Falling Hard

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.