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.