Disclaimer: None of this is mine, nor will it ever be (sigh). I like to play with the characters that Stephenie Meyers created and make them do pervy things or become angels with a bad attitude.

Riley … yeah … do you think he'll get to Bella? And what about Edward?

Chapter Ten

BPOV

I was sitting in my living room, curled up with threadbare quilt. I was tired, but so happy that I was off school for two weeks. The only plans I had were to get the cast removed from Dr. Clearwater and schedule the surgery for summer. Watching television, I sipped my tea and sighed contentedly.

Until I heard frantic knocking on my door. I almost dropped my tea.

"Shit," I spat, putting the mug on the cocktail table. I got up, checking the peephole in my door. I didn't see anyone, but the frenetic knocking made the door rattle on its hinges. Whoever was behind the door was too short to be seen. I opened the door, seeing a tiny woman with elfin features, ice-blue eyes and raven-colored hair. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, you don't know me, but I know you," she said, pushing past me and into my apartment. She had a similar accent to Edward, but more refined. "We have a common acquaintance. Edward Cullen?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Is everything alright? Has he gotten worse? He was sick at the end of the day, running a fever and seemed shaky."

"Much, much worse," the woman said, her brows furrowed and wringing her hands. "I'm Alice and probably best described as Edward's sister. He was injured today by …" She blew out a breath. "I need you to come with me."

"Injured. I don't understand," I said. "He was sick at work, but not injured."

"Bella, there are things at play that are otherworldly," Alice murmured, looking upward. "Please forgive me." She rolled her shoulders and a pair of dainty, but powerful wings spread out from her back.

"Oh, shit!" I barked. "You have wings. How can you have wings? That shit is not normal. Alice, this is … I need you to leave." I tried to push her toward the door, but she was rooted in her position.

"I can't," she said, her face broken, taking my hands. "Edward was attacked by Lucifer today and was shot by an arrow. A poisonous arrow that will kill him if he's not healed."

"Then heal him," I said, trying not to pass out. "You can heal him? Right? I don't have that kind of power."

"The thing is that I can't. I've removed the arrow, but only the love of his mate can heal him," she hissed. She took my hand and gripped it tightly. "That's you."

"What?!" I screamed. "Mate? This is … WHAT?!"

"Shhh! I don't want that landlord of yours to hear you," Alice said. "She's a total bitch and she'll ruin everything." Alice blinked up at me, her ice-blue eyes filled with tears. "I need you to put on a coat and meet me on the roof. Only you can save Edward or he will die. Please?"

She didn't wait for me to respond. She hid her wings and darted out of my door. I've got to be hallucinating. I'm on some pretty strong pain medications. I went to sit back down, but a twist in my heart told me otherwise. Shaking my head, thinking that I'd wake up from this weird-ass nightmare, I grabbed my winter coat and climbed the stairs to the roof. Alice was there, speaking swiftly in another language on her cell phone. Ending the call, she slid it into her pocket. "I may be small, but I'm strong." She lifted me, causing me to shriek. "You may want to close your eyes."

"Who were you talking to?" I asked as her wings unfurled.

"My mate. He's watching over Edward and he's in bad, bad shape," she said. "Eyes. Closed. Now!" I clamped them shut and felt a gush of wind on my face. When I reopened them, I was above the clouds. "Aren't you a stubborn one?"

"You're flying, Alice," I squeaked.

"The wings tend to do that. Did you think they were just decorative? Getting you to Edward's house is faster as the angel flies than as the human drives," Alice quipped.

"A-a-angel?" I breathed.

"I'll explain everything after you work with Edward," she said. "There's a lot more to this world than meets the eye." She banked and nosedived to the earth. I screamed. "I've never crashed and with such precious cargo, I won't drop you. Edward would kick my butt." She twisted and landed gracefully on the deck of Edward's home. She placed me on my feet, dragging me inside. Another handsome man was there, slender and covered with scars. His face was pinched, pacing the length of the house. "Any change, Jasper?"

"He's drifting in and out of consciousness," Jasper said, his voice deep and with a slight southern accent. "Why are you trying to save him? He's a disgraced angel. He deserves this."

"No. He doesn't," Alice snapped. "Jasper, I love you, but Edward is my family, my brother. He made a mistake and He believed that he can redeem himself. Bella is that key, but he needs her. Go get Carlisle."

"I don't trust him," Jasper growled. "It was his actions that …"

"Too bad," Alice sneered. "Go!" Her voice reverberated, making the windows rattle. Jasper turned and took off from the deck. I blinked, trembling and whimpering. "Bella, I know that this is a lot to process. Edward needs you. Do you know where his room is?" I was rooted in my spot. Alice took my hand, guiding me to his bedroom and I was shocked when I saw Edward on the bed.

He looked emaciated. His shoulder was bandaged and there was a large black spot on the white bandages. Spread out beneath him were black wings, with feathers molting off. He was dying. "Oh, God."

"He won't last much longer. He needs you, Bella. He needs you to love him," she cried.

"Love him? I don't know him well enough to love him," I whispered.

"You do love him. I can feel your pull, but he needs to know," she said, taking off my coat. "Go to him."

"I don't know how to love," I cried, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I've known only pain."

"Just go to him," Alice said, moving toward Edward's bed. I climbed into the bed and brushed his hair away from his forehead. "I'll leave you." She closed the door. I looked down at Edward, shocked at how weak he looked.

"Edward?" I whispered. "Can you hear me?"

He opened his eyes. They were glassy and unfocused. "Bella," he breathed. He blinked a few times and then tried to move. "You shouldn't know. You can see my wings!"

"Shhhhh," I said. "They're beautiful."

"I'm dying," he whispered. "At least I know that I'll get to see you."

"You're not going to die," I cried. "You're too stubborn to die."

"I don't know, pretty Bella," he coughed, groaning and whimpering. "I can feel the poison coursing through my system."

"What can I do?" I said, my fingers down his gaunt cheek. "I don't want to lose you, Edward. I want to know everything about you."

"I'm yours," he whispered, smiling weakly. His eyes fluttered shut and his breathing grew more ragged.

"No!" I sobbed. "Alice, what do I do?"

She came into the bedroom. "You need to kiss him. Love him."

"Make love?" I asked. "I don't know if I can do that. I've been …"

"I know your history. Open your heart and show that you love him," she said. "He said that he's yours. He needs to know that you're his." She hugged me, leaving me once more with Edward. I could feel him slipping him away.

"Edward, I don't know much about what's going on," I said, my fingers tracing his cheeks. "I know that I feel a pull to you. I'm afraid that you'll see that I'm a broken beyond repair."

"You're not," Edward said, his voice gravelly and his eyes piercing through mine. "I'm the broken one."

"Edward, you're the strongest person I know," I murmured. "Don't leave me. I don't if I can handle all of this without you. You're the first person who cared … who took care of me." We stared into each other's eyes. His green irises focused on me and he licked his lips. I moved closer, my heart stammering against my chest. "I need you, Edward."

He breathed and his cheeks filled out. "I mean it when I said that I'm yours," he said, his accent deep and pronounced.

"And I'm yours," I cried, leaning down and pressing my lips to his. His arms banded around me, as well as his wings. His hold was weak, but as our mouths danced, the power behind his embrace strengthened. He slid his tongue inside of my mouth, claiming it and rolling us so I was straddled on his lap. Breaking apart, we stared at each other. Edward's muscles were growing and he was getting stronger. "I don't know if I can do more …"

"Bella, my pretty Bella," he said, nuzzling my neck. "You opened your heart to me and that's what I need."

"But, you're still not all better. This thing is still bleeding," I said, looking at the bandaged shoulder. "Why is it black?"

"That's a salve that Alice tried to use siphon off the poison," he replied, taking off the bandage. There was a black puncture wound, but it was healing rapidly. "It didn't work. Only the love of a mate can heal the poison from Lucifer's arrow."

"Lucifer?" I asked.

"There's so much I need to tell you, but all I want to do is hold you and sleep for days," he said, his hand cupping my cheek. "Can you stay and I promise to explain everything?"

"Will rest help you?"

"As long as you're next to me, yes?" he said, grinning crookedly. He lay back down, tucking me to his side. I draped my arm across his belly, tracing the black ink along his pale skin. He captured my hand, kissing my palm and staring down at me. "Can I kiss you again? Feeling your lips against mine … It's heaven on earth."

"I beg to differ," I murmured. He smiled crookedly, brushing his lips against mine and nibbling on my lower lip. I melted against him, lost in the feeling of my heart pounding against my ribs, the butterflies attacking my belly and the feeling of completion in the first time, ever. He kissed my lips three times quickly in succession, folding me to his body. His wing cushioned me and he sighed contentedly. "Does it really help with the wound?"

"Yes," he breathed, inhaling deeply. "Having you close by makes everything better." His words were slurred and I looked up at him. His eyes were closed and his face was peaceful. I kissed his pink lips once more before snuggling to his side, my own eyes drooping.

xx OOTD xx

I woke up entangled in an angel that doubled as octopus. He was surrounding me, his head on my chest and his arms and legs clinging to me, with his wings around both of us. He looked better, color back in his cheeks and the muscles bulging. The wound was almost gone, save for a red dot in the middle. I brushed his soft hair away from his face and he tightened his hold on me, sighing against my belly. I wriggled, trying to get out of his vice-like grip. He was pressing against my bladder.

"Tickle behind his ear," Alice said from the entrance.

"Crap," I squeaked. "You startled me." I looked down, afraid that I'd woken him up.

"Oh, he's down for at least six more hours. He's almost done healing, but the poison caused more damage than we anticipated. Tickle right here," she said, pointing to a spot just above a birth mark below his hairline. I did and he grumbled, releasing me and rolling over. I got up, staring down at him. He was disgruntled that I wasn't in his arms. "Are you okay, Bella?"

"This is too much," I said, rubbing my chest. "But, I need to pee." Alice chuckled, pointing to the bathroom. I took care of business and changed into the pajamas that were on the edge of the counter. I yawned, padding back out into Edward's bedroom. Alice's hands were hovering over his wound and a warm, white light emanated from her palms. "Whoa …"

"I'm just removing the scar," she said. "All of us have the ability to heal."

"Edward included?" I asked.

"Yes," she smiled. "Are you still tired?"

"A little, but the call of nature was too loud to be ignored," I chuckled. "Should I leave him be?"

"No, he needs you," Alice said, getting up.

She helped me into bed and Edward enfolded me in his arms. His head was back between my breasts and his wings encased us in a feathery prison. I should have felt claustrophobic, but I felt safe. I drifted off and when I woke up, I felt a tender caress along my arms. Edward was awake and his hands were gliding along my uncasted wrist. "Do you feel better?" I asked.

"Much. I must have been exhausted. I never sleep this long," he chuckled, his accent heavy and his voice deep. "Thank you for staying, Bella. I know that you don't know me very well and the idea of sleeping with a stranger …"

"You're not a stranger," I said, pressing my hand to his mouth. "You saved me twice. I think I owed you one."

He laughed, his smile blinding and his eyes twinkling. He hugged me, nuzzling my neck and pressing a soft kiss below my ear. I shuddered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I liked it," I blushed, looking up at him. "Though, all of this … it's … you're an angel."

"I'm an angel," he frowned. He blinked up at me and cupped my cheek. "You need to know everything and the real threat to your life, pretty Bella."

"What? A threat?" I asked.

"Let me feed you and I'll explain everything, Bella," Edward said, helping me up. Staring into my eyes, he smiled softly. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he dipped his head, brushing his lips with mine. In my mind, I heard something. I love you. You own me and I will gladly give my life to save yours.

"What?" I whispered.

"You heard that?" he asked. I nodded. "I thought that …" He cocked his head, sighing. "Let's eat and then I'll tell you everything. I promise." He kissed me once more, taking me into his kitchen. But, food was the farthest thing in my mind. I could hear Edward in my head?

Say what?

A/N: Okay, she didn't say that she loved him, but she opened up her heart to him. Will she be able to say those words to him or be able to share her body with him?

Up next will be Edward's story. His history … how old do you think he is? And is Edward his real name? Leave me some loving! ;-) Thanks for reading!