Of Gods and Vampires Ch. 03

Eve was wracked with fever her temperature skyrocketed overnight and her skin poured sweat. Lucifer held her down as she convulsed in the throws of her fevered sleep. He checked the wounds on her back and stomach that would not close and had not begun to heal. The worst injury was a foot and a half long slice along her spine that had swelled becoming an angry red shade. He probed it gently with his fingertips and felt the wet shifting goosh of the puss inside the wound.

He rolled her onto her stomach as he probed the wound carefully with his fingers. With slow precision he caused his index finger's nail to lengthen and sharpen until it was an effective size. He used the razor sharp edge of his nail to pull open the edge of the wound and then squeezed the yellow liquid out of the wound.

Lucifer drained the puss from the entire length of the laceration on her back and checked the other wounds for infection. None of the other wounds were infected but they didn't appear to be healing as they should have. He stood and walked to a cabinet on the side of the room where he removed a small glass decanter filled with demon's blood.

He bathed each of the wounds in the demon's blood with a sponge and watched them. Slowly the injuries on her stomach, sides and upper back closed and the redness seeped out of the wounds. The long laceration on her back did not close and the redness did not decrease at all. There was something wrong with the wound.

Eve was shaking and sweating; she whimpered in her sleep and spasmed as the fever raged inside her. Lucifer strapped Eve down to the bed to prevent her from injuring herself and he covered her with a light blanket. As he left the room she was still thrashing against the restraints and her wings were flailing weakly.

Eve groaned and began to stir slightly she twisted and felt her were restrained. Eve almost immediately felt the surge of anger and pure rage driven power. Before the door had even opened she threw her wings open and ripped the restraints out of the wooden railings on the bed. She roared in her anger and threw her arm off to the side.

A table at the end of the bed flew across the room and shattered against the far wall. She was breathing hard feeling the swell of power tapering off and exhaustion taking it's place. Lucifer stood inside the door watching the naked valkyrie stretching her newly acquired powers.

"Feeling better I see." He walked toward the bed.

"Why did you restrain me?" Eve hissed.

"You've been unconscious for three days fighting an unnatural infection on your spine, it still has not cleared but obviously it's not as bad as it was." He handed her a robe.

Eve shrugged on the robe and tied it in the front adjusting it so the open back left her wings unrestrained. Her back was sore and stiff along her spine and she could feel the heat of infection and the tight pucker of a wound trying to heal. Vaguely in some dim part of her brain she recalled being sponged with cool water and her wounds cleaned and bandaged.

"You're going to need to get some rest Eve your body is still fighting that infection." Lucifer handed her a dark colored wafer.

"A cookie?" Eve raised an eyebrow.

"Filled with some additives that will help your body metabolize and heal faster and hopefully help you fight off that infection."

Eve mutinously took a bite of the wafer. "Not bad, needs chocolate."

"I'll be sure to add some to my next batch." He smirked.

Eve chewed silently acutely aware of her state of near nakedness and she clutched the front of her rob closed as she finished the dark wafer. She turned and walked around the room slowly as she contemplated the events leading her here. Exactly where had Diamius had sent her and the purpose of the torture she had gone through.

"You should rest." Lucifer cautioned.

Eve chuckled and turned to face Lucifer feeling a rush of giddy headiness. She stood barely an inch from the fallen angel's chest and grinned up at his face. "Why?" she chuckled. "I seem to be fated to a life of hell and all too soon a painful death if things continue on this track."

Lucifer shook his head. "Fate has always been what you make of it Eve, even fallen angels change their stars."

Eve laughed and stumbled falling forward against his chest. "I have no stars and I'm not sure I have a soul left either."

Lucifer caught the tipsy Eve and steadied her for a moment. Eve leaned forward and rested her cheek against his broad chest and felt the deep warmth seeping from his skin and the rhythmic pounding of his heart. Eve smiled and leaned forward covering his mouth with her own.

Kissing the ruler of hell shouldn't have felt so good, or maybe it should have it was hard to tell at this point in time. Lucifer tasted like sin ought to a dark promise with a sweet underlying remnant of a once angelic nature. Eve felt her grip on consciousness fade and she passed into darkness.

---------------------------------

Eve groaned and shifted slowly under the feel of cool silk sheets. Eve felt the unmistakable warm heat of a purely masculine form against her back and froze instinctively. She rolled over and nearly screamed as she stared at a naked Gabriel sleeping next to her. She raised her hand and flexed her fingers barely inches from his skin longing to touch him and find out if he was real but stopped when she noticed the marquis cut diamond ring nestled against a gorgeous gold band on her all important finger.

Eve stared at it as if a strange growth had appeared on her hand and then reached to her back to find no wings there. Her fingers went into her mouth and found no vampire teeth. She was mortal as human as the day she was born and for some reason she found herself insanely scared by this realization. Eve was shaking in fear when Gabriel's eyes opened.

He smiled at her and ran his fingers through her long black hair. "Good morning beautiful."

"Gabriel?"

"But of course." Gabriel smiled and pulled her head down so he could kiss her. His tongue slid between her lips and stroked seductively.

He got out of the bed and walked into the bathroom to turn on the shower. Eve admired his nude form as he walked back in and scooped her up out of the bed. He carried her into the bathroom and into the shower under the hot spray.

Gabriel forced Eve up against the wall of the shower flattening her breasts against the cool tile wall. She moaned as he covered her back and modeled against her biting the side of her neck playfully as the hot water poured down over them.

Gabriel bit her neck as he ran his hand down her sides to her thighs. His hands dipped down between her legs and spread the lips of her pussy so he could slide his finger inside her. Eve whimpered as he curled his finger inside of her and yanked her legs open. Gabriel lifted her up and slid his hard dick inside of her body thrusting into her from behind. He pushed her hard against the tile wall as he moved inside her from behind he pulled her head back with a fistful of her hair so he could kiss her roughly.

Gabriel grabbed her hips to hold her so he could thrust roughly and quickly in and out of her body bouncing her against the tile wall as the water sluiced down their bodies. He kissed and bit along her neck and shoulders leaving red teeth marks in her skin. Eve ached and squirmed as his nearly immobile prisoner against the tile wall. She felt her stomach starting to flutter as he became rougher and more insistent as he thrust inside her from behind.

He ran his hands along the flat smooth span of her stomach down to spread her vaginal lips so he could flick her clit with his finger. He rubbed the hardened nub with his finger alternately flicking and twisting it causing Eve to jerk and jump. He drags his fingernails along the insides of her thighs while he stroked his cock in and out of her.

Gabriel lifted her legs and brought them back until he had her at a better angle for a deeper more full penetration. He used the wall for leverage and slammed her against it as he thrust as hard as he could lifting up until he ended up on his tip toes with each inward thrust. Eve shuddered and screamed as she orgasmed she felt her insides clench and then shatter into waves of pleasure as he moved inside of her. Gabriel released inside of her body grabbing her hips as he drained himself into her.

Gabriel washed Eve's body slowly using a loofa and some kind of fabulously scented body wash. He massaged shampoo into her hair and then allowed her to return the favor letting her wash every inch of his glorious body. Eve felt a strange kind of overwhelming peace for the first time in a long time as she stood there with him.

Donning a large plush robe she followed Gabriel downstairs after their shower and curled up onto a window bench in the sunny breakfast area as Gabriel busied himself in the kitchen. He brought her a plate of fresh fruit with a croissant some cottage cheese and a glass of orange juice. He sat next to her and they ate in relative silence.

Something felt strangely wrong and off about everything Eve thought. Besides that she was human and everything before now seemed to have been a strange dream she felt like this place was fake, a pale shadow of what the real world should be. Eve looked down at the brilliant ring on her finger and the man sitting next to her. Everything in her brain screamed that this was paradise and everything in her heart hated it.

Eve stood without a word and walked into the kitchen. She looked at the bar and picked up a long chopping knife. Eve poked the end of her finger with the knife and watched a drop of blood blossom on her fingertip.

"Eve?" Gabriel stood at the end of the counter. "What's wrong?"

"This isn't real." Eve whispered.

"Of course it is Eve, this is your home."

"It's all wrong."

Eve looked at the beautiful man she'd once have given everything to share this life with and buried the knife into her chest. The pain exploded into her being causing her to gasp as she fell. Gabriel caught her in his arms and she looked up at him remembering that night so long ago when he had ended her mortal life. The pain faded and her eyes closed.

---------------------------------

"Very well done."

Eve groaned and rolled over slowly. Her head ached and her chest hurt. She opened her eyes slowly and saw a brilliant silver katana sword with a black lacquer hilt.

"You have seen the facets of your very soul and made choices well hence far. You would choose your own death over a world of falsity."

"Wouldn't anyone?" Eve smirked. "Why on earth would I choose to stay in a false world with a false happiness in place of something real whether it was happy or sad?"

"So you are the one." The knife glittered quietly. "And you have brought Destiny."

The Blade of Destiny formed in her palm and floated slowly to the Sword of Time and stopped.

"What would Destiny be without Time?" The Blade of Destiny queried.

"Time and Destiny rely on each other Eve. Many Gods and Demons have come in search of me." The Sword of Time's voice was like a musical instrument floating through the air. "Inevitably they have all gone mad living in their fake worlds or tormented by the demons of their own souls. Before I resided here I drove those mad who held me and had not faced who they were. And yet you were strong enough to suffer your pain, leave your heaven, deny the hell of your false life and come here. You come with Destiny to seek me."

"I came in the hopes to understand why I exist at all." Eve murmured.

"You exist because a carefully devised and executed plan was put into place." Time spoke quietly. "Destiny clings to you because you are Hope though you may not realize it yet. Only Hope can restore the balance that was lost."

"What balance?" Eve spat. "The Gods ignore people as they die and things become horrible in the world of men and the Demons make war on the vampires and drag humanity into the dregs in their boredom."

"And why do they do this?" Time asked simply.

"I'm afraid I am not aware of the whys of much of anything." Eve smirked.

"Three worlds. Demons, Gods and Humans. Once humans worshipped their Gods and Demons. They paid worship to them and the Gods and Demons fought their disputes face to face. But the gods became vain and self centered they forgot their feud with the demons and humans forgot their gods. Balance is preserved through ceremony and through the use of tradition to preserve both good and evil in equal measure. Without balance there is nothing but death and a complete end of all things to be had."

"So a balance has to be restored." Eve pondered.

"Yes and only you can do that." Time whispered.

"I don't see how I could do that."

"Eve think." Time spoke with patience. "Right now there can be no balance because there are no rulers in heaven."

"There is God." Eve said.

"He is a pawn of his own lust and desire. He helps no one and cares not anymore for the fate of humans or the balance. With Diamius gone there really is no one left to form a match for Lucifer and restore the balance."

"What about Gabriel?" Eve asked.

"Gabriel." Time intoned. "He is Lucifer's pawn and has been since they were angels together. Gabriel has never had a reason to hate Lucifer. If he cannot hate Lucifer he cannot rule heaven and restore the balance."

"He would have to hate his own brother?"

"Yes he would Eve. Hatred is what helps hold the balance and when it's lost then good and evil are no longer at odds. It would take something significant to cause Gabriel to hate Lucifer enough to defy him."

"Yes it would." Eve murmured.

"Are you ready to return to heaven and do what you must?" Time asked softly.

"Yes."

"Take us and you will return." Time and Destiny spoke as one.

Eve grasped Time in her right hand and Destiny in her left hand and felt them meld with her and disappear into her body. She closed her eyes and felt her body slide through the veil and into the world of heaven she had left.

---------------------------------

Eve stood before Diamius' headless corpse in the hallways of his magnificent palace and she felt a cold rage bubble up from inside of her. Eve called forth Time and Destiny and felt her wings burst from her back the twin pair of wings beat powerfully. Rage coiled up from inside of Eve and she flexed powerfully and felt the power coiling up from inside of her belly. She screamed and thrust her wings wide releasing a blow of power that leveled the palace with a single motion causing the entire structure to explode around her.

The anger in Eve's heart took hold and she leapt into the sky flying toward the silver spire cutting the sky in the east. Her wings beat hard and she rose in the sky shooting forward at incredible speed rising higher and higher into the sky until she was level with grand meeting room. Eve roared and charged the glass windows of the palace with her sword and dagger drawn.

Eve skidded to a halt on the marble floors of the meeting room. She turned to face God who sat on his thrown looking entirely unruffled at the appearance of the four winged angel.

"And so you join us at last Eve." God murmured quietly.

"I have come to kill you and end your reign of selfish indifference." Eve growled.

"Do you think you will be able to?" He chuckled. "Saphora remove this infidel from my presence."

"My pleasure." Saphora purred.

Eve turned to face the pink winged angel. Saphora charged Eve and found herself caught and thrown across the room by Eve's roundhouse kick. Saphora grabbed a handful of Eve's hair and yanked her around. Eve used the butt of Destiny and slammed it into Saphora's gut garnering a deep grunt of pain from the angel. Eve snatched Saphora by the hair and spun her around finally bringing Saphora's head down into her knee knocking her unconscious.

Eve turned and faced God again and found herself facing Gabriel. Her breath caught and she felt a constriction on her heart at the sight of him. He was naked from the waist up and as beautiful as anything she could have remembered. His icy white blue wings glistened in the morning light and his white hair and icy blue eyes perfected his angelic presence.

"Stay out of my way Gabriel I'll have no problems knocking you to the floor." Eve snarled.

"Do what you must as will I." Gabriel said quietly.

Eve charged Gabriel and crossed the Sword of Time across the golden sword Gabriel was carrying. They turned and crossed swords again and Eve rounded and punched Gabriel in the nose breaking cartilage. He grunted and came around with a swoop of his leg and knocked her to the side. Eve rolled and used Destiny to cut Gabriel's Achilles tendon causing him to collapse to the floor.

Eve stood slowly and looked at the bleeding angel at her feet. She walked slowly toward God. Saphora grabbed her from behind and pulled at her hair. Eve threw Saphora off her back and buried her fangs into the young angel's throat draining her of blood. Eve threw Saphora's empty shell across the floor and turned to face God now covered in blood and sweat her wings were shaking with adrenaline.

Eve strode toward God with anger and hatred in her eyes. She lifted the Blade of Time and climbed the stairs toward the throne.

"So you would be the one?" God smirked. "And what shall you do with the kingdom of heaven Eve? Will you be so able to have the angels love you?"

Eve grasped him by the hair and hissed into his face. "I have no use for heaven or the love of your angels I came to remove an ineffectual leader from a position of power."

"Tell yourself what you like." God smiled. "We all do when we remove someone else from power so that we may take it."

Eve growled and slit his throat with the Sword or Time watching as his blood spilled out over the floor like a waterfall of death. Eve walked down the stairs from the throne and stepped past Gabriel who was sitting on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. His wound was slowly sealing itself closed and he would be able to walk in only a few minutes more. Eve looked down at Gabriel.

"So now you will rule heaven Eve?" Gabriel whispered hoarsely.

"I don't want heaven." Eve let Time and Destiny meld back into her body.

"You can stay here with me Eve, I still love you." Gabriel smiled.

"No thank you." Eve turned and tore a hole through the realm back into the human world. She walked through the hole without a backward glance.