staring at the wall on the other side of the room. She waited for him to say something. She was not expecting what he said next, or the evil tone of voice in which he said it. "You know, just because I can't read your mind... I could make you tell me everything that was in your mission profile." Her heart thudded to the floor. She'd heard that from another demon tonight. Heath would do that, sure, but Athan? Of course he would. He'd do anything he had to do. Well, so would she. Fearfully, she made her voice as accusing as she could. "You don't trust me!" He finally looked over at her with tired eyes. There was something else in them... sadness? "I want to trust you. You probably feel the same way about me." She nodded, eyes wide. "Just don't betray me, Virta. Others have tried, and failed." "I won't." He sighed. "I'll admit that I'm tempted, but I'm not going to make you recite your mission profile. I just can't do that to you." He looked her in the eyes. For the hundredth time that night, she was grateful for the device in her ear that prevented him from reading her thoughts. "I don't trust you completely, Virta. And it's not your fault. I know what they did to you." She just looked at him. "So, I'm asking you nicely. What is really going on?" "Nothing. I just wanted to meet up with you again. I want to hear what you have to say about Falling. I want to know things." He nodded. "They gave you a relic for Heath though, right?" Her heart skipped an anxious beat. "Yes, but I lost it in the alley." A lie. "Don't think about using one of those on me. I had that happen before. Never again. I won't be so forgiving to the next person who tries it." She just looked at him. What was she supposed to say to that? "No," she said, "I believe everything you said to me back in Heaven. I've had plenty of time to think it over. I want to be with you... in every way possible." He looked at her, looked away, and then back at her. His expression was unreadable. "I'm sorry for sounding so... mean, Virta. I just wanted to get that out in the open right away. It's my one thing... being lied to, relics... it's what I have no patience for." He reached over and took her hand. "I want to take our time and get to know each other. No secrets between us." "I understand. I want to be able to talk to you about everything that went on with me up there the last two weeks. I want to tell you everything. But right now, I just want to forget. I just need to BE with you." Falling Hard Ch. 11 She looked directly into his eyes. It was impossible to do anything about what his eyes were doing to her. How was she going to get control of him if she had no control when he merely looked at her? "Can you stop doing that, that thing with your eyes? I can't concentrate; can't think." He looked away. "Sorry," he said. "I forget about that all the time. No, there's really nothing that can be done about it." He looked back at her, but instead of her eyes, he was staring at her mouth. "Oh," was all she said. Of course he'd say that. He was a liar, right? But it was harder to think bad things about him. The more time she spent with him, the more her defenses were shattering. For a moment, she didn't fear the General or his Banishment Order. Maybe Athan could keep her from going to the Mines... and Hell. The more he touched her and kissed her, the more he got inside her with those obsidian eyes...she was fast losing all her fear and suspicion. Part of her knew this was very dangerous. She was in his place; she didn't know how to get out. He could do anything he wanted. She was no better off than Mandi had been with Heath. Her resistance training had gone out the window too. Maybe he'd done that to her on purpose. He could be manipulating her right now. No. She set her glass down just in time to prevent spilling her wine. Her mind had had enough... it could take no more of the fear and the waffling back and forth. Her feelings for him had broken through strong and clear. And physically, she was experiencing a rush of emotion that made her whole body shake. Virta might have fallen off of the sofa if his strong arms hadn't shot out to catch her. He pulled her against his wide, muscular chest. She felt safe there, she realized. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked, looking down into her eyes. "It's all too much. I mean, I can't THINK anymore. I just want you to hold me, make love to me." She opened her eyes, looking directly up into his black ones, knowing there was no escape. "I don't even care if it's wrong or right. I don't care what is causing me to feel this way for you, or what the consequences are. Just take me now." He cocked one eyebrow up as he studied her. "I'd like nothing more than to take you right now. But I don't know if it's a good idea tonight. Not with so much between us that hasn't been sorted out." "I don't know what I'm sure about. Except my body is sure it wants yours. So, go with that." She reached up and pulled him down into a deep, longing kiss. He raised up for a moment and then dived in again. It was exactly what she'd hoped for - all her conflicting thoughts scattered to the wind as her body's response to him took over. His kisses grew a little more passionate, as if he was testing her to see if she really meant what she said. Virta felt heat and wetness between her legs, her response to his expert touches and kisses. She trembled as she thought of what lay ahead before the night was over. Her nipples pushed out of the thin material of her top and brushed against his chest. She heard Athan groan and then he lifted her off the seat and into his arms. "You're not gonna just do it right here?" she asked, surprised. He chuckled. "I have a huge bed. Don't you think you'll be more comfortable there?" She nodded. He carried her easily, covering the distance to his bedroom in no time at all. A massive bed took up most of the space. It looked inviting and scary at the same time. She knew what would happen in there. Just like what happened to Mandi. But Mandi was experienced. And Virta had never done more than kiss. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her close. She was standing between his muscular thighs, holding onto his shoulders, exploring his hot, sensual mouth with her tongue. Then he tugged her down onto his lap, where both of her knees went on each side of his thighs, straddling him. She could feel his erection pressing between her legs. Through her jeans, she could tell - it was huge. How was that going to fit, no matter how much stretching she could do? By the time she could take that thing inside her tiny hole, the night would be over. His touches, his kisses were very gentle, as if he sensed her fear and was trying to calm her, but also arouse her. "I've never done this before," she whispered when he had her on her back. Her jeans were removed, but she was still wearing the new, white cotton panties that Mandi had given her. He was on his side against her, propped up on one arm while one of his powerful legs was crossed over both of hers. His free hand stroked up and down the curve of her hip. She felt comfortingly trapped by him. "I know," he said, stroking the side of her face as he looked into her eyes. "Are you afraid?" "Kind of." "We don't have to go all the way tonight." "No, I want you." "I want you too. God, it's hard to hold back, I want you so much. But I don't think you really know what you want tonight. You - " "No," she interrupted. "I don't want to talk. I just want to feel. Make love to me... please." Then he leaned over her and took her mouth with a kiss that left her breathless and made her ache with pleasure between her legs. His hands brushed down the sides of her body while he moved his lips down her neck, across her collarbone, and lower still... Pulling down the top of her blouse just a couple of inches, he kissed the untouched skin on her chest, where the upper swell of her breast began. She was wet between her legs. Her breasts and nipples were tingling in anticipation of his large, hot hands all over them. "Wait," she said. He pulled back. "I want to go... for a minute, freshen up." He rolled off of her. It was so hard to stop. But she needed a moment before she reached the point of no return. She went into the den and grabbed her bag from the floor near the sofa, digging through it as she walked into the bathroom. When she had freshened up, she tossed the handbag back on the counter top. But she remembered Mick's device. She was in a pocket. She could check in with him. It would be nice to hear his smiling voice right now, reassuring her about her first time with a man. She pulled the device out of her bag and pressed the button. "Mick, are you there?" she whispered. Silence, then soft static, a pause, and then, "Yes, Virta, I'm here." "Oh, thank god. It's so good to hear your voice again." "I'm glad you're OK. I've only been able to keep tabs on things a little bit so far." "Mick, I have to tell you something." "Yeah? What is it?" "Athan. He's not what everyone said." "You're with him? Oh my god, Virta." "He's not hurting me. He's never hurt me, and all the things you heard and saw on the videos... all lies. It's just brainwashing, Mick." Silence. "Mick?" "Yeah, I'm here." He sounded unhappy. "I can't do anything to hurt him. I... I love him." "He's making you say this, Virta? He's got you under his control?" "No, please believe me. This is the real me. I'm getting ready to make love with him. I guess you can collect that manna after all." A long pause. "Mick? Are you still there?" "You're in danger, Virta. Come on, just get out of there if you can. Do you want me to get you some help?" "No, that's what I'm trying to tell you. I don't need any help. I think... I think I'm going to stay down here, with him." "What? Virta, no! Do not do that. Please. You don't know what you're doing." "I trust him, Mick. I'm at least going to stay down here with him a few more days. Then, I should know what my final decision is." He didn't say anything for a while. And then: "Virta?" "Yes, Mick?" "Are you telling me with absolute certainty that you really want to do this?" "I don't know anything for sure, except that I want him." There was a sigh from Mick's end. "I can see your location now, " he said. Why did that send a chill down her back? This was Mick, her best friend. She trusted him with her life. "I know you gave me this device so you could check up on me; make sure I was OK. It's just between me and you, right? Nobody else will see it?" There was a long silence from Mick. "Please, Mick." Just more silence. And then: "Virta, I want you to do something for me right now." "Yes? What is it?" "Destroy the device I gave you. Now." "Why? I won't be able to talk to you anymore." "That's the idea." "What are you saying? You're not angry with me are you? Because of Athan?" "Just do as I ask." She'd never heard this tone of voice from Mick before. He sounded different. It spooked her. "OK, I'll do it. But how will I talk to you?" "You won't." "What? And you're OK with that? 'Cause I'm not." "You can't have it both ways, Virta. You can't have everything." His voice softened a little. "You're gonna Fall." "What?" "I think I know you better than anyone these last 2,000 years. You're happy; I can hear it in your voice. And if you're happy, then... I'm happy for you. But, you're gonna Fall. You know it, I know it." "No, I don't know anything." "Honestly, it's safer for you to do it while you're already down there. If you and the demon care for each other, then he can protect you." He sighed. "I can't talk to you anymore after you Fall. You know how it works." She felt herself tearing up. "What? Just like that?" "It's rules and regulations, Virta." She couldn't speak. When she did, her voice was shaking. "You're my best friend, Mick." "You need to stop being so naïve, Virta." "What's that supposed to mean?" He sighed. "I've always taken care of you, looked out for you. Haven't I?" "Yes," she said. "I know I've taken you for granted. A lot. I'm sorry, Mick. You've been the best friend ever." "You need a clean break for what you're doing, Virta. I'm giving you that. I'll cover for you one last time. They won't know about the transmission from that pocket. But after this... we're enemies." She stood there in shocked silence. She couldn't take that in. Not now. What was she supposed to say? She heard him tell her again to break the device. "Break it?" "Yes. Do it." "I take it the device wasn't just for talking with you, was it?" No answer for a moment. Tears rolled down her cheeks then. "Did they put you up to it?" "I said I know you better than anyone else... but you didn't know me as well as you thought. I'm terminating this conversation now, Virta." There was a pause, and then she heard Mick's voice one last time. "Goodbye, angel." A click, and then he was gone. She stared down at the device in her hand for only a moment. Then, she looked around the bathroom for something heavy. There was a full can of shaving cream in the cabinet over the sink. She took it and set the device down on the floor, slammed the can down on it. The device broke in half. She threw the pieces into the wastebasket. How had things become so complicated? The scent of sandalwood soap wafted up, reminding her of him - the man waiting for her in his bed. She gave herself, her virgin self, a final look in the mirror. She walked back to Athan's bedroom. He met her at the door, a strange look on his face as he peered down at her. "What was that noise?" he asked. "Noise?" "I thought I heard you talking to someone, and something breaking. What were you doing?" She didn't know where to look. "I was just, uh, talking to myself. It's a bad habit." He just looked down at her. Was he buying it? He didn't say anything. There was fear burning in the pit of her stomach. "And I was, uh, snooping in your medicine cabinet. I dropped your shaving cream. Sorry." "Alright," he said in a strange tone. "Well, it's my turn in there." She walked back into the bedroom and climbed up on the huge bed. She lay there, nervous, excited. The problem with Mick - she wouldn't worry about that right now. He was just nervous about what she was doing. She'd find a way to get through to him, make him see they didn't have to be enemies at all. That was ridiculous. The two of them, enemies? She couldn't even imagine such a thing. He'd been her best friend for 2,000 years. No, she'd make him understand. But later. She was about to lose her virginity to the hottest man she'd ever laid eyes on. Well, not exactly a man... a demon. Granted, a very gentle, sexy demon. Was she was doing this in the line of duty? No. She felt something for him. It was as if all her brainwashing fell away when she'd looked into his eyes, when he kissed her. She loved him, as impossible as it seemed. She'd have to talk to him; tell him everything. But talk was for later. Right now, her body was zinging with anticipation of what they would do. She craved more of his touches, his mouth on her... all over her. Falling! She could do it, she realized, if it meant she wouldn't be punished, and that she could be with Athan. She didn't know him, not really. None of this made any sense. But that's why it was perfect. There was no thinking required of her. Her poor brain could rest while her body experienced pleasure. She heard him running water in the sink in the bathroom, and then silence. She couldn't wait for him to slide into bed with her again; couldn't wait to feel his soft, gentle touches as he made sweet love to her all night long. Virta heard his footsteps coming her way. * Thank you for the votes and feedback. I have tried to answer the emails that had addresses with them; nobody was missed intentionally. This chapter is twice as long as the average chapter I've submitted before. I had several days off work, and wrote on this one as much as I could. It's a lot of work, but a labor of love, as I just can't NOT write this story. Thanks again. Falling Hard Ch. 12 Athan was leaning over the sink, splashing water on his face. He looked up into the mirror as he dried off with a towel. He didn't feel entirely right about doing this with Virta tonight. She needed more time to adjust, to orient herself. And he was just tired and on edge from everything. The fighting, the work; it never ended, but today had been especially bad. First thing that morning, he'd had word that Rose was seen in the area, and that disturbing news had grated at the back of his mind the whole day. It had been a very hard day in the field, with lots of casualties. He'd watched one of his oldest and closest friends nearly die on the battlefield: Bel had taken a hit that was meant for him. Then, he was at Bel's side when word came that Virta and Mandi were at that club with Heath. He'd had to rush to get to them. And it looked like he was just in time. Some things continued to bother him. Why didn't Virta have backup? No weapons, either. One of his men had done a cursory search of her place earlier, and nothing turned up. It made no sense. Heaven had an arsenal at their disposal. She had no protocol... unless she just hadn't followed it. Well, there were a lot of things tonight that didn't add up. He wished it was just as simple as they'd brainwashed her into obedience and sent her down here on a mission to protect the human. But he knew better, and he didn't like this feeling of mistrust between them. What he should do if he had any sense, was just crawl onto the couch, away from her tempting body, and let the both of them sleep. They could start fresh tomorrow, after a long, leisurely breakfast that he'd make for her. But he wanted her. Now. He'd wanted her since he first saw the photos of her in Heaven. And even more so when he'd met her in person. Now, with her human body and all its lush curves, his desire was damn near overwhelming. The image came into his mind of her wild, dark hair falling around her shoulders; her vibrant, sea green eyes; and, those new curves that made him forget all the sense in his head. And she wanted him just as much. She'd practically begged him to take her. She'd thrown herself at him. How good it would feel after a day like this to find release inside her body. It was oh so tempting. But he wanted it to be different, at least for her sake. He would take all night, and make slow, achingly sweet love to her. Based on her profile and what he knew of her so far, she was the type who would want her first time to be special, not something to just be over and done with. God, as much as his body ached to be inside her right now, it was going to be a true test of his patience and self-control to go as slow and easy as she would need the whole night long. Suddenly, his eye was drawn to the edge of the sink. Something shiny winked at him from inside Virta's handbag. Athan's muscles, his heart, seized up involuntarily at the mere site of it. He took a breath, and reached for it. It fit neatly in the palm of his hand. Such a tiny device. Seemingly, just a stunning work of art. But he knew what it could do... what it HAD done to him before. Never again. * * * Ten years ago. Barely a blink of an eye in time to him. Rose had shown up on his radar as a possible recruit, someone who wasn't going to settle for the status quo. She'd actually got word down to him through secret channels. Her background check had been fine. And, he recognized that she was someone special. Someone with untapped strength and abilities. He knew how to bring them out for use in this war. He'd made multiple covert trips to Heaven to spend time with her. He'd fallen in love. He even Partnered with her in a secret ceremony to show her his commitment, his love for her. But it wasn't going to last as long as she remained up there. It was getting more and more dangerous for him to visit her each time. He tried to convince her to Fall. Rose said she wanted to Fall. But when he'd come to help her escape Heaven, she was paralyzed with fear, unable to go any further. Agents were coming. It was a narrow escape for himself. Then, the very next day, she was on Earth. It was a surprise for him, she said, and safer for her that way, rather than trying to escape Heaven illegally. She had an assignment, and again, it checked out on his side. Rose confided that her real reason for being down there was to get out of Heaven and spend the rest of her life with him. He was so happy to be with her on Earth. Athan hadn't said anything, but he didn't like the fact that Rose looked nothing like herself in Heaven. Still, it was her in spirit and he knew he'd come to get used to her face and her tiny body. He was just thrilled to have her by his side. They were planning their existence together. Things were perfect. One night during sex, Rose pulled a relic from beneath the pillow and his horror had begun. When the device made contact with the skin over his heart, delicate curved spikes materialized from it, puncturing deeply into his flesh. Immediately, Athan collapsed on the bed, on top of Rose. She made an angry noise and worked to roll him off of her. He went in and out of consciousness at first, but quickly became all too aware again. His body was filled with pain. He felt dizzy, confused, nauseous and filled with a crushing weight of fear and despair. Instantly, he wished for death, anything to relieve the agony. She laughed at him. It was like she was a different person. She told him the truth - for the first time. She never loved him, never wanted to do more than turn him over to Banner, who was the one she really wanted: Banner could give her the power she desperately craved. Rose said that Athan was her ticket to the highest position Banner could bestow. All she had to do was bring him in. But first, she was going to have fun and slake her thirst for his blood and tears. He'd only been able to say a few things after the relic pierced into his body and soul. "Why?" he gasped. "I love you, Rose." That just brought a smirk onto her face, and she laughed. She reminded him that he'd stood in the way of Banner before, tried to bring him down. He'd been a thorn in Banner's side for millenia. Now, she would be Banner's instrument of revenge for him on Earth. Then, she would deliver him straight to the General himself. Whatever happened to him back in Heaven, he more than deserved it. She'd tortured him, and even invited other angels into the pocket to witness the abuse and humiliation. Some took part. Others just watched. It was not everyday they got to see one of the Most Wanted, helpless and available for them to vent their own frustrations and feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness. Some were jealous that Rose was the one to bring him in. He was abused in every way possible. And the whole time, he was like a rag doll in their hands. He could barely moan to relieve his physical pain. The damned thing had taken everything from him by then, including his voice. Finally, the other angels left and it was just Athan and Rose again. She finally seemed bored with him. But there was no healing balm for his wounds now. Rose knelt down beside him and grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling his face roughly toward her. "God, I still can't believe how easy it was to get to you," she spat at him. "And you're supposed to be this big, bad nightmare from hell? Ha. Look at you now. A little love and you're like puddy in my hands." She dropped his head back to the floor and stood up. Rose walked around his battered body. "Banner is gonna have even more fun with you up there. I can't wait to watch. Thanks to you, I've got it made for eternity." She turned and kicked him. "How did you stay alive and out of Heaven's clutches all this time? I guess nobody played you as well as I did, getting you to put down your natural defenses." She giggled. "Well, just know that you were brought down low by little ol' me" She kneeled down beside him again and pulled out a lighter. Rose flicked it a few times in his face, and then she lowered it to his chest and burned him. Like the rest of the torture, he was unable to respond, let alone protect himself. Finally, she tossed the lighter away. "Have you had enough?" she asked. He couldn't answer. "I guess not. Just one more thing I want to do. I think I'll completely neuter you before I hand you over." She laughed. "It's kind of a shame though. I mean, that's the only useful thing about you. You're fantastic in bed. But baby, you weren't my first. If there's one thing I found out about Earth guys the moment I touched down, it's that they want to fuck me." She laughed again. She reached into her bag for a knife, one of many weapons Banner had given her. She pulled out the gleaming weapon and held it in front of his face. Then she trailed the tip of the blade down his naked, bloody, damaged body. Going lower still... There was a terribly loud noise as if the pocket exploded around them... * * * Athan shook his head, turning back to the door of the bathroom. He gripped the door frame with one hand, steadying himself. His other hand squeezed the tiny device. He, who was always in control, was breaking out in a cold sweat, shaking. So, Virta had lied. She said she lost the relic in the alley. But there it was in her bag. It was for him. Or, maybe she had another one back in the bedroom with her, waiting for him to come in, waiting for a time when he would be vulnerable. Anger flared through him. No - intense rage. The memories of the past when he'd been betrayed by people he cared about continued to flood in. He'd vowed he would never feel that helpless again. Virta wasn't as innocent as she put on. They'd made her into a lethal soldier after all, just of another sort... one who'd sacrifice her virginal body to get the job done. To Virta, it was all in the line of duty. Like Rose, she probably volunteered. A part of him couldn't help but admire that. He'd always been ruthlessly efficient himself. So, he was her mission, her job. Virta thought she was tough enough to come here and fuck him and turn him over to Banner? She was just going to use her body and the relic. She was that confident in herself. He smiled faintly. He'd almost bought her innocent act. Almost. He'd nearly done it again. What was the matter with him lately? These last ten years, he'd become soft, lonely... wanting a companion, a Partner. Seemingly risking everything he and so many others had worked for, for what? Love? He wanted to believe it was real, but it wasn't... not for him. He had too many responsibilities, too much work. Was he just getting tired? Was he secretly wanting it all to be over? Giving in? Maybe he was tired of the fighting in what seemed like an eternal, costly war. Bel had told him before that he needed a break. Just take some time to rest, to fight the burn out. So, when Virta got here, that was what he was intending to do. There were others who could step in, at least for a while. Virta. Some of his associates had warned him against having anything to do with her. It wasn't that they knew her personally, just that they remembered what had happened before, when he'd let someone into his heart, as well as his bed. It was in times like those that their commander might let his guard down... with deadly consequences for him, for them, for the cause. Now Virta was in his bed, waiting. She was begging him to do her, well, he'd do her alright. He'd teach her not to fuck with him. Who did she think she was? He didn't battle his way down the ages and survive this long just to get fucked over by this little bitch. Letting his guard down once, with Rose, was the first and last time. It was remarkable how much anger he felt. It literally flowed through him. She didn't know who she was messing with. She was about to find out. He weighed the ancient object in his hand, smoothing the delicate surface with large fingertips. It looked oh, so innocent, just like Virta. But he knew just what it could do to him. What it had done to him. She wanted to slap it on him, well she should know what it felt like first. He tore through the bedroom door, not bothering to close it, let alone lock it. She would never make it to the door anyway. * * * Virta had been lying on top of the bed, soothing herself with the scent of Athan everywhere around her. She anticipated his gentle touches, couldn't wait to look into his eyes as he made love to her for the first time. She heard quick footsteps, and looked up. She sat up immediately when Athan barged into the doorway, filling it with his large, hulking form. His fists were clenched, and when she looked up into his dark eyes, she had to jerk her own away out of reflex. He was seething. He actually looked like an evil demon. Rage was written all over his features. And it was all turned on her. His rage was because of her? How had he changed so quickly? "W-what's wrong?" she managed to get out. All her alarm bells were going off. Danger! they screamed. She moved off the bed and backed into the corner, never taking her eyes off him. He seemed in no hurry. As angry as he looked, his movements were slow, controlled. He was coming toward her. She saw an opening and dashed toward the door. One large hand shot out and snatched her arm, jerking her back in front of him. "Going somewhere?" he asked. The tone in his voice was frightening. "You haven't changed your mind about fucking me, have you?" His hands wrapped around her upper arms, tightly this time, hurting her. He pushed her up against the wall, sliding her body straight up so she was at eye level with him. Her bare feet dangled below. Virta looked from them, back up to him. He was holding her in place with one hand. The other hand held the relic up in her face. "Brought me a little present from the General?" he hissed. "I think it would look better on you." Her mind didn't register what he was doing. He'd found that? In her bag? Oh... right. Oh, shit! "Do you even know what this does?" He began to inch it toward her chest. She felt crackling and stinging zaps of electricity as it neared the flesh over her heart. Even the proximity of it to her body was causing her to lose control. Or was that her sudden terror of this new, demonic Athan? Some small part of her feared this was the real Athan after all... "You lose your whole self while you're wearing it." Her eyes flashed back to his blackened, violent ones. "It nearly takes your soul," he continued. "It makes you a slave, unable to do what you want. Takes away your power. Which is what you want to do to me, isn't it?" "No, I DON'T want to do that!" He dropped the hand that was holding her up against the wall, simply took it off of her. She fell down and backwards against the wall, catching herself before she could pitch forward onto the floor. His back was already to her. He didn't seem worried she would escape. Instead, he was pacing around a bit, casually tossing the relic up and down, catching it in his hand as he spoke. "Virta, I'm impressed." His tone was one of wistful appreciation. "Such quality... you brought only the best for me. This is an older, top of the line, heavy-duty binding device." Suddenly, he turned and caught her frightened eyes in a black glare such as she'd never seen before. "It's not the cheap trash that they mass-produce today." If she lived through this, she never wanted to see that look in his eyes again; never hear that tone in his voice. But she was assuming much that she would even make it through the next five minutes. Her only thought was to stay alive, moment by moment. He set it down on the nightstand. "It's not like I need it anyway. You're nothing to subdue, do you understand that, Virta? You're nothing." She just looked up at him, wide-eyed, the color draining from her face despite the touch of sun earlier. He was just standing there by the bed, looking at her. "What's the matter, lover? Cat got your tongue?" He had to have seen her body shaking from fear. She tried to say something, but her mouth wouldn't form the words she wanted to say. He walked back over to her, hands on each side of her, caging her to the wall. His head bent down and he looked up into her eyes, as if trying to decipher her hysterical mutterings. "What was that, Virta?" he asked, cocking an ear toward her. "You said, 'You're just a job to me', right?" Her lips trembling, she did manage to whisper, "It's more complicated than that." He ignored her and began planting kisses on her cheek, then down the side of her neck. She felt his hot breath on her skin. He was gentle. She started to feel hopeful. But then he began to speak between his kisses: "Virta, I want you to imagine a situation where you're completely helpless... powerless..." He pulled back and when she looked up into his eyes, they didn't seem to be seeing her anymore. His voice was also devoid of emotion as he went on: "Imagine that you're at the mercy of someone sadistic; someone else who has all the power..." He picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. She scrambled to the other side, trying to make it to the floor. Athan leaned over and grabbed her legs. He flipped her onto her back and slid her body underneath his. She found herself looking up into his angry face. "...then, you'll get some idea of what it is to have that fucking thing inside you!" She soon became suffocated by his lips on hers. His lips, his hands, seemed to be everywhere at once. She was overwhelmed from being man-handled. Suddenly, he grabbed her top and wrenched it from her body. She was now naked except for her dainty, white underwear. His big hand was reaching for those next. She found her voice, her strength, and began to protest with all she was worth. The shock had worn off. Or maybe it had just set in. She'd known this could happen on her assignment. It had been drilled into her that as a soldier in the war between "good and evil", contact with a demon could have ugly, nasty consequences, including torture... of all kinds. She was able to look at it that way on one hand, but on the other hand, this wasn't just an enemy in bed with her. She loved this demon. She fought all the harder for that reason. Although she knew it was useless - he had the physical strength of a god - she struggled and fought as hard as she could. He had no trouble holding her down, as if she wasn't fighting him at all. "Stop it, Athan! What are you doing?" But he'd stopped talking to her. It was eerily silent in the room apart from her panting, gasping, protesting. His heavy breathing caressed her ear. With the flick of a wrist, the panties that were the last barrier between her soft, delicate parts and his hard, punishing one, were gone. "Why are you doing this?" God, why wasn't he talking to her? He was completely ignoring her, with his head turned away. It was like he was just doing a job with cold-blooded expertise: he was methodically, wordlessly, efficiently taking her. He raised up and pulled his t-shirt off. She saw the hard, rippling muscles. His chest was smooth, but for the scars. She wanted to reach up and stroke them with her fingers, but it was impossible. Her whole body was pinned between his powerful thighs. Then he was undoing his pants. Soon, they were on the floor with the rest of their clothes. His entire glorious, golden body was rising over her like the sun. She could only stare at the tan, sculptured muscles. There wasn't an ounce of him that wasn't hard. His was a body deserving of worship, she thought somewhere in the back of her mind. How she wished she could take her time and touch every part of him. Falling Hard Ch. 12 But looking down, she was distracted by something else: his huge erection that she knew he was meaning to shove into her body. It was true - he was just an evil demon like Heath. How stupid could she be? But no, a part of her still refused to believe this was happening. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Surely, he could be reasoned with. "Stop, I don't want to do it... like this," she panted as his hands went roughly over her body. She didn't like that it was doing something to her, arousing her - down there. He moved back. Maybe he was finally listening. No. He put both hands on her thighs and parted them, holding her legs wide open. She gasped as he moved one large finger down between her legs and touched her clit softly, caressing it. It was like a pleasant torture with the nerves in her body strung tight, begging for more. Then he slid his fingertip down to her tight opening. Despite her fear, his expert touch had wetness dripping from between her legs. That shouldn't be happening. It was as if her body had a mind of its own, not listening to the warning in her head. He hadn't made eye contact since he'd had her against the wall. She was terrified at the soulless look in those midnight eyes. No emotion there, unless it was lust. He tested the entrance to her body once more. Then, he pulled his wet finger away and licked it. "Ready enough," he said. To himself? Then he moved so he could enter her. She screamed. "Stop it, no, please! Not like this! I'll tell you anything you want, you can even make me tell you, I don't care, anything you want to know. Just talk to me, please... talk to me." She was sobbing hysterically now. Finally, he spoke: "Scream all you want. Nobody can help you." The coldness in his voice shocked her. She didn't scream anymore after that. Her mind needed something it could control in order to be sane, and it could at least control the volume of her voice. But now she begged and pleaded with him over and over. Finally, she heard him sigh. "This is really getting old. I should just make you shut up so I don't have to hear this." She couldn't breathe. He'd really said that horrible thing to her. She hadn't been expecting him to be so... evil. But why not? He WAS evil. She just couldn't believe it now. She felt like this was a nightmare, not real. This was the same guy that had her laughing on the couch earlier while they sipped wine like good friends. He would stop this madness anytime now, wouldn't he? She had one hand free suddenly, and she reached up to touch his face. Maybe she could get him to look her in the eyes. Maybe with his power he could see the truth in there. But he jerked his face out of her hand and pushed it back down. "I thought you wanted me, Virta." His voice was light, but his eyes still wouldn't meet hers. "Not like this. This isn't you." "Maybe this IS me. The other Athan was just an act." "I don't believe that." At least he was talking to her now, addressing her as a person. "Why not? This is what they told you I do. This is why you're here for me." "I don't want to turn you in... even if I could. His voice instantly became loud and demanding, frightening her as he railed on and on: "I'm evil, Virta! Believe it! Which way are you going, Virta? You've got to make up your mind now. As they say up there, you're either for me or against me. No having it both ways; can't play on both teams, Virta!" His body moved over her. "Ready or not..." She was open and defenseless before him. "No, stop!" she cried. "I don't want to do this, not like this." It was probably nothing he hadn't heard a thousand times from a thousand virgins. Tears rolled down her cheeks. The head of his big cock was poised at her hot, dripping hole. Suddenly, he flipped her over onto her stomach. "I don't wanna look at your lying, betraying face while I fuck you," he said roughly. Virta was nearly hysterical, crying, but now her cries were muffled since she was face down on the bed. She got up on her elbows and tried to scoot forward, away from him. * * * He'd turned her over because he couldn't look her in the face anymore. He couldn't see her looking up at him that way as he tried to ignore her large, pleading eyes, filled with pain that he was causing. "No, not this way," she was crying. "Let me turn around so I can see you when you're doing it. So I can at least put my arms around you; hold onto you..." Damn, that did something to him, shattering open his already heavy conscience. "You're not an innocent, Virta. You're a lying cunt." "Yes," she sobbed. "But I love you, Athan." He paused. Damn the bitch. She would use those words, toss them around to save her ass. It wasn't the first time someone had told him that, and then tried to kill him. "You'll say anything to get yourself out of trouble." "I do love you. I'm begging you, please, don't do this... can we just talk about this?" Her ass was up; her tight, virgin hole was glistening. She wanted him whether she realized it or not. Then suddenly, all his anger left him. He let out his breath in one large whoosh of air. Virta's tear-stained, frightened face flashed in his mind. What the hell was he doing? He was not a rapist now on top of everything else. Virta WAS innocent. He'd been angry and freaked out about the relic... traumatic memories had overtaken him; and rage over Virta's deception. But this was not the way he would deal with it. Virta was just a pawn in a much larger game. Larger than she could even realize. She was not the same kind of hardened, brutal enemy he dealt with day in and day out. Virta was not Rose, the angel with the deceptively weak-looking human body that housed a powerful, deranged spirit. Damn, he was really going soft. Virta had a relic for him; he knew her real assignment was to bring him in. But looking down at her, he couldn't help but think 'so what?' This was not her fault. He could not be angry with her. He only felt pity for her. And, something else, but no, he wouldn't allow that emotion to rise in his heart. It only led him to pain and destruction before. * * * Virta closed her eyes, waiting for the invasion of his big cock into her impossibly tight hole. She knew he had every right to hate her. Because she HAD lied, she had fully intended to bring him in to the General to save her own skin. And he'd seen right through her feeble act. It had only been moments before that she realized she was going to do nothing to hurt him. That she loved him. But that realization had come too late. The General had warned her something like this could happen. But she just couldn't believe that Athan was really capable of it. Cries wracked her body, but it wasn't just for the pain of what was coming. It was more for what could have been between them. She did love him. Being with him, looking into his beautiful eyes, kissing his lips, her mistrust of him was gone. What they'd tried to force into her mind had crumbled when it came in contact with his presence, his soul. But it was all about to be ruined because of his unquenchable anger. God, what had they done to him to make him react to the relic like this? Nothing could work out between them after he tore up her body and heart. She felt the shift of his weight on the bed, the heat of his body as he moved himself closer. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself. All of her body was tensed up, even her inner muscles, as if that could keep him out. If he'd lined his cock up with her entrance and was going to plunge in, there was nothing she could do. But the assault on her body never came. She heard him sigh, groan. To her surprise, he moved from between her spread legs to a sitting position on the bed next to her. One of his thick, muscular thighs was filling her vision. She felt a sheet being pulled over her trembling, naked form. What was he playing at? How was he not pounding and stretching her senseless right now? She dared to look up. He wasn't looking down at her, but staring through the open bedroom door. His arms were crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the pillows. He finally spoke. His voice was weary, quiet, almost calm. But to her relief, it sounded more like his old self. "Banner isn't going to give you anything he promised. I think you know that, deep down. There's still a part of you they couldn't touch with their brainwashing. They must be holding something big over you. What is it, Virta? Is Banner threatening to send you to the Mines? Hell?" She didn't answer for a moment, just stayed there trying to get her head around the sudden change in her situation. "Yes, it's just like you said. But I changed my mind. I wasn't going to turn you in." He reached across her where the relic lay just inches from her fingers on the night stand. She saw him take it in his hand and then he was back in his spot against the headboard. "You should," he said. She turned over onto her back and slid up against the headboard, holding the sheet over her chest, protectively. There was at least a foot between their bodies. She didn't know what was coming next, but she didn't want to be flat on her back when it happened. She was amazed when she realized he was simply holding the relic out to her. She reached and took ahold of it without thinking. The shock that he was giving it back to her. Why? He was just sitting there, arms at his sides, staring ahead. Didn't he know she could use it on him? Was that what he wanted? She tossed it onto the floor. "I meant that I love you," she said. He muttered as he got up and picked her shirt and underwear up from the floor. They were ripped in pieces. He sighed and dropped them back on the floor. She watched as he went to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt. He was back at her side, holding it out to her. She took it but continued to sit there, unsure what to say. He seemed to be struggling for words too. He reached down like he intended to gently stroke her hair, but then pulled back his hand. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know those words aren't enough." "I'm sorry too, for - " "Come on," he interrupted. "I'll take you home." She shook her head. "I want to stay here." He looked down at her like she was crazy. "Virta, get up and put that on." She sighed, but she did climb out of the bed. She took the huge shirt and raised her arms to put it on. Before she dropped it over her head, she saw him looking at her body. He had a disgusted look on his face. She looked down at herself to see what it was that revolted him. There were bruises forming on her skin. He cursed under his breath. "Come on," he said when she was covered. The shirt reached nearly to her knees. "I'm gonna show you how to get out of here." They walked to the wall that had brought them into the pocket earlier that evening. He turned around and said, "First of all, I don't want you to be afraid of me, Virta." She looked at the floor, then back up at him. "Look, I know that sounds insane after what I just did.... but I'm hoping you'll believe me when I say that I'm not gonna hurt you." He seemed a little nervous now, his voice taking on a panicky tone, desperation. "That back there," he pointed to the bedroom, "that was evil Athan... the one who was afraid. Yeah, don't look so surprised at that. I've been afraid before, and when I saw the relic, I freaked out. I know there's no excuse for what I did. I'm sorry." "Apology accepted." "What? No. Don't make it easy for me. I'm not gonna make it that easy on myself." "I trust you." She saw him react to that, as though it startled him. "Should we destroy the relic?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "No," he said, "we may need it." "OK," she said. "I meant what I said. I love you." "Stop saying that." "You were right all along. We should have talked about things. We'll do that. Nothing held back, no more secrets. I promise." He didn't say anything to that, but pointed to the wall. "I'm going to show you how to get out of here." "You don't have to show me that tonight." Ignoring her, he said, "Look at this." He put his hand against the wall. "You get used to how it feels. One part of the wall will feel warm, barely vibrating... like it's not even solid." He had her stick out her hand. "Feel it?" "Yes." "OK, so now you know how to get out of a pocket. You'll get used to finding the spots. Then it just comes naturally." Virta nodded. She gingerly took Athan's hand to move him back to the bedroom. But he was unmovable, like a rock. "Get all your things," he said. "I'm taking you home." "What? I want to stay with you. We can just sleep, like you said." But he was already gone from her side, then back in an instant with her bag, jeans, and shoes. He handed them to her. Then he reached into his closet and took out a large jacket and draped it around her. "Let's go," he said. They went back to her apartment. He offered to get a cab, but no, she wanted to walk. He was mostly silent on the way, unless she asked him a question. He kept his answers short and brief. The only thing he wouldn't talk about, was what happened before, with the relic. They got to her door. Virta glanced down the building to see if any of Mandi's lights were on. "She's not there," he said. He took the key from Virta's hand and opened the door to her apartment. He flipped on the light and went in. Before she could step through the door, he was back at her side. "It's safe," he said. "I checked it out." "Oh, who do you think would be there?" He sighed. "You just never know." Virta came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, still in Athan's shirt. "I love your shirt," she said. "It smells like you, and it's so soft." "You can keep it." Minutes later, she was curled up on her twin bed. It was too small for the both of them, she realized unhappily. Athan sat on the floor by the bed, leaning against it. She snuggled under his jacket he'd spread over her. Between it and his shirt, she felt awash in his scent. She saw him by profile as a shadow in the dark. She laid a hand on his broad, thick shoulder. "Are you going to stay all night?" she asked. "No. But I'll stay until you fall asleep." She didn't want to fall asleep. She didn't want to waste any moment she had with him. She asked him more questions, and he answered them briefly. He must be very tired and wanting to go, she thought. She was tired too. And when she settled back on the pillow, she fell asleep. * * * She was out like a light. Athan sat by her side for another couple of hours, listening to her breathing. It brought comfort to him, somehow. He had to get his issues under control. Had to take charge of his own personal demons. Now. His pride could no longer stand in the way. He knew just who he needed to talk to. There was someone he'd been avoiding the issue with for years, since that person had come to his side in his greatest moment of need. Back when something happened that had damaged him inside and out. With everything else - Banner's deadly, cruel campaigns, the torture in Heaven - he'd been able to keep a small part of his soul untouched. But what Rose had done with the relic, nothing was left untouched. Since then, he could tell a decline in his work. He was getting sloppy. That would mean the death of him, sooner or later. And maybe those he cared about. He thought of Bel. He stood up, looking down at the sleeping woman in her bed. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She moved and at first he thought he'd woke her up. But she settled back down, a breathy coo on her lips. Athan left her apartment. Falling Hard Ch. 13 Virta sat in the coffee shop, in a corner by herself with her back to the wall so she had a clear view of the whole place. She didn't want to be around too many people, but she didn't want to be home by herself either. She just wanted to see Athan. But would he find her here? She stirred her coffee as she thought back over the day. Virta opened her eyes that morning to an empty apartment. A glance at the clock showed it was well past noon. She'd slept that long? In Heaven, she only needed a few hours of sleep each night. Wow. So much of the day was already gone. In the shower, she watched the water streaming down her body and saw no evidence of her rough, first day on Earth. No bruises. There should have been bruises – in the shape of fingerprints even, where Athan had squeezed into her flesh with his large hands. So, he must have "fixed" her in her sleep. She was grateful in a way, but then again, she found herself wondering what else he had tinkered with... her mind, possibly? No, she decided. After all, the memories of last night were as clear as a bell. Virta finished getting ready and walked down the building to Mandi's apartment. Nobody was home. She decided to go find Athan. But no matter how many times she walked and felt and searched for the pocket, it was gone. She was sure she wasn't just overlooking it. No, it was like it had never existed. She was getting funny looks from standing and walking with both arms out, feeling around in the air like a mime. Loneliness and sadness sunk in when she realized she wasn't going to find it. She stood there, lost in thought, as the crowd milled around her on the street. Where was Athan? Why was he avoiding her? Maybe that explained why he didn't wanted to stick around last night: he was itching to move out before she woke up and came looking for him. Her thoughts turned to Mick as she walked back to her apartment. She hadn't Fallen yet. It was not official. If only she could hear his voice. But, she had no way to talk to him now. And he considered her an enemy. Virta entered her apartment and shut the door. Immediately, she sensed that she wasn't alone. She turned around. There in front of her was a tiny woman. Virta recognized her instantly. She wouldn't forget the long blonde hair and the chocolate brown eyes. The woman from the video. "Hello, Virta. I'm Rose." "I know who you are. What do you want?" Rose smiled. "You were supposed to bring in Athan. But there's a problem. You aren't going to do it." "I don't see how it's any of your business. And, you broke into my home. I don't appreciate that." "It IS my business. Anything to do with Athan is my business. And I didn't break into your home. You forgot to lock the door." "Are you a demon?" Virta asked doubtfully. Perhaps demons weren't always strapping seven-footers... "No. Eww. Why would I be?" Rose's expression changed from disgust to one of amusement. "You think because I want to see your boyfriend get what he deserves that I'm evil? Just like you, I came down here on assignment to bring him in. Just like you, I played the convincing love-sick little angel for Athan. And then, when we made love, I put the relic on him." Virta gasped. "I was bringing him in when we were ambushed by his friend. I lost my weapons, my backup. They gave their lives so I could escape. I managed to hide for a couple days. When the time came, I had to go meet Banner, alone, in the dark. But Athan found me first." "I don't think I wanna hear what happened next." "Why not, girl? Face up to reality. But, I'll spare you all the unsavory details for now. Let's just say, he was going to kill me, but one of his men was there undercover, for Heaven. He worked with me. He convinced Athan to let him put me in a holding pocket for a while. That's when I made my escape." Rose smiled. "I've been biding my time, hiding out... until you came." "Me?" "Someone who had the means and position to bring him down. We'll work together. I already have word that your appointment has been moved up. Banner is meeting us tomorrow night." "Banner's coming here tomorrow?" No. This was all too soon. "I know he's disappointed in me," Rose said, twirling some hair in her fingers. "But I can still make it right. I can still have everything I want. And the same goes for you. You'll be rewarded." "I don't want any heavenly reward. And I won't work with you. I don't know you; I don't trust you." Without warning, Rose slammed a relic into Virta's chest. Virta fell to the floor in a heap as the power instantly drained from her cells. At first, she felt shock, confusion, but then her stomach and the room was swirling and her head was spinning, and the pain, oh the pain. She flickered in and out of consciousness, but unmercifully, her awareness returned and she was full of fear, helplessness. The worst part was the extreme emptiness inside her, as if her soul was being sucked away into the device clinging to her chest. Even her torture under Medic had never taken away her will to live. But this... She'd never felt anything like this. Instantly, she wished for death. She could hear and see and feel, but she was utterly, completely paralyzed. Her vocal chords wouldn't work. She couldn't even cry. She heard Rose's voice above her. "I found it in your half-eaten carton of ice cream," she said. "What can I say, I got hungry waiting around here for you. It seemed like forever passed, and then Rose said, "So, what do you think of the relic? Isn't that just the wildest thing? But don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Here, I'm taking it off of you. That proves you can trust me now." Virta lay sprawled on the floor for several minutes after the relic was removed. It was hard to recover. It was as if her whole body had fallen asleep and now it was painfully, slowly, waking up with sharp stabs and tingles. At least she had her voice again. "You fucking insane bitch," she gasped. "Come on baby girl, you must be tougher than that. I just had it on you for 10 seconds. When my friends and I were at parties, we would shove those on each other for a few minutes at a time, just for the fun of it. Well, it wasn't fun for the one wearing it." She laughed. "You're nuts. I'm not helping you. I could never do that to him. It's sealed in my mind now if it wasn't before. I will never put a relic on him." "Oh, but you will. Just wait til you've spent some more time around him. Don't think the two of you have anything together. He'll tell you shit in that smooth, seductive voice. He'll act all sweet. Here's a clue: It's called acting." Virta slowly got to her feet, using the wall for support. She wanted so much to shut this woman up, but she felt weak, drained. "You know, you talk a lot more now than you did in that video," she said. "It's annoying." Rose ignored that. "Banner told me he wasn't pleased with how things were going on your end. So, he wanted me to work with you. You really don't have a choice." Rose held up a small device and pushed a button. The General's unmistakable voice boomed out. "Tell that horny bitch, Virta, that if she doesn't work with you to bring Athan to me, that Mick is going down: to the Mines and Hell that is, after he's had about a month of torture. I've got some new talent in here. Would love to test them out on a paper-pusher like Mick. And I'll make sure he knows it's all her fault. Every bit of his pain and blood and suffering." There was a click. "No!" Virta was angry. They might do shit to her, but Mick was her best friend. He was just a good, decent guy. He didn't deserve this. She looked desperately into Rose's brown eyes. "You will do everything I say if you want your friend Mick to be OK." Tears started falling down Virta's cheeks. "What, you think Athan is going to change and become a cuddly little puppy in your arms? Don't be a fool, Virta. Learn from what happened to me. Even if he decided to keep you around a while, you wouldn't make it in his world. Heartbreak awaits you, girl." Virta didn't speak. How could this little woman be so menacing? "I used to be have a large, intimidating body in Heaven," Rose said, as if reading her thoughts. She sounded bitter and her face was twisted up in anger. "The agents in Sending didn't give me the body I chose for my mission. I think someone up there thought they could play a joke on me." Her eyes blazed with fury. "Just wait til I get back up there. They'll wish they'd never been made. Anyway, don't think for a minute, that just because I'm in a small package that I'm weak like you, you big-ass bitch." "God, how did Athan ever think he loved you?" Rose reached up and smacked Virta across the face. Virta gasped and held onto her cheek. "Because the whole thing was a mission from the start. The info he had in his file about me was planted there. There were people in his camp who were planted there, deep undercover. It was all a setup: a potential convert crying for help behind the walls of Heaven. A pretty one too. He couldn't resist. I just didn't count on getting caught. I was so close to delivering the goods to Banner." Rose was steaming mad. "It's no wonder he freaked out on me," Virta said. "I think he wanted so much to trust in me. But you damaged him. He came unglued when he saw the relic." When she heard that, Rose's expression went from anger to pure giddiness. She laughed and clapped her hands together in glee. "God, I wish I could have seen his face when that happened. I would have taken a picture. Priceless. The relic - it's like a trigger for him." Rose looked bright and cheerful at the thought of it. "I'm surprised he didn't just unleash himself on you. He has the powers of a god, you know." Virta shivered. "I don't even know where he is. The place he took me to last night is gone." "Hmm. Did you compromise it in any way?" Virta thought. "Well, I used a radio device in it that Mick had given me. But then I destroyed it, threw it in the trash." "Well, there you go, silly. He found it. I mean, he knows what those things are. He knows you gave him up to the General." "What? No. I said I destroyed it. And Mick wouldn't tell anyone where we were." "Oh, you'd be surprised what someone will do when their neck is on the chopping block. And Athan wasn't going to take a chance. He packed up and left, honey." She must have seen the look in Virta's eyes, because Rose quickly added, "Hey, it's not a problem for our mission. He's bound to come looking for you before the day is out." Virta swallowed. "Why?" "Why do you think? God, will you stop being so stupid?" Rose spat at her. "You're gonna have to play along, you dumb cunt. Do you get that, Virta? Play along!" Virta breathed out a huge sigh and shook her head. Finally, she looked at Rose. "I just don't know. I'm scared. Something could go wrong, like it did with you. How am I supposed to do this?" "OK, I get that you're the type that has to experience things yourself before you'll take action. Fine. You won't have a problem talking yourself into it after he starts savaging you in the sack. By the end of the night, after your body is all torn up... you'll wish you'd listened to me." Rose reached down and picked up her bag. "Put the relic on him, she said. "Then, call me. I'll come by. We'll take him to the General." Rose was smiling happily as she gave Virta her number. Virta opened her mouth, but Rose cut her off: "Don't say anything now. Wait. Wait until later tonight, tomorrow, I don't care. But you will call me." "Fine," Virta said through gritted teeth, holding the door open. Virta watched the little angel leave her apartment. She'd left the relic behind. It was glimmering on the table. Virta had noticed a coffee shop last night on their way to Athan's place. She decided to go there. On her way out the door, she picked up the relic, put it in her pocket, and left. Now she sat there, stirring her coffee and waiting for Athan. * * * Mandi was walking home by herself in the dark. The bar wasn't far from where she lived. She'd walked it many times before, but usually in the company of a man. She hadn't been at the bar very long tonight. Being there didn't make her feel any better. It was amazing how lonely she could feel in a crowd of people. At the bar, she was constantly hit on by guys, but she didn't want to be with them. She just wanted a drink. She'd stayed with her friend last night and all of today, but that situation was bringing her down even more. She didn't want to think about angels and demons and monsters. It was strange how she could get the impression of being watched in such a crowded place. But there it was. It made her uncomfortable. She decided to leave. She dug her phone out of her bag as she walked. When she turned a corner, she literally ran into two men. She raised her phone, but one of them slapped it out of her hand. She heard it clatter on the sidewalk. "Where are you going by yourself, baby?" the one in the red shirt asked. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. His friend was older, and not nearly as thin. She gasped as she recognized them from the bar. She'd turned them both down for sex tonight. "Get out of my way," she said. She tried to brush past them, but they blocked her way. "It isn't safe out here in the dark by yourself," the older one said, as he put an arm around her. "I'm Phil, and this is Derrick." "But you can call me Rick," said the one in the red shirt, smiling. Rick moved closer, and she could smell the alcohol and cigarettes on his breath. "I don't care who you are. Just let me go." "Now, Mandi, we just want to talk to you. So you better be nice to us. Right, Phil?" "How do you know my name?" she asked, shrugging Phil's arm off of her. They laughed. She tried to move away, but Rick grabbed her and backhanded her across the face. She was stunned, and fell back against Phil. Before she could start screaming, he clamped his smelly hand over her mouth. "Thought you'd tell me no back at the club? You won't tell me no again," he hissed in her ear. "We've watched you for a while now," Rick said, letting his eyes slide up and down her body. "You bring guys home all the time. So it don't make no sense why you turned us down. Think we're not good enough for you? She tried to shake her head, but Phil's hand was still clamped over her mouth, and his other arm was wrapped around her middle, preventing her from moving very much. She began to fight as hard as she could, bucking and kicking. Her foot landed on Phil's shin and she broke free, running. Rick caught her. Again, a hand was on her mouth, and she was dragged into a nearby alley. It was considerably well-lit and she saw the gleam of a knife in Phil's hands. "If you scream, I'll cut your throat." She felt Rick's hand release from her mouth. "Haven't seen you in the bar for a while," Phil said. "Thought maybe you had a boyfriend." "Yeah, what happened?" Rick asked over her shoulder. He moved to stand in front of her, one arm pressing her back against the wall. "Did the two of you break up? You must be lonely then, huh? I have just the thing for that." He began to unfasten his jeans. "No! Leave me alone!" She punched and kicked, and tried to break free. That got her another backhand across the face. She was pushed up harder against the wall. Rick reached under her skirt. She felt his rough hands on her thighs, groping her. Phil started pawing her through her blouse. All she could see was red from Rick's shirt. God, no. How could this be happening, again? And these were apparently just regular guys, nothing supernatural here. Maybe she'd imagined all that stuff with Virta and Heath and Athan. Yes, she'd imagined it all. She was crazy. That had to be it. Somehow her mind had created all that junk to cope with the things she'd endured in her life. Just then, a huge shadow swallowed up the entrance to the alley. The men looked at the same time she did. For a second, Mandi felt hopeful that it was Virta and her man, Athan, come to rescue her yet again. On the one hand, she missed Virta, and on the other hand, she never wanted to be reminded of that mess. Yet here she was just 24 hours later in a similar mess. She'd take any help she could get. She yanked her skirt back down. Rick and Phil were now distracted by the threatening form coming their way. The dim lamplight passed over his features, and she gasped. Mandi looked up at that short, blond hair and those dark brown eyes, and there was no mistaking who it was. Heath. Oh, no. She groaned. Her legs turn to jelly. Her situation, as bad as it was before, just got a helluva lot worse. The two men got into a fighting stance. "This don't concern you. She's my girlfriend, not that it's any of your business" Rick said. "She IS my business," came the voice she knew all too well. "If you're smart, you'll turn around and get the fuck out of here." "What, and leave you pieces of shit to have all the fun?" Heath was moving toward them. Phil brandished the knife at Heath, who was now within arm's length of the two men. "Who the hell do you think you are?" "I'm her guardian angel," Heath sneered. He reached out and grabbed both of the men, one in each hand. He crashed their skulls together. They fell, still as death, at Mandi's feet. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. It was all just too much for her mind to take. She moved away and felt herself sink to the ground. "Heath," she breathed.. There was no use to try to run. She knew how this worked. He leaned down and pulled her back to her feet. "Going out behind my back, huh, Mandi?" he snarled, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I'm gone for 24 hours and you're already spreading your legs for other guys." It was his usual sentiment, only delivered with less venom than she was used to. It surprised her. That's when she noticed he was wounded, with blood and gashes on his body, and rips in his clothing. He was leaning against the wall for support. The arm that grasped her was trembling. Daring to peer up into his face, she saw that it was also battered. So, Athan's men had been beating him, torturing him. Well, good. But now he was definitely going to take it out on her. Maybe he'd just get down to the business of killing her, without the usual mind games and bravado. "You're hurt," she said. "It's nothing." There were no more words between them for a moment. The only sound was his strained breathing. Slowly, he removed his hand from her and just leaned against the wall, his large body between her and the exit. "How did you get free?" Heath laughed in a raspy voice. "Athan really needs to do better background checks on his people," he said. "Seems like someone always slips through the cracks. Oh, and nobody is going to rescue you this time. The traitor in Athan's camp is for sale. He told the others he's guarding you tonight." "Did you kill them?" She glanced at the men on the ground at their feet. "Let me check. Uh, yeah, I did," he answered quickly, without so much as glancing down at their bodies. "Did - did you know they were were going to hurt me?" "Of course. I read every dirty, illegal thought in their brains. But, I don't think they're creative enough. Besides, that's MY job. And I came to finish it." He grinned at her. She'd forgotten how beautiful his smile was. She heard his ragged, catching breath as he moved closer. He seemed weakened and in pain. But she knew he was still very dangerous. He pushed her gently against the wall, caging her in. "After I've finished with you, I'll drop in for a little visit with your angel. Athan will pay last of all." Falling Hard Ch. 13 "You don't look like you're in any shape to mess with him," she said softly. Mandi felt Heath's breath on her cheek. She put a hand on his steely arm to push against him, but it only resulted in his hot blood running down her arm, dampening her skin and clothing. "Yeah, I need some time to recover and heal. Healing balm, all that. But killing YOU doesn't take any strength." Her eyes went back to the two men lying dead, their skulls crushed instantly. "Then just kill me now and get it over with." Please, I can't take whatever you have in mind, she wanted to say. She ducked under his arm and he let her go, turning to watch as she stepped over the body of one of the men. It was the one in red with his pants unzipped, Rick. She saw the knife by Phil's hand. "Don't waste your time," Heath said. "It won't hurt me. But I could turn it on you. It would do lots and lots of damage." She turned and looked back up at him. The hopelessness of her situation was sinking in further. Heath just leaned against the wall and watched her. "It was better when I was fucking with your memory, wasn't it?" he said. "When you could go on thinking I loved you and that you meant something to me? A part of you would go back to that in a heartbeat right now, wouldn't you? It was a bittersweet fantasy." Was he going to do something to her mind now? She held her arms around herself protectively and looked up at him. "But that's all it was... fantasy. And in the end, you were going to kill me anyway. So I guess you win after all." Mandi turned toward the entrance to the alley. She took a few steps toward it. He still hadn't moved. How weakened was he? He seemed slow. Maybe she could escape after all. "I'd love to see you try," he hissed. She turned and saw the look in his eyes - he was daring her to run. "Please," she said. "Don't hurt me anymore. Be merciful, just this once." He laughed, and it came out throaty and dry. "Please," he said, mocking. "I've heard the same thing for thousands of years... begging, pleading. What makes you think I'd have pity on you? What makes you any more special than all the other weak, pathetic humans I've slaughtered?" Nothing, she realized. Nothing at all. Still, she couldn't just give up. Could she? "You don't have to do this. You were a good angel in Heaven once, right? In the beginning? It's not too late. You can be good again." Heath chuckled. "Nice try." "But why me? What are you getting out of this?" "A lot of money." "That's all this is about?" "Hey, it was always just a job. After you're dead, I'll have another job, and another. And I'll do them the same way I did you. I'll get paid, and I'll enjoy my work." "Who are you working for?" "I'm an independent contractor. A lot of people want my skills and expertise. But this job? Heaven." "What do you mean, Heaven?" "Heaven... you know, 'up there', angels, singing, fluffy white clouds? Should I go on?" She couldn't digest what he was saying. No, Heaven was paying some thug to terrorize her? Why was she even born? Why didn't God just strike her dead with a bolt of lightning or something? She began to cry. Mandi was at the entrance to the alley now. Another step and she'd be out the door. But she knew he would catch her. She could scream, but he would shut her up. Nothing was going to change. She leaned against the wall of the building, her forehead propped against it as though the wall could provide comfort and support from her unspeakable situation. She never thought she'd have to see Heath again. Never thought she 'd have to be this afraid again. But now she was beyond afraid... she was just numb. Just waiting for it to be done and over with. Yes, she thought. This is good, this is good. Not many people get to know exactly when they will die. It will all be over, and then I won't have to feel the pain, the fear. She heard him shuffling over to her and braced herself for impact. She felt his large hand clamp down on her shoulder, just resting there. She looked down at his hand... his hand could deal her death in a second. Or, it could prolong her misery for as long as he saw fit. She suddenly felt appreciation for his hands. They would be her salvation. Her way out of the fear, the pain, the horror that was her life. Her brown eyes lifted to look into his. In the dim light, she couldn't read what was in them. But she already knew what was there. Fear came bubbling up inside her yet again. She much preferred the numbness, the apathy. "Well," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the rising panic. "What are you waiting for?" He seemed unsure of himself. It surprised her. Maybe he was hurt much worse than she thought. What could he be planning? She looked down to see blood dripping onto the concrete from his arms and hands. He cleared his throat. She knew what he would say next. Something to the effect of: he was going to finish what he started in the alley last night.... and it was just too bad that Virta couldn't join them, but her guardian angel was too busy fucking a demon to look after her... and when he was done fucking Mandi, he was going to kill her. Yeah, that's what he was going to say. It was so like him. "Just get the fuck on with it," she said through gritted teeth. He didn't move or speak, and she looked up angrily. Mandi gave him a push. Pushing against him was like pushing a brick wall, and she was the one who was moved backwards with her effort. A glimmer of amusement passed through his eyes in the streetlight, then faded. "So what are you waiting for, tough guy? Do what you've gotta do. You've got a job to finish. Money and your reputation are on the line, here." In her state of terror, goading him on became natural, a means to propel him to finish her, hopefully quickly. He still didn't speak for a moment. He actually sighed wearily, as if all this was a chore to him now. Taking her hands in his, he backed up while pulling her forward, further into the alley. "Alright," he said, releasing her hands. "Strip." "Fuck you, Heath," she said, even as her fingers moved against her will, to undo the buttons on her blouse. So he was going to make her suffer first. Well, that WAS his style. Her eyes flickered to the two dead men on the ground. How had they been so lucky to go so quickly? She glared up at the demon. "I hate you," she said. Again, no comeback. No threat to shut her up. Heath turned and limped back into the alley a short distance. Why did he seem so distracted? She removed her blouse, letting it fall to the ground. Heath turned around then, silently watching her. She was unbuttoning her skirt and it fell around her ankles. He still seemed unsure of himself and it annoyed her. Whatever he was playing at, it just didn't work for her. He was too quiet, too slow. She was surprised to realize that she much preferred the taunting, mocking, mouthy Heath. At least then, she knew what to expect. He took a slow step toward her. Then he stopped. She reached back to unhook her bra while she glared at him defiantly, angrily. "Stop," Heath growled. Mandi obeyed immediately, hands dropping back to her sides. She watched and waited for what he would do next. And still, he just remained there, silhouetted in the dark alley. He took a deep breath, as if he were going to say something. But a large object dropped into the alley right behind him. At the same time, Heath jerked; spasmed. She heard his breath catch and then a grunt, a groan. There was the sound of wet ripping, crunching, sloshing. Heath fell forward, and she had no time to react. His hands landed on her shoulders, but she couldn't hold him up. His weight and momentum caused her to collapse to the ground, and he was going down on top of her. She knew she'd be crushed, but he somehow caught himself before he landed on her body. She was on her back between his legs, looking up into his eyes, which now seemed colorless but filled with bewilderment, anger, and fear. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then he was suddenly back on his feet, turning to face whoever, whatever had attacked him. That's when she saw the huge knife wound in his back. It had initially plunged into his upper back, but had been pulled all the way down to his lower back in a nasty, open gash that laid bare muscle and internal organs. The attacker moved and Mandi's horrified gaze went to him. He was dressed all in black and wearing a ski mask. The man plunged the knife into Heath's chest. Heath cried out, and again, the man ripped the blade out, twisting as he removed it. Even in the low light, she could tell this was not an ordinary knife. It seemed to glow from within, even though it was covered in Heath's blood. Heath sank to the ground, then he fell onto his side, his head at Mandi's feet. The man with the knife started to walk past Heath, toward Mandi. He was wielding the knife, and he was coming straight for her. Heath's arm shot out as quick as a cat and grabbed the attacker around the ankle, jerking him off his feet. There was a struggle on the ground and more sounds of wet stabbing. Mandi scooted further back from the chaos going on next to her. The man with the knife pulled himself into a sitting position with his back to the wall, and he was panting, staring down at Heath. "It's over. You're not going to hurt her," the man said. Mandi watched Heath's body shaking in a pool of his own blood. His face was pulled into a tight grimace. "What the fuck," he muttered, one hand held over the gaping wounds in his chest. Blood was pouring out. Mandi saw the pool of blood enlarging around him, and flowing around the two men he'd killed. It was running toward her feet, and she moved back even more. Heath tried to get back to his feet. He slid in his blood, and went back to the ground with a grunt. "Nice... bad-ass knife... you... got there..." Mandi heard a unique calm in Heath's voice. His breath was loud and gasping as he shook with effort to get air in and out, and to speak. "Good choice... Joab Combat ASH-1. .. I can ... appreciate... death by th-that blade." The stranger gripping the knife said nothing. He just leaned against the wall, breathing heavy and shaking. "But I sh-should at least know... who the coward is who... stabbed me in the back...." The man grabbed his mask and tore it off. "The name's Mick," he said. Heath coughed hard for a moment. "What, the desk jocky for U-Sec, internal affairs? No... No.... I can't be k-killed by you, god...dammit." He coughed some more and spit up blood, choking on it. His blood seemed to be everywhere, Mandi realized with growing horror. Its slick blackness was shining on the ground, on the men, on the alley walls, and she could feel it all over her. Spatters of it. Mandi tried to get to her feet. Heath's eyes were only on her now, and he was still trying to get up. Heath held out one large hand toward her. They locked eyes for an excruciatingly long moment. Mandi felt something stirring in her mind... was he trying to will her to fall down dead with him? Killing her with his last conscious thought? "M-Mandi," he said. He made it to his knees, reaching out for her. "Mandi...." The man plunged the knife into the side of Heath's neck. Heath fell forward, dead. Mandi looked up at the man who'd killed Heath. She could see no features, but he was getting to his feet. She shrank back. "It's OK," he said, slowly approaching her, still holding the bloody knife. "I'm not going to hurt you." He extended a hand to her. She ignored it, and scooted back further. "I've heard that before," she said, eying the wicked-looking blade that had just killed a demon. Why wasn't he sheathing the weapon? She caught a glimpse of his eyes in the light, they looked silvery blue, and wild. He was trembling and his face was a mask of emotions. He looked out of control. And maybe as scared as she was. She was terrified. Heath, he was the devil she knew. This man, she didn't know. Was he her savior? Or had he killed Heath to get to her? Events were changing too fast for her shocked mind to process. Mandi got to her feet and ran from the alley. Her will to live was back and strong. She ran and ran. She saw a cab coming down the street and nearly threw herself out in front of it. It stopped for the hysterical woman in her bra and panties. She opened the door and got in. The cab driver turned around. He looked about sixty, and had short, salt and pepper hair, dark mahogany skin and shining dark eyes. The eyes. She couldn't look away. He broke eye contact by turning around, facing forward. "Do you want to go to the police?" he asked. "A hospital?" "No. I'm going home. Just drive, please. Drive!" John gripped the steering wheel and took off. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Jesus, the woman had appeared out of the darkness in front of his car, scaring him half to death. She was soaked in blood, just wearing her womanly under-things, crying, screaming. It was enough to give an angel a heart attack. He glanced at her in the rear view mirror. She was looking frantically out the windows, as if the devil himself was after her. Well, from the looks of things, maybe he was. "You're safe now, honey," he said in his most soothing, comforting voice. She didn't answer. He saw now that she was leaning her head back against the seat. Her lips were moving though no sound came out, and she was rocking back and forth with her arms crossed over her body. They came to a stop light. He pulled his light jacket off the seat beside him and pushed it back to her, avoiding looking at her. "Here, put that on. You can keep it." He heard her put on the jacket. She was still quiet. Another glance in the mirror showed she was looking down at the floor, her long dark hair hanging in her face. She was trembling. Not long after, they pulled up in front of her apartment building. "You want me to call anyone for you?" Her eyes shot open. "No!" She looked around, saw her building, and opened the door. "I mean, thank you, but no." Her voice was quiet, and she didn't make eye contact. He smiled gently. "Things will be fine, miss. You wait and see." She got out and stood by his side of the car, looking unsure of herself. "I, uh, don't have any money to pay you. It was in my, uh pocket of my...." "Don't worry about it." He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. But their eyes locked again accidently. He saw her flinch and he quickly looked away. Mandi walked to her front door and turned to watch the cab pull away. When it was out of sight, she reached down and pulled an extra key from under her door mat. It hit her then, as she stood at the door with key in hand. That's when she realized, she'd never told the cab driver her address. Or, maybe she had and just didn't remember. What did it matter? She was alive and in one piece. She needed a shower and a drink. Mandi went inside and locked the door. Falling Hard Ch. 14 "Let me in, Mandi! Open up!" Oh God, she knew that voice: the psycho with the knife was pounding at her door! "Go away or I'm calling the cops!" But she knew she couldn't do that. Her phone was lost on the street somewhere. Besides, he'd killed a demon, and he'd tracked her to her home. He was obviously not a man, and what had Virta said? There was nothing the cops or any other humans could do. Her already frazzled nerves were screaming in distress. "It's Mick... from the alley. I'm a friend of Virta's." His voice was softer but just as impatient. "Please, go away!" she called. The pounding and the voice went silent. Mandi waited and listened for a while. Then, she carefully opened the door a crack, gasping as sky blue eyes filled her vision. She tried to shove the door closed, but his arm was already through and he forced his way in. Mandi froze as the door slammed shut behind him. Mick leaned against it as if it could keep out some evil that was chasing at his heels. He was panting. "I had to see you. I need to find Virta, and -" He was cut off when she released pepper spray into his eyes. "What is that shit?" he asked, wiping fingers across his eyes. He stood there looking down at her without so much as blinking. "Why did you do that?" Mandi clenched the canister in a tight fist. The stuff hadn't even phased him. "Its... it's a weapon," she stammered. "You spray it in someone's face and it... hurts them a lot. So you can get away." Mick wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve. Mandi realized he was shaking with laughter. She listened to the beautiful, rich tones. But her amazement turned to anger when she realized he was laughing at HER. "What's so funny?" she snarled. "You forced your way in here, what was I supposed to do? I have to try to protect myself." "Sorry," he said, wiping his eyes on his shirt sleeve. "No, you're not." "Here, don't be scared, little human. I'm not going to do you any harm." "Don't talk that way to me, goddammit." He chuckled some more, apparently amused by her anger. That made her all the more upset. "You say you're a friend of Virta's, but I bet you're really nothing but a... nasty old demon." He wasn't laughing then. He dropped the messenger bag at his feet. It startled her when it hit the floor. He probably had that huge knife in the bag, among other weapons... She took a step back. "I prefer the term 'recently displaced angel', but yes, technically I'm a demon." His voice sounded controlled, measured. "I knew it." "You know, Virta's boyfriend is a demon as well. He didn't hurt you, did he?" She shook her head. "And Virta herself is a Fallen angel by now." Mandi gasped. "What? Oh no. My guardian angel is a demon? Why? Did I do something to deserve this?" "No, of course not. You're just a human. These things are above you, beyond your control." The way he looked at her like she was so beneath him, that tone of voice that talked down to her - it made her angry. "Because I'm a lowly human, right? You think I'm supposed to be helpless and have no control?" He nodded his head a little. "It's true. Your kind has very little power." "That's the kind of attitude... I don't know what you'd call it... species-ism? that will get you thrown out onto the street, buddy." He started to speak and she knew just what the pompous ass was going to say: that it was impossible for her to make him leave if he didn't want to. She was sick to death of arrogant, supernatural jerks on power trips. "I can't believe Virta is friends with a jerk like you." He cleared his throat. "Is it supposed to bother me that a human thinks so poorly of me? Well, it doesn't." She crossed her arms at her chest and glared up at him. He went on: "I'm not used to interacting directly with creatures such as yourself. What can I say? This has all been thrust upon me without my consent. I never wanted to leave Heaven, never wanted to come down here of all places." "You're too good for Earth, is that it?" "I was always content remaining behind the scenes in Heaven. The human part of our... uh, projects, wasn't that fascinating to me. But Virta loved it. I just don't get all the fuss about humanity." He was peering down his nose at her again. "So, you have a human body now. What does that make you? Could it be HUMAN?" She hoped the sarcasm in her voice was loud and clear. "My body is essentially human, yes, but it's filled with a highly superior, angelic spirit, and not subject to all the limitations of YOUR human body. Especially since I'm Fallen, and not under any control from Heaven." He removed his bullet-proof vest and dropped it to the floor. Underneath he was wearing a thin shirt that seemed to fit against every muscle. It reminded her of the under armour that football players wore. He must have worried that he'd be attacked by angels and demons alike down here, Mandi thought. He came here well prepared for anything. Despite his conceitedness, she couldn't stop herself from admiring the lean, toned body underneath those clothes. He glanced at the pepper spray still in her hand. She hadn't realized she was still clutching it until then. "This human body I'm wearing is SUPER human. Your man-made weapons won't kill me." He stepped forward and she stood her ground, though her body trembled slightly at the nearness of him. He looked deeply into her eyes, and she dropped the pepper spray. But she just didn't care. "Can I touch you?" he asked, surprising her with the gentle request. She didn't know why he wanted to touch her. Perhaps Mandi was the first human he'd had any real contact with since he came to Earth. It surprised her more that she actually wanted to feel him touching her. When she looked into those bright eyes, she wasn't afraid like she'd been with Heath. She was curious about what Mick would do. Hey, at least he was asking first, before he put his hands on her. She slowly nodded. He reached out with one finger and began tracing it down the curve of her face, then moved his hand up to run his fingers through her hair, down her face again, and on down her neck and shoulder. He squeezed gently there and began caressing down her upper arms. Mandi shivered and felt hot moisture between her legs. She thought maybe this Mick guy wasn't so bad after all. She'd cut him some slack since he was a newbie to the planet. He was just out of his element and trying to put on a brave face. Besides, his touch was melting any anger she had toward him. Oh yes, she had definitely forgiven him. "So fragile," he said in a quiet voice full of pity. "No wonder you need to be watched over... protected." That's when she hauled off and punched him in the face with all the strength in her body. * * * Virta dropped her spoon on the floor and reached down for it. When she came back up, Athan was sitting across the table from her. She dropped the spoon again. "I startled you. Sorry." This was just too good to be true. Was he really there? She blinked and he was handing the spoon back to her. She took it from him, but she still didn't speak. "Do you want me to leave?" Virta found her voice. "Leave? God, no. I never want you to leave again." Suddenly, he was sliding into the seat right beside her, pulling her against his large, warm body. She had no time to react, other than to register how good it felt to be in his arms again. "Damn, I've missed you." He nuzzled his face in her hair. "I've missed you too," she said. "I didn't know how I was going to find you." Athan pulled back and looked down at her. "I'll always find you," he said in a low voice that made her shiver. Virta watched his dark eyes travel hungrily over her face and body. It was as though he hadn't seen her for a hundred years. He was still holding onto her as if he'd never let her go. "You, uh, found the transmitter and you destroyed your place?" "Yes." She swallowed. "Are you angry with me?" "No." "Then... where did you go?" "To see a good friend. He was hurt in a battle, but he's almost well now." "Oh. That's great." He began kissing her, starting from her forehead, down the side of her face, under her jaw. "I have a new place, it's all set up... for us," he murmured as his velvety lips brushed her skin. Her mind was spinning. "You seem so happy to see me," she breathed. She felt his lips move into a smile. "Happy is one way to describe it." When he pulled back, his expression was serious. "I've been gone for years." "It seems like it." "No, really, I've been gone for years. To me, anyway." "Where did you go?" "It was another dimension. I'd been putting it off because of the feeling of time involved... and, because, I didn't want anyone to see... inside." "Your friend, the one who was hurt... he helped you?" "Bel gave me passage there." "And what, you went through therapy?" "Something like that." He gave her a squeeze. "I had to fix myself, for you." He moved back to the other side of the table. Virta felt as if he was a hundred miles away over there. She missed the warmth of his presence. Athan looked her in the eye. "I promise - the relic - it won't freak me out anymore." "You're cured?" "Well, I don't WANT a relic put on me; I don't want to be betrayed, but I have control over myself and my reactions to it, where before, I was out of control." "You're sure?" "You can trust me." She sighed. "I do trust you." She pulled the relic out of her pocket and tossed it onto the table between them. * * * "I'm sorry. We got off on the wrong foot, as they say. Can we just start over?" "Let's try." Mandi was pressing a bag of frozen peas to Mick's cheek. He was sitting at her kitchen table. "Hi, Mick. I'm Mandi. Please come in." "Thank you." He smiled at her. "I knew if I found you, I'd find Virta. You know, her being your guardian angel and all." She set the peas on the table as he leaned down, reaching for something in the messenger bag at his feet. He pulled out a can that was as clear as glass. Inside, she could see sparkling lights drifting through the strange, pale liquid it contained. "That spray you used earlier... actually, we have a supernatural weapon similar to that." He held the can out to her. "This will work against... well, against, uh... me." She took the can from him, mesmerized by the light show inside it. "I'm hoping you won't feel the need to use it against me, though maybe I deserve it." He lifted his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I just wanted you to have it." Mandi stood against the counter, looking down at Mick. Really looking now that her nerves were calmer than before. Mick had a lean, athletic build. He was dressed all in black and grey. From his boots to his sky blue eyes, and everything in between, he looked delicious. This guy just got down here from Heaven? He was a virgin then. She'd never been with a virgin. What would it be like to be the first, to teach the guy, she wondered. No, she had to stop this dangerous train of thought. She was looking for comfort and soothing from all that had happened earlier. She had been attacked, for christsakes, and was probably in some kind of shock. Mick was slightly shaking, she noticed. He was afraid. The poor thing. He was a stranger in a strange world, out of his element. Maybe he needed some comfort too... "You don't have a computer, do you?" he asked. "What?" she was jerked from her fantasy. "Oh, no - no computer for me." "That's alright. I just thought it would be interesting to see an old vintage model." Yeah, he was a virgin alright. He began pulling equipment out of the bag and setting it up on the table. "So, you brought down top secret information?" Mick pulled a small, rectangular object from a pocket and held it up so she could see. "I need to get this into the proper hands." He set up a sleek laptop and began plugging things into it, including the little rectangle. "Nice computer," Mandi said. "What is that, an apple logo?" He smiled. "Virta put that sticker on there a long time ago. It was a joke to her, symbolizing the forbidden fruit; you know - knowledge." She smiled. "There's not much you can't do, is there Mick? You're a fighter AND a computer geek?" He looked up, his face registering surprise. "Uh, no. Not the fighter part, anyway. I've never killed or physically even hurt anyone before tonight. I wasn't made to go forth and kill, I was just made to work in the Office." "So this is what you did up there? Computers?" "I'm moved through a lot of jobs over the years. But technology, computers, yeah - that was always my favorite thing." "If you're not a combat-type angel, then why all this military gear?" He looked down at what he was wearing and then back up to her. "Just some things I kept stashed in the closet for an emergency. I didn't know what I'd encounter down here." He leaned forward, his forehead against his hands, eyes closed, still as a statue. "It's been the worst day of my existence. My friends are dead. I was Banished." He sighed. "And as much as I hate the term... it feels so dirty to me, but I guess I have to get used to it... I am a demon." He shuddered when he said the word. Mandi wanted to put a hand on his shoulder, but she didn't. She wondered if he was surprised to be sharing his thoughts and feelings with a mere human. "You tried to find Virta?" she asked. "Yes. I went by her apartment first. She's not there." "She's probably with Athan." He went back to his work on the computer. She couldn't tell what he was doing on there. Even the graphics that popped up from time to time looked alien to her. Finally, he sat back and reached for the glass of water she'd poured for him. "I'm sorry for barging in on you earlier," he said between gulps. "It must have really frightened you. You've been through so much this evening already. But, I thought you would know where Virta is." He set his glass down and stared at the ice in the bottom. "And... I didn't know where else to go. I've been in a desperate state of mind since everything happened..." "I forgive you this time," she said with a smile. She put the canned weapon down on her kitchen counter and pulled out a chair across from him. He looked up at her and her heart quickened, her breath caught in the flare of those blue eyes. She couldn't look away, couldn't blink. "What's wrong?" he asked. He leaned forward and waved a hand slowly in front of her face. She jerked out of her trance. "It's, uh... your eyes," she breathed. Mick started laughing. She smiled at the sound. "Oh my, it IS true then," Mick said. "I guess you just never believe you've got that effect on humans until it happens to you - until you go to Earth and see a blank-eyed human staring back at you." Seeing the confused look on her face, he explained, "Sorry, it's an angel thing." She didn't know if she should feel insulted at being called a blank-eyed human, but other things seemed more important just then. "I need to ask you something," she said. "Yes?" "Can you read minds or control people?" "No." Mandi sighed from relief, then asked, "But you're really strong, right? I mean, you killed Heath." "He was already very badly wounded. I had to surprise him, although I was sure he heard me coming." Mandi sipped from her own glass, her hand shaking slightly. She couldn't forget what a narrow escape she had tonight, and how it would have all turned out so differently if Mick hadn't shown up when he did. "So, you just worked in an office," she said, curious for more information. "Not AN office, THE Office." "What is it?" "It's everything. A control and command center for pretty much the entire Universe." Mandi just stared at him for a moment. "What did you do to get yourself thrown out?" Mick set his glass down on the table a little too hard, and started rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "We were building a case against someone up there, someone very high in command... the General." "Who's we?" "A small group of us in Internal Affairs." Mandi nodded. "What happened with the General?" "I knew we had to move quickly in our case against him. But nobody would listen. The corruption goes too high. We should have learned our lesson from past attempts to deal some justice to him." "So all that work you did and he's still up there in power? And you and your friends were either killed or cast out?" Mick nodded and looked down at the table. Finally, he looked up at her with wounded eyes. "I don't want you to worry. Nothing will happen to you," he said. "Why do you care about me?" He looked at her like she was crazy. "Why do I care about you? I just do. Virta cares about you for one thing. And maybe it's just hardwired into me to care, at least a little... about humans." "Oh." Mandi got up to refill their glasses. "Will you tell me more about what happened up there?" "I was Banished and on my way to the Mines. A friend in Transit owed me big time. He helped me escape. I brought a lot of damaging intel down with me." "Is anyone coming after you?" Mandi shivered at the thought of a legion of angels, good or bad, breaking down her door. "They won't get to me. I'm just good at disappearing. When you have the right technology like I do..." He turned back to his laptop and put on an earpiece. He looked very busy and Mandi didn't want to disturb him. He must be hungry though, she thought. She finally tapped on his shoulder. He looked up, pulling the earpiece off. "Can I get you anything?" she asked. "What do you mean?" "I mean, are you hungry?" He seemed to think about it, then looked back up at her. "Yes," he said. "Well, what would you like?" Now he frowned. "I don't know," he said, his tone uncertain. "Have you had anything to eat since you got down here?" "That was just a couple hours ago. No, I haven't eaten." "You don't know much about human food, do you?" He went back to typing on the keyboard. His face was kind of pink. Was he embarrassed? "I'll just put together some things and you can try them out... see what you like." He looked up again. "Thanks. You don't have to go to any trouble for me." She assembled some food at the counter, but couldn't help but to sneak glances at him. He was really good-looking in a hot, geeky, kind of way. "So, how old are you?" she asked over her shoulder as she cut up carrots and celery. "Six thousand years." She nearly spit out the piece of carrot she was chewing. "Wow," she said. "I wish you'd been in my history classes in school. I would have sat next to you; we could have studied together." He smiled at that but kept his eyes on the computer screen. She turned back to the food preparation. She assembled some food on a tray: Tortilla chips and salsa, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, and some fruit. "Wow," he said when she set it down on the table. He stopped his work and looked at what she'd done. "What is this?" "Try it," she said. He reached and took one of the yellow, crispy triangles. "Dip that into the salsa. Like this." She took his hand with the tortilla chip and plunged it into the salsa. Then, she moved his hand back toward his mouth. He bit into the chip and crumbs fell on his shirt. His eyes got wide and he began coughing. "Oh my God, that's hot," he croaked, reaching for the water. "Oh, I'm sorry." Mandi rolled her eyes. "Pepper spray in the face does nothing, but he can't take medium salsa," she muttered. She helped him brush off his shirt, aware of the feel of his muscles beneath it. When he had sufficiently recovered, she said, "Here, just stick with the other stuff. I promise, it's not hot." Falling Hard Ch. 14 He put aside the computer and talked and ate with her. Mandi couldn't help but be captivated by those sky blue eyes. But it wasn't a bad thing like when Heath looked at her. She trusted Mick for some reason. And she could listen to him talk the whole night. His voice was beautiful, almost hypnotic. As long as she could gaze into his eyes and listen to his voice, he could be talking about computers, codes, ancient history, whatever, and she would be captivated and content. To her surprise, he started asking her questions about herself. This surprised her, because she doubted he would find anything about her interesting. She was just a human, after all, and she already knew he thought so little of her kind. But he apparently wanted to know everything about her, and he seemed to give her his full attention. "I must seem really boring to you," she said, averting her eyes after she'd finished telling him about her job. "Not at all." He sounded sincere. "Humans aren't so bad once you get to know them personally." She saw his teasing smile and gave him one back. "I really am sorry about earlier," he said, looking down at the table. "I shouldn't have forced my way in, I shouldn't have been a jackass. I shouldn't have looked down on you. I wasn't even seeing you as a...a..." "No, I understand," she said with a sigh. "I guess I must seem like a... a lab rat or something to you. A pet, maybe?" His looked up, shaking his head angrily. "No, no, that's not it," he sounded disgusted. "Not even close." He caught her with those cerulean blue eyes and she thought she could detect sincerity there. "It's my fault you think like that," he said. "My attitude... I'm sorry I made a bad first impression. You're not like a lab rat to me, I promise." "I don't know. But thanks for denying it." She wasn't mad at him, that was for sure. "So you DO care what a human thinks about you?" "Yeah, I guess I do." He smiled. "I care what YOU think about me, Mandi. Virta trusts you and cares about you. So do I." He looked back to his monitor, and she felt released from his eyes. "You really seem to know what you're doing there. I don't even recognize the language you're typing." "How many languages do you know, Mandi?" Now she felt embarrassed. "I wasn't a great student. I just know English. Oh, and a little bit of Spanish." He caught her in the net of his gaze once again. He spoke passionately in his liquid-smooth voice: "Porque tuve hambre, y me disteis de comer; tuve sed, y me disteis de beber; fui forastero, y me recibisteis..." She didn't have the faintest idea what he said, but she loved how he said it. "Si?," she answered shyly. Then she laughed. "I'm sorry. What did you say? It wasn't dirty, was it?" He looked quizzically up at her. "Dirty? No. I was just expressing my appreciation for what a good human being you are." "Oh. So how many languages do you speak?" "Not that many, really. Maybe 10,000 languages, but they come from all over the Universe and time. I was wanting to learn more, but getting kicked out of Heaven, well, that probably means no more classes for me." "Oh," was all Mandi could say. Her head was spinning. She didn't say anything else for a while. She felt too insignificant and well, stupid, in his presence. He shouldn't be bothered by her silly questions. There was a long silence while he worked on his computer. She was sorry that he'd stopped talking, acutely aware of the silence. She missed his mesmerizing voice. Unable to hold back any longer, she opened her mouth to start conversation, but the wrong thing came out: "How does it feel to be a brand new demon?" she asked. Shit. It was too late to take it back. He didn't answer. He closed the lid to the laptop, a little hard, she thought. She looked up. He was looking down, his face a mixture of anger and sadness. He was actually fidgeting in his chair. Darn, why had she brought that up? "This is my worst nightmare come true," he confessed, finally looking up at her. His hand on the table was shaking. She reached across the small table and took his hand. Those hands had killed for her tonight. She brushed that thought away and looked back at his eyes, those pools of blue where she could drift forever. "Don't be afraid," she said. He smiled faintly. "That's supposed to be my line." She laughed. He sighed but kept ahold of her hand. "This feels nice," he said, giving her hand a little squeeze. She squeezed back. "You don't have to talk about it. Unless you want to." He seemed like he did want to talk about it, though. "Nothing was supposed to go this way," he began. "Me and the others, Flash, Carol... we'd been working for years gathering intel against Banner. I knew Virta was going to be sent to Earth. And that's when we decided to confront the General. I knew it was safer for her down here, rather than up there when it all went down." He was silent for a moment, and Mandi just watched him. She gently caressed his hand with hers. "Oh god, I was so worried about Virta," he mumbled. When he opened his eyes, it looked like he was trying to hold back tears. "Why were you so worried about her?" "The General had me watching her since she was created. I was supposed to report any missteps she made. But he figured he couldn't trust me to report accurately against her. I was biased. So he recruited some others, like Flash and Carol. But they worked with me. They only periodically reported on her, just enough to keep suspicion down." He took another drink of water. "It was all driving me crazy for the last 2,000 years. I was responsible for her." "Why?" "Because... I made her." "What? What does that mean, exactly?" "I was assigned at one time to create code for new angels. They're always tinkering with the design in some way. Always changing something or another... making them more refined... less of this, more of that." Mick was rubbing his forehead, staring beyond Mandi's shoulder as though seeing something off in the distance. "Anyway, I slipped in this code when her batch was processed. It was experimental. Something I was proud of. She was the first one to go through the line. After her, they shut down the line. There were problems. They were going to scrap her. They thought there was a mistake in the program. Her batch was compromised. She wasn't even assigned a serial number. They were that sure she'd be destroyed quick enough." "Oh my God." "I wouldn't let them destroy her for my sake. So, they said I had to be responsible for her. I grew to really care about her. I did everything I could to keep her out of trouble." A hysterical laugh came from his throat. "I had my hands full with her." "I thought I could tame her, get her into school, and she'd be happy with Office life. They thought there might come a use for her someday. I guess they saw their opportunity when Athan noticed her - they thought she would bring him down." "Oh god. So they must be really mad at her now. They're a couple!" Mandi ran her fingers through her long, dark hair. "Has she told you what they did to her up there?" "No. What happened?" "The torture. I couldn't stop them. She would have been killed or worse. So as much as I hated what they were doing to her... it was the lesser of two evils." "Does Virta know about any of this? Does she know you... made her?" Mick shook his head. "I'm going to tell her everything when I see her. I can't keep it from her any longer." "You have to stay on Earth though, right? You'll always be on the run? What will you do?" He looked up. "I don't know." Was that fear that passed over his features? He pulled away to rest his head in both his hands. "Excuse me, my nerves are still shaky." She got up and put an arm around him. "No wonder. All that's happened. And then you killed an angel tonight." "Demon," he said. Then he sighed. "Oh, I'm just splitting hairs here." "You've been through a lot." He looked up at her. "So have you. I don't know how you haven't broken down under what you've gone through tonight. You're a strong human." "Thanks. To be honest, I don't think it's all sunk in yet." She began to massage his firm, muscular shoulders. "Oh God, that feels good," he muttered. She thought of how good it felt to have her hands on him. "I'll be right back," she said. Mandi went into the bedroom and returned, having taken off the shirt she'd put on after her shower. She was wearing a camisole. "Your tattoos," Mick said, as he stared at her chest. She looked down, then back at him, and smiled. "Those are exactly like Virta's," he whispered. "But Virta doesn't have tattoos. I would have seen them. I saw pretty much... everything." Mick's face reddened. "No, I mean when she was in Heaven. Before they..." He turned his gaze from Mandi's body. She saw him try to discreetly adjust the front of his pants. His face was glowing and he didn't make eye contact. "I'm feeling... I have parts I'm not used to, and I think they're reacting to... to..." What would he do if I touched him? she wondered, her eyes moving across his groin. She glanced up to find he was following her gaze. His eyes were like a dusky sky. Mandi stood up and resumed rubbing and massaging his back and shoulders. She heard his groans of pleasure. "That feels so good. It's like I can feel the tension from the day just melting away." She smiled over his ear. "I know what else will relieve the tension." "Yeah?" "Well, for starters, I have this bottle of excellent champagne..." * * * Athan did a double take, his eyes widening, and he pushed back from the table. She heard a sharp intake of his breath. He stared at the relic for a moment, then back to her. "I had two. One for Heath, and one for..." Virta struggled to say something that hurt so much, "... one for you, too." He let out the breath he must have been holding. Then he picked up the relic, still not saying anything. "Rose visited me today." She saw his hand clench into a tight fist around the object. She dared to look into those eyes that were erupting with hate at the mere mention of the other woman. "Oh?" he finally said. He dropped the relic back onto the table. "Is this a set-up?" "If I wanted to capture you... you'd already be captured." She saw the grin spread over his face, and his hard, black eyes twinkled and softened. "By the way, she put that thing on me." "What?" "Just for like, ten seconds. It was horrible. I just want you to know, I know what it's like. Thankfully she didn't torture me or anything. I guess in her own sick way, she thought she was proving that I could trust her." "Damn that bitch." Virta took a deep breath and said all at once: "She wanted me to help her bring you to the General with that thing. She's been waiting to get her revenge on you for ruining her plans before. Now, she claims she'll be reinstated and given her heart's desire." Virta let out a breath of air. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know everything right up front. No secrets." He nodded. "No secrets." She leaned toward him, the relic glimmering on the table between them, as he reached for her hand, and told her everything. When he got up to refill her coffee, she said, "There's something else. Something Rose and the General are doing to umm, motivate me to go along with their plan. The General says he's going to Banish my best friend, Mick. He'll be sent to the Mines and then to Hell." "Oh, Mick's already on Earth. I thought you would have talked to him already." "Oh my god, no, this is the first I've heard of it. When?" "I haven't known that long. He was very much under the radar with it. Barely a blip on the screen, but we saw it." "Shit. Did the General do this to him because of me?" Just then, Athan's cell phone rang. She barely heard anything he said into the phone, as she worried over the news that Mick was on Earth. "There's a problem in the ranks that I have to take care of," he said to her, flipping the phone shut. "Did you see Mandi today?" "I was worried about her, but didn't know where to find her. She wasn't home, she wasn't at the club." "Heath escaped." "Oh shit. I'm going to her place right now. Heath might be hurting her, or worse." "Heath is dead." "What?" "He was found ripped up in an alley not that far from your place." "I'm going to Mandi's NOW. I've got to make sure she's OK." Athan stood up. "I'm going to go check on some things and I'll meet you in a little bit." "Where?" "I'll find you." He winked. He leaned down and kissed her. Her head was swimming. "I can't wait to be with you," she whispered. "Soon. Very soon," he said. She could feel his hardness against her body. Virta raced to Mandi's place. She put her ear to the door. She definitely heard voices, a man and a woman. Virta knocked, then she tried to open the door. She heard footsteps. The door was unlocked. Mick opened it. Her best friend was standing there, looking very much the same as he did in Heaven, only now, he was human too, with human parts. Her mouth gaped as she took it all in, from his mussed dark hair, to those twinkling blue eyes, and down his long, lean body. And the outline of his cock in the boxers he was wearing. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. "Y-you have a... a..." Then it hit her, something else about him. He was a demon. She looked into his eyes, the same ones that were as blue as a diaphenous sky. Oh god. What had he done to Mandi? He was getting his revenge on Virta through her? No, that couldn't be. "Mick," she said. She looked beyond him and saw Mandi on the bed, apparently naked with a sheet pulled over her. "Is that the pizza?" Mandi called. "Mick? My god, you're a demon!" Mick looked down, one hand supporting himself on the door frame, the other holding onto the door. He sighed, and his head jerked as he looked back up at her, a disgusted look on his face. "Would everyone quit calling me that? I prefer -" suddenly, he looked at Virta as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Virta, you're still a Heavenly angel! You haven't Fallen. Why?" She rolled her eyes. "Just in name only. I haven't made it official, I guess. But god, I can't believe this. You're a Fallen angel. First. You've already had sex. First. Christ, you beat me at everything!" They looked at each other for a moment and then both of them burst out laughing. "Virta, babe, are you trying to steal my boyfriend again?" Mandi suddenly appeared in the doorway with Mick, one eyebrow cocked, a grin on her face. Virta couldn't draw her eyes away from the tattoos on Mandi's chest. "Hardly. I just wanted to check up on you, Mandi, make sure you were OK." "Heath is dead." "Oh?" "Mick here killed him." "I, er, finished him off," Mick said, pulling on his black trousers. "Oh, that's good news, Mick." Virta's arms flew around her best friend, nearly throwing him off balance. "It's so good to see you. You make a good-looking demon." She grinned. "I guess I'm just going to have to get used to being called a demon." He rolled his eyes, which were full of mirth. "You're a sexy demon," Mandi said. Virta pulled Mandi aside. "Please take care of him, Mandi," she said, suddenly feeling protective of her new Earth friend. "I mean, he's vulnerable, he's helpless down here in some ways." "What are you trying to say? You think I'm just going to have my fun and drop him?" "No, Mandi, I-" "The truth is, he and I talked about this already... we both know it can't work out between us. He's supernatural. He's not gonna get older or die. Me, on the other hand. I can't become an angel." Virta saw the sadness in Mandi's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Mandi." "I'm trying not to think about it. Just trying to enjoy the moment with him." "I'm so glad he was there for you, in the alley tonight. And that you were there for him." "Oh god, me too." Virta walked back to where Mick was still leaning against the door. "Mick, what will you do?" "I don't know, Virta. Just avoid getting caught, I hope." He leaned down and fished something out of the messenger bag. " I have something for you, for Athan. The General is going to have people searching high and low for me. I was on my way to the Mines when I got away." "Oh, you must hate me, Mick. It's all my fault." "No, none of it is your fault. Don't you ever think that. I have some important things to tell you, Virta. Why don't you sit down?" * * * Virta raced to her apartment with too many thoughts running through her head. Mick had told her what happened in Heaven, with the General. She couldn't believe Flash and Carol were really gone. It was hard to take in that Mick was nearly sent to the Mines. It hurt at first that he and the others had been basically spying on her, but she understood it now. And the most amazing thing... Mick was the one who essentially made her. Her heart was bursting with emotion. And she needed to see the one person who could help her put it all in perspective. Her body needed him even more. She hoped to god that Athan found her soon. She wanted him in bed. Now. She ran right past him. He was leaning up against the wall of the building. Virta stopped and walked back. "I almost didn't see you there in the shadows." She put her arms around him. He lifted her up against him in a sensual hug. "Are you ready to go to my place?" "Yes." He held out his large hand and she placed hers inside. Together, they walked and she told him about Mick, about her own creation. Suddenly, he was pulling her through the wall, into his new home. It was set up much like the one before, even the big leather sofa was there. He led her through the room, down the hall, and into his bedroom. His large bed was taking up most of the space, just as before. Athan pulled her into a kiss, and she raised up on her tiptoes, her arms winding around his neck, pulling him in even deeper. Athan began to walk her backwards toward the bed, still locked in the embrace. They fell onto the bed. --- Thanks, Readers, for the feedback. I am including a little extra info on the story in my profile, for those who are interested. Sexay times are coming for Athan and Virta in Ch. 15! Finally! :) Falling Hard Ch. 15 He seemed to be everywhere at once. Virta was on her back in Athan's large bed, sinking down into the plush coverings. She inhaled the warm, masculine scent of him. The weight of his body excited her. Athan enveloped her in his muscular arms. Virta felt warm, fragile against him. Their lips melted together in a full, lush kiss. Pressing his body against her, he let her feel how hard he was, how ready he was for her. Athan kissed a path from her lips to her throat, and slowly on down to the upper swell of her breasts. He removed her top almost before she knew what was happening. She was braless underneath and felt her exposed flesh burning beneath his smoldering black gaze. He moved her back onto the bed and kissed her chest, but avoided her nipples. It drove her crazy. She pushed her breasts up but he continued to tease. His lips finally kissed down to each taut nipple, caressing the hard peaks with the tip of his tongue. She moaned and writhed in ecstasy. He reached down and pulled off her jeans. She thought it would be more trouble than it was, but he had them off of her in one swift, forceful move. Just her panties remained, and he took his time, lingering over her thighs. Athan hooked his fingers under the silky fabric that rested on her hip. Slowly, he pulled down one side and kissed the smooth, tender flesh of her hip and thigh. Oh god, she'd never felt this before. This was exquisite. "Don't stop," she whispered. He didn't answer, just swept the material away and onto the floor. Now she was completely nude. She was very much aware that he was still fully clothed in his black t-shirt and jeans. She could feel the evidence of his voracious need, pressing hard against her through his clothing. She wanted to feel him, skin to skin. He raised up and pulled off his shirt. His strikingly muscled upper body was in full view. Instinctively, she reached out and touched his chest, running her fingers over the hard muscles and scars. She caressed down his chiseled abdomen. He groaned as her hands found their way to the bulge in his jeans. She was amazed at her boldness. Virta slid her hand down his jeans, down the length of his shaft. It was so big in her trembling hands. She heard his breath catch. When she looked up, he was staring down at her with those dark, depthless eyes. He leaned forward with his face hovering at her neck as she slid her hands up and down the length of him. Warm, unsteady breath. Sweet, musky scent. She loved the effect she was having on him. Athan moved her onto her back, falling down with her, but catching himself on his elbows before he crushed her. She was drenched between her thighs and desperate for his touch there. He moved down her body. He parted her legs and slid his tongue across her clit, so gently, so wickedly that she bucked at the first sensation. His hot, wet tongue worked between her quivering thighs, slicking her up and sending waves of ecstasy down her entire body. He worked her til she was writhing and moaning with his face between her legs. She reached down, feeling his tousled hair in her fingers. Virta felt driven insane with his hot tongue on her most intimate human parts, where nobody had been before. Virta found his hand and took it in hers, grasping it tightly as he continued to lick her to wave after wave of sensation unlike anything she'd ever imagined. She gasped when one large finger slid inside her, stretching gently, slowly, through the slick tightness, filling her. She felt the increase in pressure, the slight pain, but it soon gave way to overwhelming pleasure. He continued to lick and suck on her now engorged clit while his finger slid in and out of her slick, dripping hole. She moaned as he massaged her from within. Earlier, she had worried that he wouldn't fit, that there would be too much pain. She no longer worried about that. It was as though the ache of not having him inside of her - this agonizing, amazing torture - could only be sated with his cock buried deep... stretching her, filling her. "I'm ready for you," she breathed. She couldn't take it much longer. She could feel something building inside that threatened to overtake her, consume her... She needed him. But still he teased and tormented her with his tongue and his fingers until she was squirming, a pleasurable ache building in her belly. "I need you inside me now!" She was begging but she didn't care. He slowly moved up her body. Athan leaned back and removed his jeans in a blink of her eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off his cock, which was so big, so rigid, and bouncing gently at her now that it was free of his clothing. She reached down, took his shaft in one hand, and caressed her hand up and down it, marveling at the soft skin. He stopped moving and she could hear his raspy breathing and the trembling of his body. She added her other hand. Athan moved back on the bed and she sat up, now absorbed by the huge erection in front of her. She felt clumsy, uncertain as her hands wrapped around it. She realized just then that she wanted to taste him as he had tasted her. His body twitched once and she heard his breath strangle in his throat as her lips and wet, hot tongue wrapped around the thick head of his shaft. She did as she remembered seeing Mandi do to her boyfriends. It was doing the trick because Athan was moaning and groaning. When she looked up, she saw complete lust in his eyes as he watched her wet lips move on him. "Oh fuck, Virta," he gasped. She could stand it no more. Virta pushed against his broad chest and he lay back on the bed for her. She climbed on top of his body, straddling wide so her legs would go on either side of him. He grasped and held her in place with his huge hands on her hips. Virta breathed heavily, pulling the head of his shaft against her slick, hot hole. They both moaned at the sensation of it. She leaned down and planted her mouth over his as his broad penis began to slowly slide up and into her, further stretching and tearing the remnants of her hymen. She leaned back and took him further, carefully, letting herself adjust to his size and the new sensation of having a man inside her. He groaned as she moved on top of him, her breasts bouncing as her movements became faster. Athan reached up and caressed her with his large hands as she settled into a comfortable rhythm around him. She was still careful, cautious; afraid to take it in to the hilt; afraid of hurting herself. Suddenly, he had her on her back, and began a long, slow thrust. He eased it all the way in, carefully, slowly at first. She stared up in a haze of pleasure and wonder at what was going on, that she was really having sex - making love - with the man of her dreams. She was a human and experiencing real human things. Sex. Sensations shimmered through every part of her body. She looked up at him through hazy vision. Athan appeared to be on another planet. The mist in his black eyes was like storm clouds rolling in. She thought that maybe he wasn't even conscious of her underneath him as he stroked in and out, but he suddenly looked down, his hypnotic gaze capturing her. Those eyes looked wild, dangerously lusty. She could see her reflection in them. "Are you OK?" His voice was throaty, thick. "Yes. Please... don't stop." He was raised up on his arms, thrusting in and out of her, not putting any weight on her. But she wanted that. She wanted his body touching her, not far away above her. Athan just stared down into her face with his brilliant dark eyes, as if he was seeing and experiencing every cell of her body, even her soul. She thought he looked amazing, yet frightening. Her hands moved to his back, and he let himself be drawn closer to her, down against her. Still, he just stared at her as he moved in and out. She was overwhelmed in that gaze. "God, it's hard to hold back," he groaned later, as he thrust up into her. "Why?" His voice was strained but clearly on the edge of laughter. "Because... you're so beautiful, so hot... and tight... and it's... it's been a while." "I find that hard to believe." Athan didn't answer, just continued to rock them both with his body. She could feel the excitement building, and he reached between them and caressed her clit with his fingers. That ratcheted the sensations up beyond control. She shook and grasped the covers and cried out in the throes of her first orgasm with him inside of her. "Oh. God." Her voice was lower than normal, almost reverent, as she trembled in the throes of unexpected, all consuming bliss. She didn't know if her body would survive this. It was like she was shaking apart. It sounded as though someone else was moaning in pleasure, though it was her voice. Someone else was pulling the sheets from the bed, but it was her hands. And still he did not let up from pumping into her, driving her to peak after peak. It was as if he wanted her soul as well as her body, and he took it. The world fell away; all sensation was no more except her body clenching tightly around Athan's cock. Even her toes were bathed in waves of radiating release. "Fuck. Damn." Athan began jerking, his body in spasms and rigid as he made short, fast strokes into her. He looked wild, almost as if he was no longer in control, but was a wild, dangerous demon, riding her to the peak of his own orgasm. But it was Athan. Her demon. And she was thrilled. His hot cum dripped out of her even as he collapsed and rolled them both on their side, still inside her. She wondered as she lay there, breathing hard and still twitching with the aftershocks, whether he would tell her he loved her. Then she realized that was ridiculous. He was not the type to do that. And why did she even think of it? Must be the hormones, she thought with a small sigh. He pulled her against his hot, muscular chest. "That was... was..." But she was unable to find the words. She could hear the smile in his lusty voice. "That was just the beginning." ---- Much later, exhausted from his passionate love-making, with his arm draped around her, Virta felt so warm and protected, safe. She drifted off to sleep. Sometime later, Virta opened her eyes. She was snuggled into Athan's side. Memories of the night immediately poured in. She'd really done it. She'd had sex. With Athan. Many times. It was everything she'd hoped for and more. She lay there watching how the faint light in the room glinted off his golden brown skin. While sleeping, he was still like a statue. He also looked completely vulnerable and young. "Athan?" She nudged him gently. He roused and stretched, looking up at her. When he opened his eyes, she saw the darkness within and startled. She still wasn't used to that. "Good morning, lover," he said in a lazy voice, kissing the shoulder that propped her up on the bed. "Good morning... lover." She felt shy suddenly. That was silly after all they'd shared. Her gaze fell on the tattoo in the unknown language, inside his right bicep. She would ask him about that soon, she decided. "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell," he said. She sat up a little more and looked at him. "What?" "You were looking at my tattoo." "Oh." Virta lay back down, clutching the sheet to her chest. "That's Buddha," she said. "Yes." She didn't miss the surprise in his voice. "You sound shocked. I'm not as empty-headed as everyone says." "I never thought you were." "Anyway, that's cool. Maybe I'll get a new one too. Since my others..." Virta closed her eyes and felt Athan's lips on them, gently kissing one eyelid and then the next. His large hand went out and took her smaller one. "Did I Fall? I can't think of anything more likely to get me kicked out of Heaven than to... to..." "Fuck a demon?" She cringed at his choice of words. Why? That wasn't like her. What had changed? Sex with Athan, of course... the man she loved. And she didn't know if he loved her. Why did it matter so much? How come she couldn't just have sex and let it just be sex? Why did her heart get tangled up in it? Maybe it was because this was her first time. Maybe it was a human-woman thing. "Lots of angels have sex with demons in the line of duty," he said. "But are their hearts in it too?" His eyes were soft as he gently kissed the back of her hand. "Sometimes." His voice was soft. "But... so, I'm still not Fallen?" "Do you feel like you are?" She considered that. She did feel different because no part of her body had been untouched by him last night. "What am I supposed to do? Say, 'I want to Fall' three times and click my heels?" He chuckled. She smiled at the sound. "I heard there's a document I can sign, one that makes it instantly official. I'd like to do it that way, so I have a momento, something I can frame even. That would be cool." Her own boldness about something that had been so scary to her before, surprised her. He looked at her for a long moment and then motioned to the file cabinet in the corner. "I have something like that. I'll get it for you, later." "Can I do it now?" He smiled and nuzzled his cheek against her hand. "Later. I need to go into the den and make some phone calls. It won't take long, and I promise I'll spend the rest of the day with you. We'll do whatever you like." He kissed up her arm, and shivers scattered through her. "You have to check up on Bel?" Her voice came out strained from the attention from his lips. He nodded. "Yes, that's one thing." Virta leaned up on her elbow and watched as he got up. His clothes were on him in an instant. It's a shame to cover that body, she thought. She sighed lightly. He looked like the perfect man. And he was all hers. Wasn't he? Sadness stabbed her heart. Why did she think she could satisfy him for eternity? He was used to women, of more than one species, at his beck and call, falling over themselves to get to him for one reason or another. That was what it said on Demons Dot Com. Not that she believed everything she read anymore, but still... All she had to do was look at him to know she had a battle on her hands just keeping him to herself. He'd only promised her that she could Fall and be safe, and that he would give her pleasure like she'd never known. He had done those things. And done them well, she thought, her body still recovering from the night of orgasms. What would their relationship be like now? He'd go back to his job. It would take him all over the Universe. Would she even see him? He'd spoiled her for any man after this. "Are you hungry?" he asked, temporarily making her forget her worries. "Not like I thought I'd be... after all that,,, exercise last night." She felt herself blushing again. "Later, I'll fix you breakfast." He moved to the closet. "There's something I want to give you." Athan reached into the closet and pulled out a long box. He sat on the edge of the bed and set the box down beside her. Virta lifted the lid, and gasped as it revealed the most beautiful, exquisite bundle of angelic feathers she'd ever laid eyes on. It nearly took her breath away. She reverently fingered the delicate-looking feathers. He chuckled and picked up a handful of them, placing them in her hands. "You can't break them." She was mesmerized by the jewels and precious metals. "These were yours, back when you were a Heavenly angel." "Yes." She swallowed and looked up at him. "These are priceless." "They're yours now." He planted a kiss on her lips but lingered long enough to reignite the feelings in her body from last night. Finally, he pulled away and stood up. "If I stay here right now, I'll never leave," he said. "That's fine by me. Hurry back," Virta breathed, a hand to her stinging lips. He paused in the doorway and looked back at her, flashing her a sexy smile. Then he was gone. ----- Virta admired the feathers and carefully laid them across the bed. She still couldn't believe he was just giving them to her. He must care a lot about me, Virta thought. One didn't just give a feather to anyone, let alone the whole wing set. She got up and pulled on one of his t-shirts from the dresser drawer. It enveloped her in softness and it smelled like him. Virta heard the muffled sound of his voice on the phone. Her eyes fell on the file cabinet in the corner. She walked over to it. Just to look, she told herself. She rifled through several documents, not understanding the language on most of them. Finally, she pulled one out, able to make out enough of the words to know it was an official document of angels, something or another. Athan's signature was already on it, preprinted. She knew just what she'd do. She'd sign it and go get it framed, put it on the wall as a surprise to him. She grabbed a pen and sat down on the bed with the paper. Her hand was shaking a little from excitement. This would make it official. It would instantly be recorded and processed in Heaven the moment she signed. Everything will be fine, she thought. Mick was safe. She was safe with Athan. They would deal with Rose later. She put the pen to the paper and signed her name. Virta lifted the document with a smile, but at that moment, it vanished from her fingers. What the hell? She hadn't just imagined it. It had literally dissolved into thin air. She jumped as Athan barged into the room. "What the hell did you just do?" he roared. "Sorry, I wanted it to be a surprise. I just signed the document. I just... Fell. Aren't you happy?" She didn't know why he was so upset. Athan leaned against the door frame as if for support. "Good god, Virta. What were you thinking? You don't just go signing papers in that file cabinet. They're binding on you." "It looked like the official angelic document for Falling. I just wanted it to be a surprise. And how did you know I signed something?" He crossed his arms. "Because, I felt it." His voice was quieter, sad. "I don't know how else to explain it, but it had my signature and when you made it official, I ... felt it." "Where did it go? Heaven?" "Hell." She swallowed. "Well, I want a copy for myself," she said. "Virta, I'm trying to tell you that you didn't sign what you thought you did." "I don't understand." "I'll have to make a trip to Hell to get the original and destroy it." It sounded as if he was talking to himself more than to her. Athan began pacing the small space between the bed and the door. "I got those documents ages ago from Lucifer," he continued. "He always liked the old-fashioned way. Pen and paper. Blood and ink. I used those a lot in the beginning, but I have my own ways now." Athan stopped pacing and leaned on the dresser. "I just put them away and never thought about them. Now, you dug one out and put your signature on it?" He stared at her, a sad look filling those amazing eyes. What the hell had she done that was so awful? "It was a contract," he explained. Then after a long pause, he said, "Never mind, nothing will come of it." Athan was by her side in an instant, his hands on her arms, his eyes looking down into hers. "Don't worry." He stroked her arm. She finally stammered, "I don't know what it is I'm supposed to be worrying about." "Nothing." "You can't act like it's the end of the world and then tell me nothing is wrong." "It's kind of funny actually, now that I think about it." A wry smile was spreading over his face. Falling Hard Ch. 15 She just looked at him, confused. "You signed your soul over to me." "What?" "You made yourself my slave." "That's impossible." "Everything is possible, right? Just don't go around signing things when you have no idea what they are." "What does this mean? Can't I get it back?" "You can never do that. I can... but not right now. I'd have to make a special trip to Hell in person to get it." "What's going to happen to me? Am I going to be put in handcuffs and dragged into Hell?" His expression was unreadable. "I told you, don't worry about it. They know I don't use those contracts anymore. It's archaic. They're gonna think it was a joke or something." "But it's still legally binding." He leaned over and began kissing her neck. "For all intents and purposes, you're my slave forever," he murmured. She could hardly process this. She felt so stupid. Ashamed. His kisses blurred her vision and sent tingles straight down her body. She was his slave? That didn't sound so bad. "I'm your slave? Do you promise?" she said, hoping it sounded sexy and brave. Again, she was aware that he was fully clothed, and she had only a sheet covering her body. "What happens if I don't obey?" "Oh, you have to obey," he said, putting more weight on her body, causing her to lie flat on her back. His body was pressed against hers. and his lips were crushing her mouth. She felt feverish underneath him. Her nerve endings were already crying for more of his touch. "Well," she gasped when his lips moved to her throat, "what's in it for me?" "For you?" He rolled over to the side. "You said it's a contract. What's in it for me?" "Oh, that." He cleared his throat gently. "You get to live." ---- "You asked, and I told you," Athan explained after Virta punched his arm out of frustration. She only succeeded in hurting herself. Pouting, she rubbed her sore hand. He took her hand in his and caressed it, healing it while still talking: "Those were used for prisoners of war. They got to live..." "I told you, I'll get it and destroy it just as soon as all this is over. You're just going to have to live with your mistake for a little longer." Virta thought about it. In a way, she was already his slave. His love slave. There was no place else she'd rather be than in his bed with him, giving and receiving pleasure. "I don't really get this. I mean, why did you have a contract anyway? You can make anyone do what you want." "That's not true. Not that easy with the older, stronger angels," he said. He went to the file cabinet and pulled out more of the documents like Virta had signed. "We used to make the captives sign these and then they had to do whatever I wanted. It gave me complete control over their minds." He stopped waving the documents around and put them back in the file. "Even the strongest of them couldn't resist. And it was quite useful that, whenever I willed it, they would be dragged down into Hell." Virta shivered despite the warmth in the room. Athan came back to the bed and sat down. He rubbed his hand up and down her arms as he spoke. "I don't mean any disrespect, but it wasn't intended for the light-weights such as yourself." "Because you could make me do whatever you want anyway?" He nodded. "It's like having too much insurance in your case." He pulled her against his side. She liked the way Athan's chuckle moved his body against hers, shaking her gently. She had to ask. "So what's gonna happen to me now?" He smiled down at her. "Nothing. You're going to be safe." "It's just the idea of it. I don't know, it's so... creepy. And I'm just ashamed at myself for being so stupid." He pulled her against his broad chest, his fingers stroking her messy hair. "There's something else you should know." "Oh no. What?" He took her hands in his, peering down into her face. "It's the thought-blocking device you've been wearing... It's not working anymore." "What? Since when?" "Since I came into the room." "Oh. Shit." Virta's mind was reeling from all this. "Maybe the sex did it. You weren't able to read my mind before, were you... during the sex? Because it seemed like you were reading my mind... you knew just what I wanted..." "No, I couldn't read your mind. It was more like... reading your body." She felt the warmth creeping over her skin, tingling between her legs. "It was the contract that disabled the device," he said. She was embarrassed that he was reading her thoughts. Knowing... everything. "So you've been reading my thoughts all this time?" she squeaked. "At first, your thoughts all came rushing in. But when I realized what was happening, I shut them out." He pushed a lock of hair off her face. "Do you believe me?" "Yes," she said. She was a little surprised to realize that she did truly believe him. Athan sighed. "There's something I need to talk to you about," he said. "You never had much going for you in this assignment. No real weapons, nobody here working with you." "I was given a plan," she insisted. "I'm betting there wasn't much to it, other than the basics." He gritted his teeth. "Just when I think they can't get any worse..." "You can take a look if you want. You know... in my brain." "No." "Oh, go ahead. That would satisfy both our curiosities." "No." "Please, Athan," she said, seeing his hesitation. "Look into my mind. Do it." He hesitated further and then finally took her face in both hands, tilting her chin up and looking into her eyes. She was immediately caught in the net of those ebony eyes and gave a little gasp. She never knew she was trapped until it was too late. Gazing back, she saw the concentration as he probed her mind. Then, seeming to have no success, he looked further. She felt lost in the deepness of his fierce gaze. Finally, he broke away, a strange look on his face. "Just as I thought," he said. "Nothing there." "Hey, I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but still..." She was trying for humor. "No; I'm talking about the mission profile... yours is just a shell of a plan. There should be tons of details. You were sent here on a suicide mission." His hands were curling into fists. "Banner will pay. For everything that's happened to you." She shivered at the tone of his voice, the hardness and determination. "I don't know what to do," Virta said. "Rose will be coming by my place later, expecting me to have you relic'd and ready to haul off to the General, and... I just don't know what to do." "We'll talk about that when I get back," he said, pulling her into his arms. Athan kissed the top of her head. "I have those calls to make; some things I need to take care of." She started to protest his leaving. But he was already gone. Falling Hard Ch. 16 "Athan, I'm worried about your meeting with the General." Athan was sitting on the edge of the bed. He had on a pair of black pants, but that was all. Virta was curled up on his lap wearing just his t-shirt, which was long enough to be a nightgown for her. Her arms were wrapped around his broad shoulders, enjoying the feeling of strength in them. Athan had his hand on her back, lightly rubbing there. She closed her eyes and let the gentle massage relax her. "We'll catch him off guard this way." His other hand began to weave through her long hair, his fingers played in the flowing tresses. A shiver of electricity went down the nape of her neck, on down her spine. "Just stick with the plan, Virta. Things will be fine." "But how can you be so sure? Something could go terribly wrong." "Yes, it could. But I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. You'll be far away from the fighting." "But I'm not happy with the part of the plan where I 'relic' you and then just leave you here for Rose to find. I kind of hoped to play a bigger part in things. Actually, I just don't want to leave your side." "I wouldn't want to even imagine you there when it all goes down. You shouldn't worry, Virta. I'm actually looking forward to it." And she could see by the steely gleam in his dark eyes that he was indeed looking forward to fighting... killing. She shivered a little and he wrapped his arms around her. "But what if something goes wrong? You're taking an awfully big risk." "Everything I do is a risk. It's the same for you." He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him. "But, Athan..." His mouth came down and took hers in a deep, lingering kiss that stole her breath away. When he finally released her, her head was spinning and she forgot for a moment what she had been trying to say. "Still worried?" he asked, peering down into her face with a sly grin. She shook her head, clinging to his broad, strong shoulders for support. "Now," he said, sliding his hands down to her bottom and adjusting her position on his thighs. "I want to have you one more time." Sure enough, she felt his hardness pressing into her, and she inadvertently wriggled on his lap. Athan turned and lowered her down into the big, soft bed before she knew what was happening. Without a word, he stood up and stripped off his pants. She was breathless as she stared up at his lean, muscled body, hard and strong. There was no doubt of his desire for her - thick, rigid, and standing out at her. He crawled across the bed over top of her. His hands pulled the shirt off her body so quickly, she barely felt it go. Virta started to speak, to ask him if he really meant 'just one more time', but suddenly he was between her thighs. Athan leaned over her, stretching her out on the bed with more of his weight on her than he ever had allowed before. His skin was so hot, it was like fire where it touched hers. His mouth closed on hers, silencing any words and scattering her thoughts to the wind once more. His cock, hard as a rock, pressed against her soft flesh. He wants me so much, Virta thought with satisfaction. She closed her eyes and sighed into his mouth. Athan's big hands took hold of her thighs and wrapped her legs around his hips. His lips were grazing over her hair, his voice in her ear like a cat's purr. "Last night, I made love to you, slow and sweet all night long," he said. "But this time, I'm going to show you another way we Ancient Ones can do it." Virta just stared up at him, mouth hanging open. At his words, she felt excited, curious, afraid, and so turned on all at once. He kissed down her jaw, to her neck. Then he sat back and looked down at her, just looking at her from head to hips with firey appreciation in his black eyes. His large fingers reached down to caress her breasts. Her nipples were already hard, but they pebbled tightly at his touch. She felt herself growing wetter and hotter between her legs. Virta's thoughts dissolved into oblivion as she felt his shaft moving through her slick folds, seeking out her hot, moist core. He paused at the entrance to her body. Then, with a groan, he pushed the thick, rounded head of his cock through the torn and tattered remains of her hymen, pushing right on into her exquisitely tight, wet heat. She gasped and he moaned at the same time. "Are you OK?" he rasped, leaning over her, staring down into her face. His eyes were sparkling with lust. She nodded. His lips came back down to cover hers, with lips so full and soft, capturing her mouth with the lushest, most devouring kiss. She felt him move his cock deeper into her body, and a little pain from the stretching of her walls. But his kiss was so distracting that all she felt from then on was delicious pleasure. Virta reached up into the space between them and stroked her hands over his chest, feeling the scars, then on to the smooth skin, tanned and taut over honed muscle. Her hands slid around to his broad back. Athan's flesh trembled under her fingertips. She was excited and aware of the contrast of his large, hard, muscular body against her softer, feminine one. Her breath caught when he moved his cock further inside her than she'd ever felt before. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and tantalizing, his forehead gently resting against hers. He'd stopped moving inside her. She heard his shaky breath, felt it against her cheek. "Yes," she said. "You don't have to worry about breaking me." He lowered his mouth and brushed her lips again, tasting them, teasing them. She couldn't get enough of his kisses. He began stroking a little harder into her, rocking both of their bodies in a primal rhythm. Later, he raised up to gaze down into her eyes. "I love you, Athan," she whispered very, very quietly. Where did that black night sky come from? It was suddenly there in front of her, as big as the Universe itself and she felt as though she was flying away into its fathomless depths. Her whole body throbbed with power and incredible energy. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that it was Athan's eyes she was looking into, falling into - more deeply and intensely than she ever had before. She was rushing with impossible speed that she felt would surely ignite her very cells. Then she came to a stop, just floating in the void. Fear gripped her as she stared into this black nothingness inside his gaze; it was too immense, too overwhelming. "Virta." She heard his voice though she could no longer see his face. "Just trust me," he said. Stars began to twinkle down on her and she was hypnotically drawn to them, reaching out as if she could grasp them in her fingers. In her new-found calm, she sensed his familiar presence, though she couldn't find him anywhere. Then the whole space around her took on a beautiful white glow, brighter than anything she'd ever seen, but soft on her eyes. It was like uncounted numbers of diamonds twinkling just for her. She still couldn't see Athan, but she knew it was him as strong as she'd ever felt anything. She was also aware of his body moving deeply inside her. Here, in this new dimension, with his very essence surrounding her, Virta had the awareness that Athan was a literal god here. She basked in the bliss of him everywhere around her, keeping her safe, comforting her while their souls and bodies joined. "Oh god," she moaned, unable to keep from crying out as her pleasure was about to to explode. "Oh, Athan." Her body and soul shattered into a million pieces of ecstasy, threatening to shake her off the bed if not for him holding her there. She thrashed, she bucked, she grabbed onto him with all her strength, clutching at him while her orgasm hit full force. His came right after hers, and she floated with him through colors she'd never even seen before. She felt as though she'd fallen so deeply into those eyes that she'd come out on the other side, into a world of unending bliss. Sometime later, she opened her eyes and found herself tucked protectively under his body. "Did I die?" she asked, looking up into his face with huge eyes. He chuckled, and stroked his fingers over her hair. "In a sense," he said, kissing her forehead. "It.. it was indescribable," Virta said, stunned from their blissful union. Who needed Heaven when she had this? She felt boneless in his arms. In Athan's arms - where she wanted to be forever. I'm his forever... or as long as he wants me, she thought. His slave... Later, she was drifting in thought while he propped himself up on one elbow, his fingers playing lightly over her belly, a slight grin on his lips. She started to giggle. He stopped his fingers. "Ticklish?" he asked. "No, it's just a silly thought. It's just these crazy hormones in my body. They make me feel stuff, irrational stuff. Like my hormones try to override all sense." "It's just because that body is new for you. Eventually, you'll have more control of your emotions." "Like you..." she said, sudden sadness piercing her heart as she thought of how he never said he loved her. Dammit, why did she need to hear it from his lips? Why couldn't the feelings she got from him be enough? Like that amazing celestial, mind-blowing experience they'd just shared together. Stupid, stupid woman, she thought. "Like you," she started again to try and cover her tracks. "I mean, you really have no idea what I'm thinking?" He stopped and just looked at her. "What are you getting at? I told you I don't eavesdrop on you." "Well, try it right now. Try to guess what I'm thinking." She snickered at him. She felt giddy and silly all of a sudden. He said nothing but just started kissing the back of her hand with that small smile on his lips, sending shivers of delight through her skin. "Maybe I'm just punch drunk from that amazing sex," she said. "But come on, try to tell what I'm thinking." She laughed. "Try it." He raised his lips from her hand and looked down at her. "Try?" he said, one dark eyebrow shooting up in mischief. "There's no try to it, I can read your mind like a book." She giggled. "I hope it's not like a children's book in there. I'd be embarrassed if you couldn't find any intelligent thought." "Speaking of children..." he trailed off as he got a funny look on his face. The amusement was gone as he stared down at her. "Pregnancy? You? Having a baby?" She laughed again. "You got it! I told you it was a stupid thought. Neither of us is fertile." His expression and his voice were serious. "No, Virta. You're not. I'm sorry if that disappoints you." "Like I said, I think it's more those pesky human hormones than anything. Or just curiosity." She sighed as she took in his ruggedly handsome features, her hands lightly tracing his sculptured face. "But damn, with those genes of yours, you'd have to produce some really fine offspring." He was silent then, and his touch on her hand dwindled to a stop. She could feel tension in the air where there was none before. She snatched her own hand back and sat up to look at him. "I'm not in a position to be any kind of father," he said quietly, his dark eyes glittering as he looked at the wall by the bed. "I guess it's just that it occurred to me after all the sex we've had, that a real human woman would probably be pregnant by now." She was growing uncomfortable from Athan's reaction to this. He muttered under his breath as he rose from the bed. What was it with him and subject of babies, anyway? She wondered. "Is everything OK, Athan? You seem kind of upset." He took a deep breath and seemed to relax, his expression softened back into the more placid one he usually wore. "Please, Athan. Tell me what's on your mind. You said you'd always tell me the truth." "Apparently you don't know that us older angels can conceive with human women. We were given the ability to have offspring with humans." Virta twitched on the bed, shocked. "You can have children?" "With human women. Not with angels or... angels in human form, such as yourself." She sat there, her mouth gaping open, stunned. There was always some surprise, some blow to her worldview when she was with Athan. She felt jealousy rising like fire in the pit of her stomach. "I don't believe this," she said, adjusting the sheet she'd wrapped around her body. "You younger ones can't reproduce. But ages ago, we were made with the capability to not just have sex with human women, but to impregnate them. It was another one of those experiments they're so fond of." Virta swallowed. "Have you ever... uh..." "Yes, Virta. I...," he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Then he stood up and walked to the wall, turned around and leaned against it, crossing his arms at his chest. "I have a son." Virta felt as though she'd been cut in two with a flaming sword. Her mind was reeling. She was literally stunned. "You have a son," she repeated, her voice reflecting her numb disbelief. "H-how old is he?" "He's twenty years old," Athan said, a tense edge in his voice. "We haven't spoken for two years now." Virta couldn't stop now. She had to know everything. "Does he know you're a..." "A demon? Yes. That plays a big part in his hatred of me." Virta just stared at Athan. She took a deep breath. "What's his name?" "His name is Michael." "Michael," Virta repeated. "What about his... the mother?" Athan shifted his position against the wall, but said nothing for a minute. Sadness darkened his princely features. "Do you love her?" "No. She was just a very beautiful mortal woman that I -" "What was her name?" Virta didn't want to interrupt, but for some reason, it was very important to her to know about this other woman. This human, who had shared something so intimate, so deep and so profound with Athan... this human woman had actually had the glory of intermingling her DNA with his... had born him a child... something Virta would never be able to do with him as long as she existed. She thought she might choke from the heartbreak welling up inside. "Her name is Savannah. I slept with her to blow off steam after a particularly bad day. Savannah was just something I saw one night, and wanted, and took." He took a few paces along the wall. When he turned, he met her eyes. "A one night stand, you'd call it. She never knew what I really was." Virta swallowed. "What happened when you found out she was pregnant?" "I only saw her that one time, never even thought about when or if I'd see her again. I never knew she was pregnant. I used protection, so I never thought anymore of it." "How did you find out?" "I was told by Pearl, a contact at the Office, someone who's job was very much like a social worker and who also kept up on the Ancient One's, uh, production of offspring." Virta tossed a strand of hair out of her face. "Did you say Pearl?" Athan nodded. "She kept me updated with reports from time to time when I was in the field and couldn't check in on him." Athan went back to leaning against the wall, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "After I found out, I tried to be a part of his life, to help raise our son. But I was never around as much as I wanted to be. It was impossible, given my responsibilities and the dangers to him because of me. If my enemies were to threaten his life to get to me..." "Is this woman, Savannah, still around? I mean, what kind of relationship do you have now?" A pained look shone out from his dark eyes. "She was killed in a car accident when he was five. I've only seen her once since then, in Paradise. I had to break in there just one time to see how she was. I could only stay a few minutes." "Paradise..." Virta said. "I haven't thought of that place in a long time. We called it something else." Athan nodded. "Michael went into the care of a good family. I tried to maintain relations with him, but he found out the truth of what I was when he was eighteen." "How did he find out?" "Being half demon, well, he was growing into some strange powers of his own. I took him away somewhere that we could spend some time alone. A father - son retreat, you might call it. I explained everything to him about the changes that were taking place in him. I showed him how to use his new-found powers, and told him that he needed to be careful, to be in control of them, and to use wisdom." "What was his reaction?" "He turned his powers on me. We got in an actual fight. He's very stubborn, very headstrong. He wanted to do what he wanted to do, and he didn't want me telling him otherwise." "Oh," Virta said. "I kind of understand where he's coming from." She looked up as Athan was shaking his head, still lost in thought. "He made it clear that he wanted no part of, and I quote: 'a demonic hell-fiend, fuck-buddy of Satan'. And then he took off into another dimension." Unable to help herself, Virta started giggling, and the more she tried to stop, the more it turned to full-blown rollicking laughter on the bed. Finally, she got control of herself and cleared her throat, sitting back up to look at him sheepishly. Athan was shaking his head, trying not to smile. "And I hear these reports of all the trouble he gets into in different dimensions." Athan shoved off from the wall and came over to take a seat next to her on the bed. He brushed her hair away from her shoulder, smoothing it with his large hand. "Are you OK, Virta? I know this is so much to process." She nodded. A wave of sadness went through her. She looked up at him, placing a hand against his chest. "I really am sorry about what happened with Michael. I know that must hurt. Forgive me for laughing." He sighed and wrapped his arm around her, hugging her against his side. He kissed the top of her head. "I have to laugh about it too," he said. "What else can I do?" She gave him a teasing smile. "I guess even demons have trouble with their teenagers, huh?" Athan rolled his eyes and fell back on the bed, pulling her down next to him. He let out a weary groan. "I could kill that kid," he said, flinging an arm over his closed eyes. When she stiffened next to him, he added with a smile, "but I hope I never have to." He started chuckling, shaking the bed with his quiet laugher. She loved the unique, melodic sound. She only wished she heard it more often. Impulsively, she jumped on top of him. "Can we do that again?" she said, "the mind-spirit-body-melding, far-out sex?" She bounced lightly on top of him and he opened his eyes, his hands going to her hips. He looked up at her, grinning. "You're hooked, aren't you, baby? You're hooked on sex with me." "Yes, I admit it. I have to have some more of that." He sighed and pretended to think about it for a minute. "I think we have time for another dose," he said. Falling Hard Ch. 17 There is one more chapter after this one, and Falling Hard will be finished. Thank you for reading. I appreciate votes, comments and feedback. It is motivating to me, and I try to answer any email that has a return address. Thanks again. * * * Virta was on her knees on the floor. Her hands shook as she held the relic over Athan's bare chest. Her mouth was dry but her eyes were filling with tears. It was not the first or last time she would second-guess this plan. He'd given her one part in his plan - one task for her to complete. But it was the hardest thing for her to do. Athan was on his back on the floor of Virta's apartment with his shirt unbuttoned all the way. She watched his muscular chest rise and fall as he struggled to keep his breathing steady. Virta could see his face tense up as he prepared himself for the onslaught of the relic's terrible power. "OK, I'm ready." The strain to remain calm was evident in his voice. No, she would not do this. How could she put that thing on him? She knew what it felt like, though she had only worn it for a very short time. There was no way she could willingly press it against his flesh. "I said, I'm ready, Virta." Athan's voice was louder in her ears than before. "Rose will be here any minute." Her fingers shook as she moved the relic closer to his chest, to his heart. She watched his eyes as he watched it coming closer. When it was an inch from his chest, she paused again. It was sickly fascinating - the way the skin rippled slightly from the radiant power of the relic. It practically lunged for him, ready to dig its spikes into his heart. No, she could not do this. "What the hell are you waiting for?" His voice startled her and she nearly dropped the relic on him. "Soldier, you've got your orders. Do it!" Unwillingly, her hand opened and the relic fell onto his chest. She heard a gasp of air in his lungs and a low groan. Unable to watch his agony, she raced to the sliding glass door, wrenched it open, and started to run. That was the plan, after all. She couldn't do it. Virta clenched her hair in her hands and leaned up against the building, panting. She felt like such a coward. She should be in there with him right now, holding his hand, stroking his forehead and comforting him. She should be taking the stupid relic off him and locking her door so that maybe the world would leave them alone. They could make love like they did before, when he had her up among the stars. She decided to go back in there and tell him this was all a bad idea. There was still time before Rose showed up. Virta knew Athan could hear, see, and feel anything that happened to him from here on out, but had no chance of protecting himself from as much as a fly. He was completely vulnerable. She felt she had to protect him. That feeling was new to her. He was always the protector, not the one who was weak and helpless. Only now, he was. She opened the door and stepped inside just in time to see Rose and two big angels coming in the other door. Athan was lying very still on the living room floor. Rose looked from Athan to Virta, a shrewd smile on her face. Virta was stuck in her spot like a deer in headlights. "You see? I knew you would call me. So tell me, what did he do?" Rose marched right over to Athan's motionless body and stood over him as if she was the champion of a knockdown, drag-out fight. "You mentioned the contract." Virta stuttered, and then spoke in a distraught voice. "Y-you were right, Rose. He's a cruel bastard. He - oh my god - he had his way with me. He made me his slave." She wiped at her eyes. Rose's lips curled into a snarl. "Oh shit. You're just lucky that where he's going, he won't be able to enforce it. You know he set you up for that, right? I mean, the papers weren't under lock and key, I'm betting?" Virta looked back down at Athan. He was quiet, just staring off into space with dark, pain-filled eyes. She shook her head. "You see, he's a tricky one, letting your own natural curiosity be the rope that hung you." Virta took a deep breath. "I managed to get the relic on him and call you. Thank God you came so quickly!" Rose walked up and put an arm around Virta, patting her back in a show of fake sympathy. "There, there, honey. I tried to warn you. It will be all right. You'll get your revenge soon enough." Rose bent down to examine Athan more closely. "Just like old times, right, Athan, baby?" She grabbed his chin between her hands and planted a big, sloppy kiss on his lips. Virta clenched her hands together. She wanted to kick Rose's ass so bad, but she had to keep the plan - the bigger picture - in mind. That is, if she hadn't fucked it up too much already. Rose drew back and landed a punch as hard as she could on Athan's cheek. His head jerked back a bit and then fell limp again. "I've wanted to do that for a long time," she said, rubbing her fist with the other hand. "Tough bastard though. Ouch, that hurt." Then she motioned to the tough-guy angels standing by the wall. "Rod... Smokey... have at him, boys. I want him softened up a little for the General." She leaned down again in Athan's face. "This is a little taste of what you'll get back in Heaven, love," she said, grasping his chin tightly. "And payback for what you did to me the last time we were together like this." She got up and moved back to stand by a horrified Virta. "And for what you did to my friend, Virta," she added. Rose draped her arm around Virta's shoulder again. Virta wanted to elbow her in the ribs, but she stood still. The two angels began kicking Athan. Virta shook Rose's arm off and walked back to the sliding glass door. She looked out with tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't stand to hear the thuds as Rod and Smokey's boots made contact with Athan's defenseless body. She shut her eyes to keep the tears from coming out. A hand was on her shoulder. "Go ahead, Virta. Take a turn at it." Virta looked down at the smaller woman. "What? No." "There's absolutely nothing he can do to you now. Don't you want to -- " "No! I think your men are doing a bang-up job of making him suffer already. Why are you playing around, Rose? Banner will be waiting. Are we going or not?" Virta was angry and afraid, and she couldn't stop it from coming out in her voice. She yanked at a lock of her own hair to keep from punching Rose. Rose's eyes narrowed. "Oh, we're going, but don't worry. We won't be late. It just takes seconds to get there from here." Virta glanced back to the scene on her living room floor. She winced as another blow landed on Athan's face. He was bleeding onto her carpet. "That's enough!" she yelled at the angels. They stopped and looked up at her in surprise. Rose put her hands on her hips. Just then, someone came barreling through the living room door. Everyone but Athan turned to see who it was. "Mick, what are you doing here?" Virta was horrified to see her best friend in the middle of all this, casually dusting off his black pants before looking up at them. "I know you," Rose began, glaring up as she took him in - from his dark hair and blue eyes to his black ops clothing and boots. "Mick. But you're as much a demon now as this brute on the floor!" Rod and Stoney left their pummeling of Athan and started toward Mick. "I'm not here to rescue him!" Mick said, holding his empty hands up in front of him. "You can see I'm unarmed." "What then?" Rose asked, eyes glaring. She folded her arms across her chest impatiently. "Banner broadcasted a message for me. If I help bring Athan in, I'll be reinstated as a Heavenly angel. Complete pardon." Virta's heart sunk to her stomach and she forgot to breathe. "I received no such update from the General," Rose said, one eyebrow cocked suspiciously. "Check your receiver again. I'm sure it's there by now." Rose pulled the small device from her hip pocket and put an ear bud in. She turned and walked away, facing the wall. After a moment, she put the device away and turned back around. "Alright... You were telling the truth. However, I don't like this. I learned long ago the foolishness of deviating from a well thought-out plan. If you're going along, you have to do what I say, Mick. Now let's get him ready for transport." Everyone was busy but Virta, who stood against the wall staring down at Athan. Her mind was going a mile a minute to try to figure something out. Mick surely didn't believe that the General would do what he said. Was reinstatement even possible? She had surely never heard of it. Mick wouldn't betray her like this. She walked to where Mick was bending over Athan, reinforcing the knots that were binding him. Virta whispered to him as quietly as possible. "Mick, don't do this. You know Banner is lying. Think of what he did to Flash and Carol." Mick didn't answer, just kept at the knots. "Please, Mick. Don't be a part of this." "It's too late, Virta. You're a part of this, so I'm a part of this." Mick finished tying the knot and stood up. "If you're doing this because you feel responsible for me, then don't worry about it. Everything is going just according to plan." "Is it really?" he said coolly and walked away to the other side of the room where Rose was talking with her angelic thugs. Virta looked back down into the battered face of the man she loved. Athan's eyes were closed. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. She heard them approaching and looked up. Mick took her by the arm. She jerked her arm away from him and stood with her back to the wall again. She couldn't stand feeling so helpless anymore. "Guys, pick this beast up and let's go." Virta watched as Rod and Stoney grabbed Athan. They hoisted him off the ground with their arms locked under his, holding him up, one angel on each side. Rose took out another device from her bag and set it on the floor in the middle of the room. Bright rays of light shone out, shimmering and wavering. Rose motioned for Rod and Stoney to go first. They walked to the light, pulling Athan along with them. As they stepped into the concentrated beams, they disappeared into thin air. Mick went next, and then Virta, and Rose brought up the rear. All Virta did was walk into the light, and continued walking right into another world. They were in a huge, grassy field with trees on all sides. A blue, cloudless sky was overhead. She couldn't see a sun anywhere in it though. The colors here were unusually vibrant and it took Virta's eyes a moment to adjust. Fresh air and the scent of the lush, green field blew gently over her. She looked at those by her side. Rose was next to her, hands on her slim hips, staring intently at the trees ahead. Rod and Stoney were just behind them with Athan in the middle. She did a quick check of Athan but his eyes were barely open and his head was hanging down. Mick was standing in the back like the coward he was. She turned back around and movement caught her eye. From the tree line stepped marching angels, row after row. It was an awesome, fearful sight. She saw General Banner riding through the trees on a white horse. Virta watched in fear and trembling as he crossed the field with his small army of angels. They kept coming in formation until they surrounded the small group. The General slid off his horse and gave the reins to an angel, who led the horse a few paces back. The General stood in front of Rose then. But his eyes looked over her head, staring down at Athan. Rod and Stoney pulled their catch up so he could see better. It got very quiet. "Athan," Banner said. "Here we are, after all these years. Wouldn't it have been so much better to have remained on my team? You know the prophecies as well as I do. In the end... we win." That jarred Virta. She glanced at Rose. The other woman's eyes were locked on the General. Her face was radiant at just the sight of him. "General," Rose said. "It's so nice to see you again." She gave a salute. "I'm the reason you have Athan. I brought him to you just as you commanded. Though it took me longer than I hoped, I didn't let you down. He's yours." Banner nodded. "You will be given everything you deserve when we all get to Heaven. Nevertheless, Virta made this possible too. He was vulnerable because of her." Virta shivered as Banner's eyes raked over her. She felt naked under his gaze. The look he gave her was one of pure disgust, however. "She'll get what she deserves too," he said. Then Banner's attention went back to the captive demon. Virta startled as Rod and Stony pitched Athan forward and he went to his knees. He stayed there for a moment, but fell with his face down on the ground at the General's feet. Virta cringed at that and had to fight the urge to try to catch him before he fell, or at least prop him up. It was all so wrong. Athan should not be so helpless in front of the General. "Pick him up," Banner said to some of his men. Two burly angels walked forward and grabbed Athan by his upper arms. They grunted as they hauled him to his feet, turned him around, and began dragging him away. Virta looked into his eyes but they just stared back at her, lifeless and dull. The relic is doing its thing, she thought, feeling the panic rise in her chest. Where was Bel and his army? They were supposed to be here, set Athan free and fight the General. So why was that not happening? She couldn't let Banner take Athan from her. She started to move forward. She would grab the relic from him herself. She only made it a few steps after Athan when the General's soldiers took hold of her. That's when all hell broke loose. Falling Hard Ch. 18 I thought Chapter 18 would be the final one, but as I worked on it, I realized it was getting way too long. To make things easier on myself, I divided it into two. So expect one more chapter after this. I really mean it this time :) LOL. Thank you for your patience, for reading, and for your votes and comments. *** Virta watched, transfixed to the spot, as hordes of demons rushed out of a dimensional portal. Shouting wild, rumbling cries with weapons upraised, they ran to do battle with Banner's angels. Metal clashed against metal as the armies engaged. The angel holding onto Virta seemed as shocked as she was. Clearly, this ambush had taken them all by surprise. But shock turned to fear as Virta saw a large demon coming directly at her. He looked so familiar - those chocolate brown eyes, dark mustache and trimmed beard. Where had she seen him before? Before she could blink, he was attacking the angel that held her prisoner, who then let go of Virta to fight back. As she watched the fight unfolding before her eyes, she realized the demon was the same agent at the church just after her arrival on Earth. Apparently, he really had been there to make sure she was OK. And he was here now to do the same. Virta felt relief as she watched this silent protector. But something was terribly wrong. A sword handle was stuck to his chest. No, she realized in horror - he was completely run through to the hilt with the angel's sword. Virta watched her savior clutching at the sword before he sank down to his knees. The end of the blade was sticking out of his back. Then his gentle eyes locked with hers for a second before he fell over onto his side, dead. Her angel captor ripped the sword out of his dead enemy's chest and charged off, forgetting her. Virta didn't know what to do. She looked around, saw an opening, and started to run. Somehow she ended up face down on the ground. She heard Athan's strong voice over the cries and the clash of metal, but her dazed mind didn't register the words. Virta's first instinct was to go where he was, to help him. Then she looked up and really saw him. To watch him in action made her blood run cold. It was one thing to see it on a screen and know it happened a long time ago. But now, she was seeing it live in this high-definition dimension - in front of her very own eyes. Everywhere that Athan's sword plunged or slashed, angels fell dead at his feet. When he whirled around to face three oncoming angels, she got a clear view of his face. He was smiling. The creepiest thing was that Athan's eyes were completely blacked out. His irises were always like midnight, but now his entire eye sockets were a bottomless void. It scared the hell out of her. And it made him look more demonic than she'd ever seen him before. He killed the three angels. And the ones that came after them. It looked to her as if he was having the best day of his life. More of his names from Demons Dot Com went through her mind: Destroyer... Man of War. This was the same guy who'd made sweet, ethereal love to her and lifted her to orgasms among the stars? Now she saw his other side - maybe his more natural side, she thought, as he massacred everyone around him. Virta tore her eyes away, desperate to get her panic under control. She forced herself to focus on a perfect clump of grass inches away from her face. Each blade was long and straight and green, gently wavering in the breeze and the light from the sunless sky. Just as she was reaching forward to touch the grass, the phosphorescent red of angel blood splattered across it, marring the vibrant green hues. She started screaming. The sound of fiery swords whizzing and clanking, armor crashing, the grunts and cries, the smells of blood and metal – it assaulted Virta from every side. She clung to the cool earth as if it was her lifeline. She pressed her cheek to it and watched as it soaked up the life force of both angels and demons. Everywhere around her was a melee - fighting and dismemberment, killing and dying. Her stomach seized up and she vomited all over the ground. It could have been seconds or minutes later, since time was lost to her in this hellish nightmare, but she heard another familiar voice above the chaos. It wrested her attention from the grass, dirt, and blood, and she looked up to see General Banner in the midst of fighting his own battle. He was nearly overrun with demons. Several of his men were trying to form a shield around him. Suddenly, Rose scurried by Virta's line of sight. It made Virta temporarily forget her fear. What was the little angel up to? Wasn't she scared? She watched Rose bend over a demon with a sword sticking out of its throat. Little Rose put one foot on his collar bone and gripped the sword handle with both hands, tugging and prying at it. Virta thought it would have been funny to watch Rose try to lift the sword under other circumstances. She recalled Rose saying that she'd been very powerful in Heaven. She must forget she's not a big, strong angel anymore, Virta thought. The sword was obviously heavy and almost as tall as Rose, not to mention it was stuck fast in the meaty throat of a dead demon. But Rose managed to tug the sword free after a little work at it. She awkwardly held the weapon up for a moment, watching the blood run down the blade toward her hands. Then she turned and hurried off to the General, dragging the sword behind her. Is she crazy? Virta thought. Rose obviously didn't have a frightened bone in her body, at least when it came to being with the man she loved. But Virta couldn't believe what she saw next. Banner grabbed Rose and pulled her in front of him just in time to take the blade of an oncoming sword. Then he dropped her and turned to resume the fight. It was over for Rose just like that. Virta froze at what she'd just witnessed. After a moment of shock, she found herself scrambling to her feet. Her instinct was to go help Rose. But a hand snatched her from behind and yanked her back down again. "Forget it, she's dead," came Mick's voice in her ear. Startled, she turned to look at her friend. She'd been so focused on the scene before her, she hadn't seen or heard him hit the ground next to her. He had one hand on her back, holding her in place, as though he was afraid she'd scramble away into the skirmish. "We have to get to the trees," he said. She nodded, looking to where Mick was pointing to the edge of the forest. But the way was soon blocked by more fighters. They stayed plastered to the ground, waiting for a break in the chaos around them when they could make a break for it. The ground was still the safest place at the moment. She hoped she would continue to be ignored down there, but a glance to her right told her she wouldn't have that luxury much longer. Another demon, one of Athan's men, was working his way toward them, chopping and hacking angels down on his way. She knew he was coming to kill her. She could see the murderous intent in his eyes, which were fixed only on her. His sword raised high above his head and he advanced. But Mick lunged with a sword of his own. She couldn't believe she was watching her best friend actually kill someone. The flames in the blade licked at the demon's blood as it ran down the sword and onto Mick's hands. Unsatisfied that he was causing death, Mick twisted and thrust upward under the demon's ribs. He repeated the motion over and over until Virta finally jumped up and grabbed his arm, pulling on it. "OK, I think he's dead now. Come on!" The demon's body fell when Mick pulled his sword out of it. Mick grabbed up its shield, thrusting it into Virta's hands. Then he took her by the arm, guiding her low across the battlefield toward the trees. They had to stop and fall flat on the ground again when arrows began zinging all around them. "This is a lot different than the video game," Mick panted from his position beside her on the grass. "Next time I play Universe at War, I'll have a whole new level of respect." Virta knew what he was trying to do for her, but it wasn't working. She was panicked beyond belief. "Why did Athan's man try to kill me?" she cried, looking around in fear that more of them might be turning on her. "Probably the traitor in the bunch," Mick shouted back. "Stay down on the ground Virta. We'll break for the trees soon." Once again, her eyes found Athan in the distance. She didn't want to watch him kill, but she couldn't look away. He was so fast and precise, seemingly on auto-pilot. Surely, bloodshed is a drug to him, she thought. She was afraid, watching his menacing form getting larger and larger. That's when she realized he was carving a bloody swath right toward her. Suddenly his dark eyes flickered to hers, locked on, and she saw something flash behind them. The blackness curled back and revealed the eyes she was familiar with - dark only in the irises. He appeared to have awakened from his blood-tinged coma. She knew he saw the fear in in her eyes looking back at him, could tell by the way his face changed. Or was it something else he saw? Virta gasped, momentarily distracted from Athan as Mick's body was jerked away from hers. She looked down toward her feet to see an angel hauling Mick up on his feet, then holding him in a headlock. A voice from above made her hair stand on end. It was the General, standing right over her and not looking the least bit troubled by demons. "Get up, Virta," he commanded. She rose to her feet. There was still fighting going on around them, but it was as though that little area off to the side was suddenly filled with another kind of vibe, as though time was working differently there. Banner shoved a flaming sword into her hand and her fingers closed around it. "Try it out," came the General's encouraging, commanding voice behind her. She heard the huge smile behind the words. Virta gave a few swings of the blade. Powerful. She was much bigger and stronger than Rose, and she didn't have nearly the amount of trouble holding the sword. She sliced the air with it again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Athan. He was coming closer, slowly, carefully. She couldn't meet his eyes. "Feels good, doesn't it?" the General said from behind her. She wondered if she was fast enough to whirl around and take his head off. Now THAT would feel good. But she was powerless to do it. She turned to glance back over her shoulder at Banner. He was standing with a grin on his face and his arms crossed at his chest. She saw the blood on his tan uniform. "You're a natural," he said. "I think that's enough practice." Everything seemed to slow down then. His hand went to her back, and he gave her a big shove toward Athan. She heard the deep command from the General's lips. "Kill him." Her? Kill Athan? The General wanted her dead, of course. But he wanted to watch her own lover slay her. Athan, standing several yards away, immediately lowered his own sword to his side, glaring over her head. "Banner, you son of a bitch," he said. Virta approached Athan with her sword outstretched, shaking, trembling. She was trying to resist the General's commands, or at least hold back, but it wasn't working. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be turned into a killer just at his say-so. But it was happening. Tears squeezed from her half-closed eyes. She wasn't worried that she would actually hurt Athan. No, she was completely assured by now that he could more than take care of himself. Athan was as still as a statue, both arms resting at his sides, the tip of his sword nearly touching the ground. He wasn't even looking at her; he was still locked in that menacing glare at the General. No time for her to think. She closed her eyes, gripped her sword with both hands, and swung it as hard as she could at the man she loved. There was a sharp sound and a jarring sensation that rippled through her hands and arms. Her eyes popped open - her sword was gone, but she was still in one piece. She shrank back, but Athan was already storming past her in the direction of the General. She shook her head a few times to clear it. Suddenly, her mind was free again. In her peripheral vision, there was a band of hulking angels rushing at Athan from all sides. She watched them pounce on him all at once. "No!" she cried when the General reached in and threw a relic on Athan's chest. He was being hauled away again and all she could do was watch. Hell, no, I can do more. Don't be a coward, she thought. Get the relic off him. She saw her sword on the ground where Athan had knocked it out of her hands with his own. She grabbed it up and turned back around to him. Two angels had their arms locked under his; he faced backwards toward her. Their eyes met for a moment, but she couldn't see anything there; they were fast draining of all power. She ran forward. It was suicide, but her mind wasn't in control, it was her heart. And wonder of wonders, nobody was trying to stop her... she was going to make it. Just a few more steps. She was almost to him when something knocked her forcefully to the ground. That's when the blackness closed in around her. The sounds on the battlefield faded away, as if she was being swallowed up into a different dimension. And with a pounding heart and dry mouth, she realized that was exactly what was happening. Frightened, she looked up at Athan. His grayed eyes were the last thing she saw before everything closed up around her. She knew that her worst nightmare was coming true: She was going to Hell. * * * Virta was tired of walking for once in her life. But she was even more tired of listening to Andy - the criminal demon who'd been tagging along beside her on their journey down that dark, cold tunnel. Andy had these intense blue eyes that seemed to see right through her and he talked too much. The things he said made Virta even more worried than she already was. Not to mention how annoying it was that he kept staring at her breasts. She was finally separated from the other prisoners and pushed down a very narrow hallway. Virta felt some panic rise as she moved down the dark confines. At the end of the hall was a metal doorway. One of the guards used an iris scan and she heard locks turning inside the massive doors. Here we go, Virta thought, gritting her teeth, eyes closed. My worst nightmare. How did I fall so far in such a short time? I can't believe I'm really here. Well... maybe it's a fitting end. The door swung open and Virta was shoved through it. She expected to be greeted by a fiery blast of heat. To say it was not what she expected was an understatement. Where were the flames and screams of anguish? She gazed all around, eyes blinking in the bright light, unsure what to make of it. She was on a hill in an old part of a city. In the distance, she could see the taller, modern buildings of downtown. Looking up, there was a beautiful blue, cloudless sky. The only thing that filled her expectation was the heat. It was hot, but not unbearable. In fact, it felt good after her time in the chilly tunnels. The guards unchained her, but each put a big hand on her shoulders and started walking her down the street. Virta had no desire to run from them, so she went willingly. She took in everything they passed, surprised at the abundance of flowers, fruit trees, and charming old structures. Flowers in hell? she thought. Maybe when you touch them, they snap at your fingers. Virta shook her head. None of this was making any sense to her. They walked several more blocks. It looked like the citizens were preparing for a festival of some kind. There were concession stands in place, and a street was being roped off. Virta mused that these weren't streets of gold but at least the streets were very clean. The sounds weren't bad either. Somewhere a band was playing reggae. Seriously, what the hell? Virta avoided eye contact with any of the citizens as she was led by. She got lots of stares; she could feel them boring into her. She was pulled up the steps and through the doors of an imposing stone building. The sounds of the city abruptly cut off. It was cooler in here, quiet and formal. Virta was escorted passed security checkpoints, the guards showing their badges, and then it became just one guard. He moved her on through a hallway lined with humans and demons, and some angels in human form like herself, all waiting with numbers in their hands. Beyond them, Virta was taken on through doors marked "Processing" and plunked down in front of a desk. A demon woman with kind eyes looked up from her computer monitor with a smile. "You're right on time, Virta," she said in a melodious voice that made Virta sit up. "Let me be the first to welcome you to Hell. My name is Pam." Virta saw that Pam was quite beautiful with pale blonde hair piled up on her head. Her features were soft, but her eyes were vibrant blue and intense. Her eyes and her silky, sensual voice were the only things about her that betrayed her other-worldliness. "I hope you weren't treated too badly." Pam cast a disproving look at the guard who turned and left. "Athan wanted you to be safe, away from that battle. And I don't blame him. As bad as it was, it got plenty worse just after you left." Virta's head was spinning. It was hard to focus on one thing, there was just so much running through her mind. "Um, I think there's been a mistake, ma'am," she mumbled. "Is there another Hell, by chance? Like, one with fire and brimstone? Cause I think I was supposed to go, um, you know, to the bad Hell." She looked around the office nervously, then her eyes settled back on the woman. "Not the good Hell... though I didn't know there was a good Hell." Pam's eyes twinkled and her sweet laughter filled the room. It was a pleasant tinkling sound. "Oh, Virta," she said with a sigh. "I get that all the time. No, this is the real Hell. We have our flaws, but everybody's welcome here." Virta just looked at her and nodded her head, unsure if she believed what she was hearing. "Thank you," she mumbled. Pam picked up a large document and held it out to Virta. "Athan wanted this ready for when you arrived." "What's this?" Virta took the paper in shaky hands and squinted at it. There was a lot of fancy writing in a language she didn't know. Scanning to the bottom, she saw Athan's signature in his dark, regal script. "It's the Official Document of Falling. Sign at the bottom, please." Seeing Virta's hesitation, Pam smiled. "Have a look yourself, Virta dear. You'll see it's the right thing this time. We had quite a laugh when your other paperwork made its way down here." Virta felt her face grow hot. She looked up at Pam over the document. "You have that here?" "It's filed next door in Legal." "May I see it?" "No, I'm sorry, Virta. Athan is the only one who can get to it. And even though we're quite sure he didn't mean for you to be a prisoner here, the document IS binding, and we must abide by it. But of course, we'll try to make your stay as pleasant as possible within the confines of the contract." Pam's smile was comforting, but the tears still threatened, pooling in Virta's eyes. "What if he doesn't come back?" she said, wiping at the moisture around her lashes. "The last thing I saw up there, he was being taken away. They may have killed him by now. Oh, God. And it's all my fault." Virta lost the battle with the tears and they started pouring down. Pam swiped a tissue box from beneath her desk and held it out to Virta. "Athan is fine, dear. I've been watching the whole battle on the monitor here." Virta sniffled into a tissue. "What do you mean? He's free again?" "Would you like to see for yourself?" Pam put a hand on the screen as if to flip it around. Falling Hard Ch. 18 Virta quickly held up her hands. "No, no, that's really OK. I don't want to see anymore killing." The news about Athan relieved her a little, but she couldn't shake the worry. This wasn't over yet. She wondered how Mick was faring. Hopefully he'd made it to the trees. "Mick was injured, but nothing that won't heal." Virta started to ask Pam how she knew, but then it came to her. Of course, Pam was... well, what she was, one of those higher ups with all the cool powers. Virta tossed her tissue into the wastebasket at the side of the desk, her hand shaking visibly. "I know your fears, Virta. Athan doesn't blame you for anything. Your guilt and worry are completely unfounded. He had you brought here to protect you, not to hurt you." She needed it to be true. She wanted to believe Pam so badly. "Believe me, Virta." The demon's voice gently coaxed her. It had to be true. She wasn't being tortured down here, wasn't being chained to walls and poked and prodded. Virta relaxed a little. "Now, I'm sure you're quite uncomfortable in those clothes." Virta followed Pam's gaze down her body. Her skirt and top were torn, dirty and caked with blood. Her shoes were filthy. She looked back up at the demon and nodded. "I have something special for you." Pam's voice was excited and her eyes sparkled. She reached under her desk and pulled out a large shopping bag. Virta watched Pam remove a beautiful emerald-green dress that sparkled at the neckline. Then came an exquisite pair of shoes. They looked like silk and roses with a solid gold heel. All this was for her? "Everyone gets a complementary new outfit when they move here." Pam smiled as she put the items back in the bag and handed it to Virta. "I picked this out just for you." Virta was stunned to silence. From the brief glimpse of the dress and shoes, they'd surely cost a fortune. Pam nodded, then pointed across the room. "You can get cleaned up in the bathroom over there. Feel free to use the shower and toiletries." Slowly, Virta got to her feet, clutching the bag. "Thank you," she said. She walked to the bathroom, still sure there had been some mistake in all this. It did feel good to take a hot shower and get prettied up again with makeup and clean hair. The dress and shoes fit beautifully, as if they'd been made just for her. Virta ran her hands down the soft whisper of silk that flowed to just above her knee. The neckline was cut high and the straps fastened at the back of her neck. Precious gemstones sparkled at her throat. Her arms and shoulders were completely bare. Virta turned around to see the view from behind. The back of the dress revealed a lot of her lightly tanned skin. She turned again, enjoying the way the skirt floated about her. The rich green flattered her skin, bringing out her eyes and contrasting with her dark hair. The whole look was clean, elegant, and beautiful. Her hair was shiny and she hadn't needed much makeup since she already had a glow. Must be all the excitement, she thought. She wondered if Pam was dressing her for Athan. Maybe she knew what he liked. With a final look in the mirror, she went back out to Pam's desk. The woman was watching her monitor, but she looked up when Virta quietly swished across the carpet. The demon's diaphanous eyes lit up in pleasure at the sight. "Beautiful," she breathed. "Oh, I wish I could see Athan's face when he sees you in that." Virta sat back down in the chair in front of Pam's desk. "Thank you," she said. "I love it." She couldn't help but beam a smile back at the demon. Pam seemed so pleased with herself. "Now, Virta, I want you to meet someone who'll be your escort - someone to show you around and get you used to your new home. Meet Thomas." Virta took in the impeccably dressed, dark-skinned man who walked out to greet her. Even his shoes were shined to perfection. He was smiling when he extended a thin hand toward her. Virta stood up, towering over him. She felt his strong grip while noting his kindly brown eyes and lined face. "Hello, Virta," he said. He had one of those naturally loud voices that was deep and pleasant. His smile was warm as it lit up his face. "Hi, Thomas. Nice to meet you." "Come, Virta let's walk and talk." She fell into step beside him and they walked out of the office. Virta cast a glance back at Pam who'd resumed watching the battle on her monitor. Thank goodness the sound is off, Virta thought. Pam glanced up at her, gave her a smile and waved. Virta waved, then they continued through the building, down the steps and onto the street below. She had a million questions, and decided to start with the most pressing one. "What's gonna happen to me?" "That's for Athan to decide when he gets back," Thomas replied. He seemed to sense her worry because he added, "Everyone here knows that you've caught the eye and heart of Athan. That is very big news." Virta felt her cheeks blushing. "I don't know," she said in a quiet voice. "Ah, Virta. You're not confident in his love for you?" "Love?" Virta looked away. "I can tell you that Athan is smitten with you. I remember when he tried to take you from Heaven. He was down here recuperating afterward. He said very good things about you." Thomas laughed as if enjoying the memory. Virta shuddered despite the heat. There was the memory of Athan in Heaven with her and what he physically endured to prevent her from becoming angelic dynamite... "How could he have anything good to say after that?" "I only heard good things," Thomas insisted. "Athan stops in Processing almost every time he comes back here. Those of us in the office feel like we know you already." Thomas stopped in front of a vending machine. "It's hot and I could use a drink," he said. "I suppose being recent from Heaven that you like Substance? My treat." He was pulling coins from his pocket. "No, thank you," Virta said. "I think I lost my taste for Substance." "Something else then? Take your pick." Virta followed his pointing finger to the rows of bars, restaurants and specialty shops down the street. There were so many to choose from. She even recognized a Substance bar from Heaven and a burger joint she'd seen on Earth. Virta was amazed. She turned back to Thomas. He shrugged his thin shoulders. "When beings get down here, they sometimes want to have a piece of the home they used to know. So they set up shop and call it, oh, I don't know, 'Wings', like the Heavenly club I'm sure you're familiar with." Virta nodded. "Sure. They have great karaoke nights." Thomas chuckled at that. A little while later, they walked along, Thomas drinking iced tea with lemon and Virta sipping chocolate soy milk and munching on a bag of chips. Since adjusting to her new body, she had developed a taste for sweet and salty. They walked and talked for a long time, Thomas showing her the sites around town and Virta asking questions about everything. The topic soon came back around to Athan. By now, Virta felt comfortable enough with Thomas to go a little deeper. "I just don't know what he sees in me, honestly," Virta said. She tossed her trash into a receptacle. "I mean, I'm almost below ordinary. Especially compared to him. He could have his pick of all the girls in the Universe. Probably could have his pick of the guys too." Thomas laughed. "Who knows why we fall in love with those we do? Maybe it is true that opposites attract. Not that I think you're ordinary, Virta," he quickly added. "Maybe you have powers of which you're not even yet aware. One of them is surely making Athan fall in love with you." She felt herself blush. "Or just lust." Her voice was so low she doubted Thomas could hear it. She wanted to change the subject. She'd just been talking about herself all that time. "So what's your story?" she asked. "Another case of Falling? Or Banishment?" "Tossed out on my ear," he said, but his mouth was curved up in a cheerful grin. "Just remember that us 'scary' demons were you once." Thomas didn't say why he was Banished and she didn't ask. Virta took particular interest in all the humans she passed on the street. They were everywhere. Some were running shops and businesses. Virta saw a young couple kissing on a street corner. Other humans were sitting on their front porches, watching the world go by. "It looks like humans have a lot of freedom here," Virta said. She looked around a moment longer. "I need to know something," she said, turning to Thomas. "If this is Hell, you know the real one, then what was all that I walked through to get here? It sounded like that was the real deal." She shuddered as she remembered the screams. "What's going on there?" "Ah, now that is what people think when they think of Hell, isn't it?" Thomas grinned knowingly. "That is a temporary holding facility, a type of rehab and correctional center." "What if they don't want to be... corrected?" He shrugged. "Some don't, that's true. But I think that eventually they all come around." "Some quicker than others," Virta mused as she caught site of sandy blond hair and a familiar face. Andy - who had been on that walk with her just a couple hours ago - was now pushing a broom on the street. "Hey Virta." He saw her at the same time and flashed his crooked smile. His eyes widened at her new attire. He gave a low whistle, climbing all over her body with his lusty eyes. They lingered at her breasts. "Lookin' good." He grinned his approval. "Andy," she said, clearing her throat. "What are you doing here?" "Banging hot, naked chicks, what's it look like?" He leaned on the push broom and gave her that cocky grin. "You were taken away though. What happened, was it rehab?" She glanced at Thomas. "Something like that. It didn't take long for me to have a change of heart." Andy shrugged his shoulders. Then, as if he suddenly remembered he had work to do, he started sweeping again. "See you around, Virta, he tossed over his shoulder as she and Thomas moved on. There ahead, was another coffee shop. She wanted to buy a bottle of water, as the chips and sugary drink had made her mouth dry. She walked in to find demons and humans alike sitting around, talking. It was still something she couldn't get used to, though she saw it everywhere in Hell. In Heaven, the human souls weren't allowed in all areas but were held back. They were even banned from entire cities, such as the angels' city where she lived. Most angels didn't want the human contact and it was a big issue up there. Here, they seemed to mix just fine. Sometimes the discussions were heated, but they didn't get out of hand... usually. She got her bottle of water, paid for by Thomas, and they kept walking. She decided that Hell wasn't all that different from Heaven in many respects, but without all the gaudiness and kitsch, and nobody was wearing wings. In Hell, residents had to walk, bike, or take public transportation, and a few people seemed to own vehicles or horses. Thomas glanced at his watch. "I have to get back to the office for a meeting, Virta. But maybe I will catch up with you again later. Here is a map you can use." He pointed to a stand at the corner of the street. The map it contained showed a red letter X and the words, "You are here." Virta walked up to get a closer look. "It was a real pleasure to meet you, Virta. Goodbye." She turned to tell Thomas thanks and goodbye, but he was already gone. Of course, teleporting must be common too, she thought. It seemed Virta was free to go wherever she wanted, so she decided to head toward the river. Nobody bothered her as she wandered about, though she did get curious looks. She assumed it was because she was still technically a Heavenly angel, or maybe there was a sign on her forehead that said, "Property of Athan." She never thought she could be this lonely in a big crowd of people. The sign in the window of a tattoo parlor caught her eye. She stopped to look at some of the designs, but decided to come back later if she could. Her stomach wasn't feeling so good and she wanted to sit and rest. She slowed down when she saw two demons arguing on a street corner. She didn't understand the language, but they were really up in each others faces over something. Then another demon stepped in and began shouting as well. Virta quickly walked on passed them, feeling dizzy and faint. She followed the paved walkway by the river, on past the people fishing and boating. Eventually, she found a nice spot and sat on the bank, watching different beings as they were ferried from one side to the other. Virta settled back and stared up at the blue sky through the tree branches. Fragrant blossoms fell from the limbs above her. She thought of how far she'd come, how far she'd fallen in such a short time. Wow. She was really in Hell - her worst nightmare come true. But she was here and she was fine. But what would happen when Athan came down to deal with her? She didn't know what their meeting would be like, but she was relieved beyond words that he was OK. The thought of seeing him again made her heart flutter. Eventually, she got up and walked back to one of the main squares. The atmosphere had changed from casual and laid-back to one of excitement. From the sound of things, a parade was forming. "What going on?" she asked a human. He did a double-take when he saw her. "Athan and company are back from the defeat of General Banner." Excitement trembled through her, making her forget her fatigue. She joined the growing throng. There was music and cheering. A band in full regalia marched by, and then came the army, and it looked like they had fared pretty well. Then she saw Athan. He was riding on the General's white horse, looking straight ahead, his expression somewhere between tired and satisfied. She thought back to images of him on the battlefield, bloodthirsty, unstoppable. Virta heard a lot of female voices cheering for him. Some women and even some men were trying to touch him as he rode by, though guards forced them back to the side. The crowd was loud and raucous and Virta was tussled around as she tried to hold her spot where she could see. She watched Athan go and the rest of the army marched behind him. Then, oh God, there was Banner, with a relic stuck to his chest. She saw his faded blue eyes that were half open, his slack jaw, and his head bobbing against his chest. Two of his own men were being forced to carry him along. The remains of his tattered angelic army trod past as well. Then came more of Athan's army, and trailing toward the end was Mick. "Mick!" Virta managed to wriggle through the crowd. Mick caught sight of her and moved out of the formation. A guard came at her, but Mick went to Virta's side, taking her outstretched hand. She pulled him away through the crowd, which immediately began patting his back and holding onto him. They finally broke through and slipped into a cool, quiet alleyway. "Virta, my angel," he said, and they clung to each other. "Oh, God, Mick. It's so good to see you. I was so worried." "YOU were worried?" His voice was strained. She felt him push weakly against her, heard his gasp and groan. It was only then that she looked down and saw the bandage on his right arm, and realized she'd been pressing against his injury. "Oh sorry. Your poor arm. They said you'd been hurt." She touched him gently above the wound. "Yeah, well, someone got lucky and slashed me up real good." Mick leaned back against the wall, grimacing, holding his right arm with his left. "Nothing that some TLC and Healing Balm won't cure." "Can you believe it?" Virta said. "We're really in Hell." They both looked toward the entrance of the alley, out into the bright streets where the cacophony of the war parade was going on. "Don't remind me." "What? It's not that bad." He sighed. "No, I guess it's like anywhere else, isn't it?" She watched him adjust the tattered ends of his shirt; saw him wince as he moved his arm again. "I think you saved my life," she said, placing a hand softly on his chest. "You were really fighting out there on that battlefield, with a sword and everything." "Hey, what do you think I am, a coward?" His eyebrow raised and there was the beginning of a smile she knew so well. "No, not at all." She hoped he heard the reverence in her voice. "I've come to see that you are very, very brave." Pride flash on Mick's face when he looked back at her. "You too, Virta." They were both silent for a bit. Virta thought of what a tension reliever it was to know she wasn't alone. Her best friend was there, and as a hero no less. "So what about Mandi?" she finally asked. "She's staying with a friend. Before I left to go to your apartment today, I was with her. I told her what was going on. You know, she actually hinted that she wanted to come along. I don't think she understood what was about to happen." Virta nodded. "I guess I didn't really either, until I was right in the thick of it." Mick frowned at her. "You scared me to death, Virta." He gave her a hug with his good arm. "But as far as Mandi - thank God it was impossible for her to go in her human body. Imagine us trying to keep her out of harm's way in that mess." They both just looked at each other, wide-eyed. "It was hard enough keeping you from getting your head chopped off," Mick teased and Virta playfully punched his healthy arm. "Mandi's fearless, isn't she?" Virta said. "I think so, anyway. I'm glad you set me up to watch over her, you know, on the computer." "Well, you are her guardian angel." "I never knew that for sure. Nobody ever really told me. I mean, I didn't get an official memo on it or anything." "Sometimes it's unofficial." "What do you mean?" Mick shifted his weight to his other foot, still holding onto his injured arm. "She had a string of guardian angels early on, but they didn't work out. Some were killed by demons, others just resigned for various reasons." "Oh no. So she had nobody watching her?" "Well, interestingly enough, nobody volunteered for it, for whatever reason. She kept coming up in the queue, so I finally handed her over to you." "But I couldn't follow her all the time on that limited channel, not to mention I wasn't allowed to leave Heaven. What if something happened and she needed me?" "At least someone was watching; someone cared. And you were there when she needed you most." Virta stared down at the ground, her thoughts on the human girl. Mick's voice made her look up. "I wanted to ask you something, Virta. Would it be OK with you if I took over guardianship of Mandi? I'll understand if you need to think about it." Virta beamed. "Really, Mick? I thought you just liked to stay behind a computer... no human contact." His smile faded slightly. "I guess a lot of things have changed, haven't they?" Virta touched him gently, looking up into his sky blue eyes. "No, I didn't mean it like – I'm just so surprised. That's wonderful news, Mick. It's not like I can do her much good being stuck down here, and I really think you'll be allowed to come and go as you please." She hugged him carefully and then pulled back. "I'm thrilled you want to do it, Mick. You'll be awesome for her." Mick's face was seeping crimson. "Thanks, Virta." "She's lucky to have you. But wait – how is that gonna work? I mean you're a de-... the 'D' word now." Mick rolled his eyes. "It's OK, you can say it, 'demon'. Guess I gotta get used to it sooner or later." She grinned up at him. "There's no reinstatement?" He smirked and shook his head. "Impossible." "But whoever heard of a guardian demon? Does that even happen?" "Well it does now." His voice was tense. "I don't trust anyone else - besides you of course, to take care of her. I won't LET anyone else do it, as a matter of fact." Falling Hard Ch. 18 Virta leaned closer when Mick's voice softened. "I can still access Heaven's computer system, but only a few of us know, so let's keep a tight reign on that info, alright?" "Sure." Virta stared up in awe at her friend. "Wow, Mick. No, that's fine. Of course you can take her case. I won't worry about her for a second with you." "Thanks, Virta." "I think I'd like to try something different myself," Virta said. "Oh?" "I was talking to Thomas about school down here." She tugged on a lock of hair, confusion pulling her brows together. "I say 'down here' but it's just a habit, I guess. I don't know that we're really 'down', you know? Hell could be 'up'." "I get you," Mick said, indicating for her to go on. "What do you want to study?" "Well, definitely the humanities. I'm not sure what else. Maybe some new languages." Mick smiled his encouragement. "Go for it, Virta. I'm real proud of you." Then he took a deep breath, his body suddenly rigid. Virta looked up, waiting for him to go on. Mick finally spoke, exhaling his words along with the air in his lungs. "Virta, the last time we talked at Mandi's, there was more that I needed to tell you." A pause and then he said, "Really, I should have told you everything a long time ago. I'm sorry." Virta was unsure what to make of his demeanor. She curled her lip in a playful snarl. "Sorry for what? Keeping more secrets?" She gently tapped his good arm with her fist again. His smile was weak. "I guess I thought I had all the time in the world when we were in Heaven, that one day there would be this perfect moment when I could just tell you everything." "I'm so sorry, Mick." Virta's own smile was gone. "This is all my fault. I really made a mess of things, didn't I?" Mick turned and cradled her cheek in his left hand, his eyes shining. "No, Virta, that's not why I brought it up. I don't blame you for anything. You must know that." "Aw, Mick. You're almost too good, you know it?" He dropped his hand, his head was shaking in disagreement with her. "I knew how much you wanted to be human, to go to Earth..." He seemed reluctant to go on. He stared at the wall opposite him and finally continued, "...but I didn't believe it would ever happen for you, Virta." After another moment of silence, he turned to her, his fingers stroking through the lock of hair at her shoulder. "I'm sorry for that, for not believing in you. I just didn't want to make you suffer. If you knew about it... and then didn't get to experience it..." "I don't even know what you're talking about Mick." He gave a sigh and moved his hand back to cradle his right arm. "I told you that when I made you, I put some special, uh, make that - illegal - code in there." "Illegal?" "It was classified, leftover from the Ancient Ones and was supposed to have been destroyed a long time ago." Mick's lips turned up in a sly grin. "Let's just say I got my hands on a copy." But then his eyes closed and a shaky hand went to his face, rubbing lightly there. Mick seemed to be talking to himself more than her at that point. "But how it would mesh in a newer angelic body, I just didn't know..." "What are you talking about? What code?" "Actually, I added a few." He still didn't look her in the eye. "I was just geeking around when I made you, just... you were an experiment for me. I tried a little of this, a little of that." He groaned softly and his shoulders slumped. "Anyway, the potential is there for it." Virta grabbed his good arm and shook it. "Would you tell me what the hell you're talking about? Are you saying I could have some kind of power?" Mick nodded. "Could have, is the key. Don't get your hopes up, because I don't know if it works." Mick finally raised back up and met her eyes. "The right conditions have to be there to activate it," he said. Virta looked up at Mick, her brows knitted together. "Just tell me in goddamned, plain English, Mick!" "There's a possibility that you could become pregnant." Virta nearly fell to her knees. Her heart began to pound against her chest, and her lungs couldn't catch enough air. "What did you say?" Her voice was little more than a whisper. "Virta, there's a possibility that you could have a child." He looked down at her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Oh my God." Virta put her hands to her face and leaned back against the wall, then slowly slid down it. Mick moved down to join her. "I'm sorry," he said. "Sorry?" Now she looked up at him, her green eyes wide, her hands falling to her sides. "Mick, you've just given me maybe the best gift in the whole Universe!" Tears were sprouting at the corners of her eyes - big, fat, hot ones. She watched as Mick lifted a finger and carefully wiped away one tear that was threatening to drop. She wrapped her arms around him with all the strength she had, not even realizing that his grunts and groans were from the pressure she put on his wounded arm. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, thank you Mick! Thank you!" Then she jumped to her feet, pulling him up along with her. "Remember, there's no guarantee." He gasped, his wounded arm in her grip. "But there's a chance. Oh, I love you, Mick! Thank you." She noticed the pain she was causing him and let go. Then she carefully embraced him again. Mick hugged her back, his fingers stroking through her long, dark hair. She felt his face come to rest on the top of her head. "I'm happy that you're happy, Virta. I love you too, you wild little angel." Then he pulled back. "I hate to cut this short, but I'm supposed to be at headquarters." Mick gently pulled her chin up to look into her eyes. "And you should be with Athan." She basked for a moment in the sweet grin that was lighting up Mick's face. "I don't know where to look for him," she admitted. "I guess he'll find me when he wants me." "I'm sure it won't be long." Wincing over his right arm, Mick carefully pushed off from the wall. "Go take care of that arm, Mick." Virta planted a kiss on his cheek. "I will. I'll see you around, Virta, I'm sure." She carefully hugged Mick again and they walked back into the street. As she watched her best friend disappear into the crowd, she wondered if Hell knew what a treasure it had in its depths, now that it had Mick. A big street party was going on since the parade had ended. Virta didn't know anybody and she had no home, no place to go. So she just began walking in the direction the parade had gone, hoping to find Athan somewhere along the way. As she walked, she rested her hands on her belly. Athan's child could already be growing in there, she thought in wonderment. It was like a dream come true. She couldn't wait to tell him. But part of her was confused now. Between disobeying orders back at her apartment, to his obvious zeal of slaughtering everyone, and the trauma of ending up in Hell - and then there was still that contract. Would he welcome this news of potential fatherhood on top of everything else today? Yes. She forced herself to believe in the best. Somehow, they could work through anything. She was trying to make a conscious effort to change, to be more positive instead of carrying constant worry and doubt. She walked slower, pondering it all. It wasn't long before two men approached her on the street. They were human souls. "Virta?" the short one said. "Yes?" "Athan wants you." "Where is he?" "At his home in the country. You must come with us, now." Virta's stomach was churning with excitement and not a little fear about seeing Athan again. He wanted her now, and she would go. The human shut the door, sealing her inside the car, and a moment later they were on their way. Falling Hard Ch. 19 They left the city, drove past an army base, then further out into the country. The two humans were quiet on the drive, and the only thing Virta got out of them was that their names were Harold and Joseph. She finally gave up trying to start conversation, and settled back to look out the window. The road curved around, suddenly revealing a huge, white house on a lush, well-maintained property. The house was several stories tall, with white railing on each level. Besides the sheer size of the place, Virta thought the most impressive feature was the round portico at the top floor, which rested on four gigantic pillars. Flanking each side of the house were second-story patios surrounded by white railing. Underneath the left side was a silver sports car, and on the right side, a porch. Behind that was a garage that she knew probably held three cars. In the distance beyond, were servants' quarters and more buildings, including a horse barn. Trees bordered the yard, and in the distance were fields, forests, and a peaceful lake. No other residence could be seen from where Virta stood. Well, it was impressive and rich, just like she'd imagined. She thought of her small apartment back in Heaven. If this was Athan's home, she was so out of her league... but then she'd known that all along, hadn't she? A small car with a driver waiting was parked out front. So, Athan had company. Joseph opened the car door for Virta and walked her up the steps of the stately, pillared, front porch. There was a bamboo wind chime clacking gently in the breeze. It was a familiar sound and helped to calm her somewhat. She turned, but her escort was already getting back into the car. She watched it pull away, leaving her alone. How would she get back to the city? It didn't matter, she realized. She was going to be in Athan's arms in a minute. Then she heard the door opening behind her. She turned around, expecting to see a servant. Instead, Virta watched a gorgeous demon step through the thick, ornate door. She was tall, with perfect, creamy skin, brilliant, blue eyes, and full, pouty lips. Luscious, blonde locks cascaded down and framed ample cleavage. Virta couldn't take her eyes from the stunning creature. She didn't see Virta just yet because she was busy adjusting her bra. It was peeking out of the low neckline of the red dress. Virta couldn't help but follow on down the lines of the woman's sensuous, curvy hips, past the short hem of the dress, and those long, long legs that ended in a pair of red stiletto heels. From the mussed look of her hair and the way she was coaxing the dress back around her curves, it was clear to Virta that the woman had just had sex. Virta's mouth went dry, and she froze to the spot. This other woman had just had sex with Athan. All of Virta's resolve to stop worrying went right out the window. The bombshell walked slowly across the porch, eyes down, still adjusting her clothes, and almost ran straight into Virta. The woman looked up, and it seemed to Virta that surprised recognition flashed in her blue eyes. And then, they narrowed. "Ooh, an angel," cooed the fake, sugary-sweet voice. "How adorable. I'm Mara. And you must be the latest conquest. Virta? Your reputation precedes you, unfortunately." Mara giggled softly. Virta was speechless at Mara's appearance, her words, and her silky laughter. Mara raked her up and down with laser-intense eyes. "Huh, nice outfit. Pam's doing, I suppose. Oh, and I love those shoes." Then her eyes bore into Virta's chest with a sympathetic gaze. "But Athan likes bigger tits." Mara smirked, sticking out her own voluptuous chest. "Oh well, you're fresh meat. Kinda fresh, anyway. I guess that's all that matters." Virta couldn't seem to find her tongue, and it made her angry. She should have had enough of sharp-tongued, insulting females by now. Mara flipped her hair, then glided down the steps toward the waiting car. The driver helped her inside. Virta watched until the car was gone. Then she turned back to the door. Now she felt foolish. Clearly, Athan had just had a special visitor, someone to welcome him back from the battle. Was Mara a girlfriend? Or just some type of... whore? Maybe his way to blow off steam after a battle? And was Virta the next one he'd lined up for it? Rose's warning came to her unbidden: "What, you think Athan is going to change and become a cuddly little puppy in your arms? Don't be a fool, Virta. Learn from what happened to me. Even if he decided to keep you around a while, you wouldn't make it in his world. Heartbreak awaits you, girl." Though Athan had told her a lot about himself, she really didn't know what his life was like here. A guy like him couldn't be satisfied with just one woman, she thought. In fact, I'm probably just one in his harem across the Universe. She was going to have to find a way to accept it. Plus, she was still technically his slave. She didn't think she got to make too many choices for herself anymore. She forced her shaking hand to knock on the door. It opened, and an elderly gentleman welcomed her inside. "He's been expecting you, Virta" he said. She wasn't surprised he knew her name. "I'm John. Athan is in his office. Please follow me." John was formal, yet his deep, pleasant voice and warm, brown eyes were welcome and kind in contrast to Mara. He walked her through the foyer, up the grand staircase, and down a hallway to the back of the home. She noticed a few other servants on the way. They pretended to be working, but Virta saw their curious glances. John knocked gently on a door. He opened it, deposited her inside the spacious office, and left. Virta looked around, nervous. The scent of leather, sandalwood and tobacco filled her nostrils. She didn't see Athan at first. Her eyes were drawn past the imposing desk to the open French doors. Then she saw him. Athan was on the balcony, sitting sideways against the railing. He was smoking a cigarette and looking out over the grounds. She hoped he didn't hear her tiny gasp. She thought he'd never looked so good as he did right then. Her eyes took in his half-naked body - he was shirtless, wearing just pants. Even his feet were bare. Tan, smooth skin glistened in the sun. Dark, damp hair lay every which way. It was clear he'd just had a shower. Virta swallowed. He just had sex with that blonde goddess. She felt sick to her stomach. But what did she expect? Still, it was harder now that she was stuck down here in a land she didn't know, slave to a man that perhaps she didn't really know. Her mind drifted back to the contract, then to the battlefield. Images of Athan killing angels remained in her head. "You made it," he said. His voice was a sweet sound to her ears. Then he turned and smiled back in the room at her. Black irises gleamed from his amazing face, and his breathtaking smile caused movement inside her. "You did too." She was surprised she could still form words. He laughed softly at that, a beautiful melody of sound. He crushed the cigarette just outside the door and moved inside. But he stopped when he really saw her. "Damn, Virta." Athan was a massive silhouette in the door frame, just drinking her in. "You're amazing in that outfit. Pam outdid herself." He was at her side in an instant, holding her against him in the tightest, longest embrace she'd ever felt. When he finally pulled back and looked down at her, she was unable to speak, immediately lost in his nighttime eyes. He seemed disheartened by her silence. In another second, he stood behind his massive desk, shuffling through things. Virta shook her head to clear it. What had he been saying a moment before? Oh, Pam. "She was really nice," Virta said in a soft voice. "You know, it's not so bad down here." "Uh-huh," was Athan's only reply. He seemed distracted, placing the assortment of papers on his desk into orderly stacks. "We have a lot to talk about. You can have a seat." He motioned to the chair in front of his desk. Slowly, she sank into it, an uncanny feeling of dread welling up. He took his place in the big leather chair behind his desk. She couldn't tell from his actions or voice what was about to happen. Was she was in some kind of trouble? She thought of another time she'd been in this position, in Banner's office, after he'd brainwashed her, and before he sent her down to Earth on her mission. That already seemed so long ago. She became aware of the ticking of a clock on the wall in Athan's office. It made her nervous, and she began to fidget in her seat. Virta looked down at the shiny, marble floor, and then her eyes moved up and around the large, lavish office. The desk was made of some fine wood she couldn't name, and there were matching cabinets and bookshelves around the room. A liquor cabinet as well. She thought she smelled Scotch for a few long seconds, and took a deep breath. This isn't Banner's office, she reminded herself. On the wall hung awards, medals, and certificates. She saw a large, framed picture of Athan standing next to a handsome, distinguished male demon. They were in front of a flag, and the demon was shaking Athan's hand. She suppressed a gasp when recognition came to her. It was Satan himself, alongside Athan. Virta peered more closely at Athan in the photo. She'd never seen him in his general's uniform before. It was similar to Banner's, with all the medals, stripes, stars, buttons and cords. The color was a deep, greenish-brown, and underneath was a dress shirt and tie. He wore a hat, too. His stare was about as proud and intense as she'd ever seen it. He looked very good in uniform, she thought. There were more pictures of Athan scattered about the office. Most weren't so official-looking. Those caught her interest the most. In one photo, Athan was on the beach, wearing a t-shirt and jeans. By the lighting, she could tell it was late in the day. A football was poised in one large, drawn-back hand, and his dark hair was tossed by the sea breeze. A boyish grin lighted up his face. She loved that picture. Most of the other photos showed Athan with a large, slightly older-looking man, who had long hair tied back and bulging muscles. Both men had smiles on their faces; they seemed relaxed. The apparent closeness of the two made her think they were best friends. Maybe it was Bel, whom he'd talked about before. Had Bel been in the battle somewhere in that other dimension? She decided to ask Athan later. Her eyes scanned the bookshelves, which held more photographs. She did a double-take at the photo of a child. She didn't even have to ask who that was. Piercing dark eyes, spiky black hair, and a cherubic face with a spattering of freckles, left no doubt in her mind that this was Athan's son, Michael. He couldn't have been more than five years old in the picture. Athan's movements at the desk brought her attention front and center. He put a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing there. "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind, Virta," he said. "You've seen some of Hell, you've seen... quite a lot today. I'm sure you have questions that haven't been answered yet." Virta just stared back at him. She didn't want him to know her tangled thoughts. "You have to actually tell me..." he said, encouragement heavy in his voice. His head dipped down, and he looked up at her through thick, dark lashes. "I'm fine," she said. Athan smiled slightly and shook his head. "You were dragged into battle, toyed with by the bastard who terrorized you in Heaven... pulled down here, and..." He took a breath and continued, "I'm sorry if you were mistreated. The guards who actually brought you down were not informed of your status. They just thought you were another prisoner." Virta hung her head and stared at the exquisite shoes on her feet. She heard him sigh, then caught the movement as he picked up a pen. She heard him clicking it rapidly over and over. He actually seems nervous too, she thought. Was that even possible? And was it because of her? She couldn't believe it, but Athan was... fidgety. That was a word she'd never associated with him before. Not Athan, who was always calm, cool, and in control. He'd seemed so mellow when she saw him out on the balcony after his shower... after sex... The clicking stopped. "You want me to kill the guards?" His voice was casual with a hint of eagerness. "And the person who forgot to relay them your information?" Now she looked up, sure the shock was evident in her face. He tossed the pen down and leaned back. His hands were clasped behind his head. His eyes were intent upon her. "Who?" she said. "What? Oh no, no. That's OK, really. Please, no killing." "Alright," he said. "Just checking to see if you're still with me." He stood up, walked around to the front of the desk, and leaned against it. His eyes looked down on her with concern. "You've seen so much, been through so much... There's bound to be trauma. Do you want me to fix you?" One hand reached out for her. Virta shrank back, not wishing to be trapped by those ebony eyes. Her hands went up in front of her, as if to shield herself. "No, that's OK. Really, I'm fine. I just didn't know what the hell was going to happen. I was mostly so worried about you." "And that was a waste of your time. He dropped his hand back against the desk with a thud. This time Virta was off guard when her eyes flickered to his. She was ensnared until he blinked again. The grin he shot her was sexy enough to reach between her legs. Athan moved back around to his huge chair. "It nearly killed me to see you out there in the middle of that. And I couldn't believe it." He shook his head. "Twice, I saw you pick up a sword and come to my defense." The tone in his voice let her know he was still having a hard time believing it. "Dammit. If something happened to you... I owe Mick big time." Athan picked up the pen again, and she watched him scribble Mick's name on a piece of paper. He threw the pen back onto the desk so loudly it made her jump. Snatching up another sheet of paper, he wadded it tightly in his huge fist, then shot it into the trash can. "Now THAT was a hell dimension if there was one, huh?" His voice was as nervous as she'd ever heard it. "You certainly seemed to be enjoying it." She paused then, catching the dark look that crossed over his features. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice lowering. "But my excuse is, that I was made to slaughter. It's just that I have a defect." "A defect? You? What are you talking about?" "I'm not supposed to get tired of killing... But I do. Not tired physically, but emotionally. It's just that, when I'm actually out there fighting, the adrenaline takes over. It just sparks my nature, and I'm right back in the game." She saw the twinkle in his eye as he said it. "Well... I guess we all have our imperfections." She smiled at him, even breathed a sigh of relief. So far, things were going well. He didn't seem angry with her over anything. If anything, he was worried about how she felt. Unreal. "You're not afraid? Not freaked out by what I am?" "I know what you are," she said, her voice soft. She didn't know how to continue. Finally, he said, "I never wanted you to go along to that other world, to see me like that... doing what I do best." "Oh, I wouldn't say it's what you do best..." she trailed off seductively, hoping to lighten things a little. She saw the faint smile in his eyes, which became serious again all too quickly. Virta sighed. "It did scare me, that's true. I saw a side of you I never saw before, not in person." "And how do you feel about me now?" "I- I feel the same. I know you had to do what you did. I just wish the killing could stop." "I'd pretty much be useless then." She jerked her head up, relieved to see the wry grin on his face. "Don't ever say that," she scolded. Traces of a smile remained while he shuffled through more papers. She thought he looked relieved. He was really worried about what I thought of him, Virta mused. She watched him pick up a large, familiar-looking document. But she had something else on her mind that was bothering her. She had to ask. "What the General said up there... about us losing in the end. Is that true? Are prophecies set in stone?" "If I believed that," Athan replied, "I would have given up a long time ago. He grinned and shook his head. "OK, no, I wouldn't have. But Banner and I have different ideas of interpretation." He set the document down and walked around to her, then pulled her to her feet, caressing her hands with his. His lips moved toward her, and she met them eagerly. A firm tug had her plastered up against his body; her arms looped around him. And then, the kiss intensified. She would never be able to break free of her own power, she realized, and was disappointed when he did. Virta's head was spinning when he led her around to his big leather chair and sat down. He adjusted himself, and then she found herself settling onto his generous lap. Her body was between him and the large desk. It was a seat of power, she realized, seeing it from this other side. Important decisions were made at this desk everyday, she thought, decisions that affected the Universe. He cradled her in his arms, and she leaned her head against his broad, strong chest. She relished the feel of being wrapped in his masculine strength. There seemed to be no safer place in the Universe than in the arms of her own personal demon. "I made a promise to you." He was reaching for something. She turned to find a document in front of her, and her eyes widened when she realized it was the very one she'd signed that made her his slave. His other hand came around and tore the contract in half right in front of her eyes. "You're free." His voice was gentle and soft from behind her. She turned and looked up into the liquidy, dark pools of his eyes. They were shining back at her with such warmth and tenderness. She swallowed. "But I'm not free. It has nothing to do with that document. I feel bound to you. And it makes me sad that you may not feel the same about me." His smile faded. "Why would you think that?" "Because you're... you're way out of my league, Athan. I mean, really, anyone can see that. You're smart, and powerful and useful. All the things I'm not. And, and I guess it shouldn't bother me, but I'm just not used to it, that you have other... females coming and going and having sex with you, and I just-" "What a minute." His brows were crinkled together; his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? What other females?" Virta sighed but looked him in the eye. "It's OK, you don't have to worry about sparing my feelings. I understand that you're someone important with lots of tastes in women and can't be expected to be faithful to just one." That had been the hardest thing to say, but maybe she could find another way to look at it, to deal with it as time went on. Because all they had was time. "You ran into Mara, didn't you?" His expression was hard. She nodded. Athan groaned and glanced up at the ceiling, then back to Virta. "She's an ex," he admitted. "She just showed up and threw herself at me. She won't be back again though." "She's very beautiful," Virta said, her voice soft. "I don't blame you for having her." Now Athan stiffened beneath her. "I don't believe you, Virta. You still don't know me at all? If I have no other good qualities, at least I'm honest, right? Why would I betray you? Break your heart?" "You mean you didn't have sex with her?" Athan hugged her back against his firm but welcoming body. "I only want you." Virta's insides warmed and tingled at his words. It was too good to be true. She swallowed. His deep voice rumbled against her. "I want you to trust me, completely. And I want us to be equal in this partnership." Falling Hard Ch. 19 His choice of words made her jerk her head up and search his handsome face. "Virta, you have a hell of a lot of potential. You had limitations before. Now you have none." She nodded. "I would like to take classes. I know I have a lot of time on my hands down here." "Excellent. Whatever you want to do. Just remember, you're no prisoner here. Come and go as you please." At that moment, she wished she had trusted him more from the beginning, instead of making his life harder with her doubts, her suspicions and fears. Now, it seemed like things were changing, and she didn't know what that meant for them. "Will I be seeing you much now? I mean, your work. It takes you all over the Universe." "You're right. I've been on vacation. I do have to get back to work." She sighed, unable to stop what tumbled out next. "What will you be doing? Rescuing pretty little angels from Heaven?" One dark brow shot up. "I don't think I'm the best choice for that job anymore." "Oh? Why?" He smiled. "Been told I'm too intimidating, for one thing. But, I think I have the perfect person lined up for it. Someone who's been there, who understands the fears and doubts an angel could have... someone who gets it like nobody else." "Who would that be?" "You, of course." "What?" "Don't worry, we've worked up a new way to go about those missions, so its not so dangerous. And, you'll have excellent training." "Wow," she said, completely surprised and pleased. "Will I have my own page at Demons Dot Com?" Athan laughed. "It can be arranged." She couldn't believe it. Not only would she be able to come and go as she pleased, but she'd have an exciting new job too. No more boring filing and making copies. But the best thing was, Athan wanted her. "There can't be anymore secrets between us, Virta. No more suspicions. You know that when you have questions, all you have to do is ask me?" "Yes." "But it has to go both ways. Is there something you're wanting to tell me?" "I don't know. I mean, maybe." She took a deep breath. "Yes. There's something I want to tell you. There's a chance I could be... I mean, I think that I'm... Mick said it could happen..." "Just tell me, Virta." Athan gave a small laugh, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Don't make me read your mind." "That might be easier." Sometimes she really wished he wasn't so honest about keeping out of her head. "I was kidding. Tell me. Please." Tell him he might be a father again? With all he'd said about Michael, and all the responsibilities he had... How would he take it? But she had to tell him. She loved him, and he cared about her. Somehow, they'd make it work. "I might be pregnant." The tears started falling. "And please, do read my mind. I don't think I can get it all out right now." She was practically bawling then. She knew he wouldn't protest at that moment. "OK." His voice was a hoarse whisper. His hand absently stroked her back. Through the tears, she saw his black eyes were wide; his face, pale. Then she felt him in her mind. He was so smooth and gentle, she almost didn't notice him there. She watched his expression, and saw the exact moment when it changed from shock to the biggest grin ever. And not a second later, he was swooping her up in his arms, dancing around the room with her. "I really owe Mick," he said, laughing. She hadn't expected him to be that elated, and she cried harder, tears of relief. "It may not work," she sniffled, hating to dampen his joy. He stopped moving then, and she looked up, catching a certain glint in his eye. "If you're not pregnant by now, then I suggest we work on it. A lot." Hot wetness started to flow between her legs in response to his words. She stared up, mouth hanging open. "You still want to Fall, don't you, Virta." It was not a question. Her mind whirled at his sudden change of subject. He could be so disorienting. "Yes. I do." Virta's voice was as firm as her resolve, and her eyes fell on the Official Document of Falling on his desk. She walked back over and picked it up. Athan was right behind her. Virta turned and looked up at him. "All I have to do is sign, right?" Suddenly, Athan swiped everything to one side of the huge desk. He laid the document across it and put a pen in her hand. Virta signed her name on the dotted line. She was barely aware when Athan took the pen and leaned over, signing just below her. Everything changed in that moment. Maybe it was the ultimate act of independence, but her confidence exploded. Virta felt like a clearer version of herself. There were no thunderbolts from Heaven, and no flaming pits opened up below. And she wouldn't have been scared if there were. She could handle anything. Especially with Athan at her side. She felt his strong hand on her shoulder and turned. "Falling suits you," he said, an appreciative twinkle in his eye. "I know." She almost didn't recognize her calm, sure voice. She knew what he was intending when he lifted her from the floor and set her down on top of the document. He stretched her out over the desk, spread her thighs, and leaned against the edge of the desk between them. Supporting himself with his hands on each side of her, he looked right down into her eyes, giving her that sexy grin that made her breath catch and her juices flow. His kiss burned against her lips, and she reached up, running her hands feverishly over his hard chest and arms. The wispy silk of her dress was inching higher under his fingers. "Virta." She heard the surprised catch of his voice, and she smiled. He'd just discovered she wore no panties under the green silk dress. Virta felt her thighs gripped in his strong hands, and then she was pulled back against his waiting mouth. He trailed his tongue around her clit, then down to her quivering, soaking hole. His tongue plunged deep into it, and she moaned her pleasure. Her hips and ass were massaged and squeezed as his tongue acquainted itself with everything between her legs. The orgasm nearly shook her off the desk. When he moved up and kissed her, she tasted herself in his mouth, and it turned her on all over again. Now she wanted to taste him. Virta slid off the desk and pushed him back into the leather chair. Then she sank to her knees in front of him, undoing his pants, pulling out the thick staff that was straining for her attention. She ran her hand along the engorged, smooth length of him. Heard the rasping intake of breath. Her mouth took him as far as it could, till he pressed into the velvet softness at the back of her throat. It was too much, and she choked and pulled her head back. Athan chuckled softly. "Take your time, baby." His voice was heavy with lust, and he fingered strands of her raven hair. "I'm all yours." She smiled, keeping her eyes on his, while her lips accepted the swollen head of his cock once more. She positively hungered for him. Maybe it was all they'd been through, but she wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go. Virta's fingers caressed his rigid cock, and her tongue and lips suckled on the end of it. Not much later, Athan's hands stiffened in her hair, and she swallowed wave after wave of hot, savory cum. She licked her lips, sat back on her heels, and looked up at Athan. She'd done that to him. Made him feel so good, he'd literally exploded in her mouth. And she wanted more. In another second, her back was flat on the desk, Athan was between her spread legs, and she was filled with his cock. How he recharged so quickly, she didn't know, but he filled her, stretched her, while she clung to his broad, sculpted shoulders. His breath was on her neck, and he muttered low in some language she didn't know, but might know someday. She felt that familiar rush of ecstasy building inside her from his thick cock massaging her tight, inner walls. His lips dropped down to take one nipple, his fingers played with the other. Moments later, Athan leaned back, and she found herself staring up into his eyes. She was starting to drift away inside them when she heard him say her name. "Yes?" "Virta... I need to ask you something." His voice was punctuated by heavy breaths of air. He continued to thrust in and out of her. "Yes?" "Will you be my Partner?" She stopped breathing completely. Then her lungs expanded, and she shouted, "God, yes!" When her mind slowed down its whirling, she opened her eyes to see the sweet darkness of his gaze still on her. "I love you, Virta," he said. She saw it in his eyes, felt it in his body. She realized his love had been there for her a good, long while. She just couldn't believe it before. Virta couldn't speak, could say nothing back. His words echoed in her heart a few times. Then she pulled him down to her, pressing their mouths together in pillowy softness. Athan pulled his lips a mere breath from hers. "Welcome to Hell," he said, his voice dripping sin. She felt his lips curve into a licentious grin over hers. Their bodies were tangled up in each other so deeply, there was no beginning or end. It was just the demon, Virta, and her hot demon lover, adrift forever inside their very own Heaven. * * * Eight months of Heaven and Hell, but we made it to the end, Readers! :) Thanks for sticking with me. Falling Hard has been a great learning experience. Quite an undertaking for my first writing here. I was cutting my teeth on this story - learning what to do/what not to do, and hopefully becoming a better writer along the way. Thanks so much for reading, voting, and giving me your honest feedback. :)