Harlee POV
"I mean the only thing I can think of was the day I chased him out of the store-I told him I'd never seen you so simultaneously happy and miserable and he should make you smile more." Kayla licked her lips, eyes darting between the two of us.
"What exactly did you say Kayla? And what was his reply?" Josh shook her.
"Jeez stop! All I said was 'You should make her smile more.' and he said 'Is that a formal request' with this silly grin on his face, man that smile!" She trailed off wistfully for a moment and Josh shook her again. "So anyway I said 'yeah it is-I care about Harlee deeply, and I'll get you if you don't.' So he laughed and said 'What will you give me in return?' And I thought he was joking, so I was like 'whaddaya want?' and he said he'd tell me later when he figured it out." Kayla rushed through the rest of her explanation. I groaned. An open-ended contract. He could ask her for anything in return at anytime. Whatever and whenever he deemed he had made me 'smile more'. Josh released her and cradled his head in his hands.
"Did you guys shake on it or anything? Did he touch you or anything afterwards?" Josh asked. He was looking for a Mark. A distant memory floated to me 'that one's been marked..' .
"No I uh, gave him a hug and thanked him. Think I kinda shocked him a bit." Kayla whispered. Josh groaned this time.
"Lift up your shirt." He demanded.
"What?" Kayla squealed, clutching the hem.
"Do it now!" Josh snarled and Kayla raised a hand to smack him.
"Kayla-Zeev may have Marked you as a target for later." I said softly.
"Marked me? Target? What the Hell are you talking about?! What's wrong with you people?!" Kayla screeched.
"Hell indeed." I murmured.
"Bee!" Josh suddenly yelled.
"Oh my God! Where!?" Screamed Kayla.
"It's on your shirt!" Josh pointed and she squealed, turning to find it "No it's on the back-stop moving, I think it's under the collar now!" The shirt was off in a second.
"That was low." I observed.
"Well, you could have used your influence you know!" Josh retorted. "As Zeev's Mistress, you essentially hold his Contracts by proxy. You probably could have influenced her to reveal the Mark by calling on it as the owner ad litem." Josh grumbled.
"Say what?! I can do that?!" I was floored. Meanwhile Kayla was glaring at us both, arms across her chest.
"There was never any bee, was there?" She asked.
"Nope." Josh shrugged. "Now turn around."
Zeev POV
Ah found one. Harlee always had a soft spot for animals. And this one enjoyed torturing them to death. All he desired in life was access to more interesting instruments for his torture. I smiled wickedly. I could grant him access-not that he would ever get to use said instruments... Such a shame the last body he ever saw tortured in the mirrored ceiling would be his own. I set the last of the animals free before deciding I should clean up prior to returning to Harlee. I looked a fright, and that's saying something for a Demon.
"Don't mind if I use your shower do you?" I asked the dead sadist. "Didn't think so." I felt my ribs healing as the warm water rushed over me. Harlee...
Harlee POV
Kayla turned around abruptly, she was pissed.
"Ah Damn." I sighed. Below Kayla's ribcage on her back, at about her waist was a small golden feather. It looked like it had been etched in gold into her skin.
"Your Demon leaves awful pretty Marks behind for such a loathsome beast. Josh commented.
"Mark-what Mark?" Kayla bolted to the restroom.
"I don't think he entirely perceives himself to be evil." I said softly. My ribcage suddenly stopped hurting and I felt the bones come together with a snap. "Ah ouch. I can breathe again." I smiled wryly. "Zeev must be done." I looked at my shoes ruefully.
"You know he's one of the Fallen-not a corrupted human soul, right? He chose to Fall because Heaven was having him kill indiscriminately and he didn't like it. He didn't realize he'd get trapped in the same ruthless cycle here on Earth." I scuffed my shoe on the floor, not looking at Josh.
"It still doesn't excuse-"
"Yeah, I know, I went through all that with him too, and once he became Bound to me, he stopped attacking human, getting what he could from the Demons and Angels that attacked us. Angel Grace lasts a long time, but when he's injured..." I looked Josh in the eyes. "He would do anything to save me." Josh blanched and looked away. Zeev suddenly reappeared in front of me, kneeling, head bowed.
"My Lady, I'm afraid I have trespassed and.." Zeev began.
"Zeev, I'm pissed. You've marked Kayla, you killed a bunch of humans...but-" I held out a hand to him and he looked up. "You saved me and you came back to me anyway." I slid off the bench and into his arms. "Just, take me home. Please." I whispered. I heard Josh slam out of the breakroom.
Zeev POV
This...this was worse than her anger. She was so sad, so depressed. She called in a whole week off work-using up all her sick days and reworking her schedule so she could stay at home. She just sat on the bed and stared at the window with the curtains drawn.
"My Lady..Harlee.." I murmured, but she didn't answer, yet again. "Will you please eat something Harlee? For me?" I begged. Had she even moved from this spot? I got excited when she got up to go to the restroom these days.
"Harlee...I..."
"Zeev, stop." Harlee ordered. I felt my mouth and body freeze immediately. "I don't want to talk with you. I feel betrayed. I understand your reasonings, but I cannot possibly support all of your decisions at all times." She stood, her manner was cold, cruel. "And I may never forgive you." She brushed passed me out the door. I snarled, trying to break free of her command. She hadn't said how long I had to stop, so I exploited that loophole. I paced after her out the door.
"Harlee..." I growled, my Form losing shape with my anger. I tossed the memory of Kayla's request at her mind harshly. If she would not let me explain, I would show her.
"Kayla's request was that I make you happy." I growled as the force of the memory made Harlee grip the counter, barely holding herself up. "I could have recalled that debt any number of times by now, but I have not. Do you want to know why?" Harlee buckled under the pressure, her head sinking, arms and shoulders shaking.
"Zeev stop." She said weakly, but there was no command behind the words. She wanted an explanation. She wanted me to tell her why I had trespassed. I stalked towards her.
"Because with Heaven and Hell after us, having my Mark on Kayla keeps her safe to a degree." I snarled, teeth bared. "She cannot be touched, she belongs to me, so she can't end up another 'innocent bystander' killed by some reckless Demon or mindless Angel. She cannot be used in one of their twisted games against us. She is MINE, OURS, PROTECTED." I snapped. I felt Harlee shudder. I gripped her waist and forced her to turn to look at me and felt my rage and Form melt at the same time. her eyes were full of tears as she gazed into my slitted pupils.
"Why didn't you just tell me that before?" She asked, tears spilling down her face. She slammed a fist against my chest. "Why do you have to play with us humans like we're all just toys?! How am I supposed to trust you when you act like this? When you keep shutting me out and hiding things from me? What's wrong with you?" I stared at her for a moment.
"I'm...not human..." I offered quietly and she let out a loud sob and looked down.
"I don't know which side of you is more cruel-the Angel or the Demon. She said quietly. I lifted her chin.
"They're both the same." I replied and covered her mouth with my own.