Zeev POV
I was barely holding myself together. I had sacrificed what was left of my Grace to save Harlee and in so doing it was like I had Fallen all over again. But at the same time-an act of self-sacrifice for another is the truest form of love, so an unshakable Bond had been formed between Harlee and I. Even if I ever did find a way to restore her soul to her, it would not matter, because now-she possessed a Demon's Heart. Upsetting her by keeping myself distant was killing me.
Harlee POV
I followed Zeev into the kitchen. There was something desperately wrong and it was tearing me up inside. No-not entirely me-these feelings were spilling over from Zeev. Just what the Hell had happened?
"Zeev I..."
"Would you like salad or garlic bread?" Zeev asked over me.
"Salad I guess." I answered quietly.
"The usual?" He questioned and I nodded, but then realized since he wasn't looking at me, he probably didn't see the gesture.
"Yeah." I sat glumly in a chair at the counter and cradled my head in my hand. I watched him work, quickly and efficiently chopping up a handful of vegetables and tossing them together before placing them in a bowl and turning to set them on the counter. His expression when he turned was hard, but then he saw my face and it immediately flashed to one of pain. He masked it quickly, setting the bowl carefully on the counter in front of me. He leaned his hands on the counter and took a deep breath, his shoulders clenched.
"Harlee...I..." The timer dinged and he slumped. "Never mind, let me get this out to cool, what would you like to drink?"
Zeev POV
How many times had I almost broken down this afternoon and told her I'd permanently altered her life's course? How many times had I almost caved? But I just want to give her a little more time..to heal... to settle.. before I have to destroy her world. Again.
Harlee POV
Zeev was silent most of the afternoon, every time I tried to question him, he diverted my attention. He suggested I go to bed early and had even laid out my pajamas in advance.
"It's not going to work forever you know." I snapped angrily and he looked confused, so I pointed at the pajamas and then gestured wildly with my hand. "This whole 'distract Harlee and keep her busy so she doesn't have time to question me' thing." Zeev looked shocked and hid his expression from me once more.
"Indeed." He murmured, then turned to leave.
"No, stay, I-don't want you to go. I just got mad." I begged. Zeev's face flitted through a handful of emotions again but settled back into the mask and he nodded once. "Just turn around or something, I know you've seen me naked too many times, but it's still awkward undressing in front of somebody. Go sit on the bed or something." I griped. Zeev smiled slightly and nodded once again before turning to sit on the bed, facing the wall while I changed clothes. When I was done I crawled onto the bed and patted his shoulder. "Ok, I'm done." I said quietly. "You can turn around now." I could almost feel Zeev's grin through our link. He was never this subdued though, and it had me worried. He sat against the headboard, long legs stretched out on the bed. I leaned against his shoulder.
"Are you ok?" I asked him softly. I felt him tense then chuckle slightly.
"Sympathy for the Devil, Harlee?" Zeev asked wryly. "You really shouldn't have."
"You seem...upset. And you're definitely withdrawn. Despite the ache in our chests, you still haven't dropped your guard and I'm worried. Did something happen I should know about?" I responded.
"Soon, but at this moment, you should sleep." Zeev replied and gave me a gentle kiss on the top of the head. I would have jerked but a relaxing warmth was spreading through my body. That jerk! Not only did he kiss me-he used his abilities to knock... me...
Zeev POV
I watched Harlee sleep sadly. This guilt I was feeling was new, and was only possible because she now possessed my Heart. I wanted to protect her forever because my last act as an Angel had been to save her from harm. I couldn't even begrudge her that, because once you possess the Heart of a Demon...
Harlee POV
Zeev rushed me to work the next morning in much the same fashion. I leaned on the counter most of the day, and if truth be told, I wasn't looking forward to going home because of his new attitude.
"You and Zeev still fighting?" Kayla asked me after dealing with the silence half the day.
"Something like that." I answered dully.
"Aw geez, I hate seeing you like this." She frowned. "Why don't you and I go out after work, just you and me? Girl's night?! I'm free! Call Zeev and tell him!" She demanded.
"I'd love to, but I..can't." I felt the panic begin to rise as my chest began to ache thinking of being apart from the other half of my soul for any longer than I needed to. I rubbed my chest subconsciously.
"You do that a lot when you think or talk about Zeev." Kayla commented, observing my hand. I dropped it quickly. "Does he make your heart beat faster?" Her eyes twinkled as she teased me. "Does the sight of his dreamy skin and that gorgeous hair just set you on fire? Does your heart just ache when not in his presence?" She draped herself over the counter dramatically.
"Yeah, something like that." I repeated grimly. My memory flashed back to that chilling voice.
"After all, they say the eyes are the window to the soul..." As he tore out half of my face, then let his claw drag leisurely down my chest. "But I find the sternum to be the best access point in the end..." And the ripping sensation as he split my torso and pried my ribs apart. The glow appearing that his jaws latched onto, but it tore. No, you can't have it! Oh my God, what's happening?
"Harlee are you alright?" Kayla shook me. I was sweating hard and felt like I was going to vomit.
"Excuse me a moment-I need to go to the bathroom." I bolted to the employee breakroom while Kayla looked after me, worry written all over her face.
"Harlee..." Zeev said, manifesting from the shadows. I bolted straight into his arms. Strange how the very creature who had done this to me was the only one who could provide comfort to me now. "Harlee...I'm sorry." I tensed. That was the only time he had sincerely apologized to me. Not a flippant or offhand apology-this one was the real deal, heartfelt, filled with a certain amount of remorse, heartache and pain. I pulled back slightly to look at him.
"For what?" I demanded. "Say it." Make him squirm. His pained expression changed to mild shock.
Zeev POV
Somehow this girl, unaware of our new Bond was managing to take full advantage of it! I was shocked, but also secretly pleased. She was a clever one, even if she wasn't aware of it herself yet. I ran a finger down her cheek.
"How clever." I smiled and let the barrier drop completely between us. It was time.
Harlee POV
The weight of everything that had happened in the last few days hit me hard as Zeev allowed the barrier to completely dissolve. It was like the room disappeared around us and suddenly it was just Zeev and I. He was kneeling in front of me with something offered in his hands, then the image changed to him saving me, using the last of his Angelic Grace to do so..
"Oh no... Zeev! No.." I cried. I never wanted him to do that.
"I assure you, in the beginning the act was entirely selfishly motivated. But once I touched that part of my Grace and realized how badly you were injured, well apparently in the grand scheme of things, it was viewed as a sacrificial act of love." Zeev stepped up beside me and shrugged.
Then I watched as Zeev writhed on the ground beside me as his Grace withered away into a True Demon's Heart again-with one exception, it was now tied to me.
"What? What does that mean? I though it was already tied to me because of my soul-see the little white ring attached around it?" I pointed out.
"Silly girl." Zeev kissed me on the top of the head. "This is a much more Binding Contract between you and I." I watched as a solid infinity symbol wrapped around the two of us and looked down to see it nearly invisible, but still there.
"What? What is this?" I asked quietly, still confused. A line of glowing filaments shot between Zeev and I, tightening. I gasped. "Zeev? What's going on?" We were back to the first scene where he was kneeling offering me something.
"It's a Contract, between you and I. It's already been made, you cannot reject it, the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be for us both." Zeev said quietly. "But it comes with a cost." He looked at me sadly.