Harlee POV
"I'm going to fucking kill you!" I howled as he withdrew the blade. I immediately felt the blood pouring inside and outside of my body. I hunched over. Zeev's eyes never wavered but I saw something in him shift slightly.
"Now, Demon, I'm going to continue carving up your pretty little girl until she runs out of power to heal herself unless you form a Contract with us." Josh's father stated calmly.
"I cannot." Zeev replied. The blade went through my chest this time. I thought it for a moment it was going to be game over, as the blood dribbled down my front. Did it get my heart? I clutched my chest, gasping. "I cannot." Zeev repeated. Josh's father walked around the back of the cage. I felt the blade settle on my spine. I shivered, but looked Zeev in the eyes.
"Love you." I whispered as the blade split my skin.
"Because I have already been Contracted by another who requires I take on no other Mages without approval." Zeev continued. His eyes were still dead, but I saw one fist was clenched.
"Zeev.." My head slumped forward. One of my lungs was definitely punctured and filling with blood. The Demonic Energy swirling through me was attempting to heal the injuries caused by the Angel's sword, but it would take time.
"Call this Master." Demanded Josh's father.
Zeev POV
I felt a wicked grin return to my face.
"Indeed." I responded.
'Josh-you're up.' I called to him and felt him startle. He smiled an evil smile of his own and started down the basement stairs.
"What the heck is going on in here?!" Josh yelled, bursting through the doors. He took in Harlee's and my own appearance and his expression went from shock to horror to true rage.
"Zeev said he was being tortured, but I didn't believe it. AND his Bonded? We don't hurt innocent humans!" Josh raged and raced to the cage, snatching the bars away and flinging it open.
"Josh?.. Is your Master?" The elder Mage sounded stunned. "And he said you couldn't take anyone else on without his permission?" Josh was supporting Harlee's weight, leading her towards me. "Hold on a second boy." Snarled his father. "Where's your proof?" Josh lifted his shirt.
"There, are you happy? Go on, touch it-that way you can verify." Josh snapped. There was a small Mark at his waist, a golden feather floating just above his waistband to the right of his navel. Josh's father hissed and slapped a hand to the Mark soundly. I could feel him tracing the connection back to me. He cursed.
"Wretched boy! Give him over to me!" The elder Mage demanded.
Harlee POV
"Not a chance." Argued Josh. While they were busy, I crept closer to Zeev who was hanging in front of and above me. Stumbled would probably be more accurate.
"My beautiful Zeev, what have they done to you?" I mourned. Just a few more steps and I could reach him.
"Harlee.. No.." Josh yelled, but too late. I had already reached out to gently caress Zeev's leg. There was a miniature explosion and I was blown backwards away from Zeev. Ah, but the burning was gone, so that meant he had his power back, right? I felt someone catch me around the shoulders and use their body as a shield to soften my landing against a desk. The smell of cinnamon and rain surrounded me.
"Zeev..." I breathed. He set me on my feet and I turned to look at him. "Are you, back to normal?" I asked with my hands on his face.
"I am very hungry Mistress." He said with those dead eyes. I turned back to the room and touched my Mark. "Zeev, hunt down and consume all those involved in this scheme to capture and harm us today, except Josh, who is protected."
"No!" Josh yelled and raced towards us as Zeev shifted to his shadow Form. "Spare my father-please! I know he's a pain in the ass, but..." I growled.
"Fine.. Zeev-just leave him a little reminder of us, would you? Maybe take a bite out of him or something." I snarled. Josh gulped. Zeev was on Zach in a minute, who was not prepared for the attack. Loud screams and crunching sounded throughout the room.
"Please, son, just let me Contract with him!" Yelled Josh's father as Zeev's shadow form turned to him. Josh gulped again.
"Zeev is not mine to control-you should have thought of that before attacking Harlee. I made a Contract with Zeev to make sure that Harlee has the final say on which Mages, if any, Zeev could Contract with. Eternally. Irrevocably. I gave her ultimate power over his Contract decisions concerning Sorcerers beyond myself. I don't think you have a snowball's chance in Hell now, dad." Josh swallowed hard and I doubled over with laughter.
"Zeev.. Zeev stop. You guys have punished him enough, because he'll never get what he wants. Zeev, as of his moment, I order you to NEVER form a Contract with this Mage that would benefit him in any way." I cackled madly and Zeev returned to his human Form.
"As you wish, Mistress." Zeev stated.
"Are there more that were involved in this plot?" I asked.
"Yes Mistress, at least four that brought us into this room, and more that were involved in the incidents after." He replied.
"Can you find them?" I asked.
"Yes Mistress." He answered.
"Go. I thought you said you were hungry. Return to me when you're done." I dismissed him.
"Mistress." Zeev said with a bow.
"Walk me out Josh." I demanded.
"Uh huh." He replied, grabbing my arm and slinging it over his shoulder to support my weight. With difficulty, we made it out of the house. Josh's father didn't follow.
I sat on the curb outside his house with a huff.
"Do you think he'll retaliate?" I asked.
"Probably." Josh replied and sat next to me.
"I can't believe you and Zeev did that. What exactly were the terms of your Contract?" I griped.
"Hey, that's between me and Zeev!" Josh objected.
"As you pointed out once-Zeev belongs to me, so by proxy, so do his Contracts." I growled. Josh crossed his arms and shook his head.
"Damn. Stepped right in that one." He griped. "Still not telling." I rolled my eyes.
"Oh whatever." I complained. "Is Zeev.. ok?" I asked Josh suddenly and Josh sighed.
"I don't know-he went into this knowing he may come out a little.. different.." Josh offered "He was completely stripped of power and tortured and made to watch you being tortured and he has a human soul in a Demon's body, so he may have been broken." I clutched my chest. Zeev!
"And Harlee-your soul fragment-it might not be the same anymore either.." Josh said softly. I jerked around to look at him. "The trauma.." He offered. I winced.
Zeev POV
I made quick work of the other four despicable creatures who had helped in the plot to kidnap us and got the name of one more involved in making the toxin and spell-work used on Harlee. I ate that one up too, then went after my torturers. Now I was standing above the street where Josh lived watching Harlee and Josh sit outside his house. I grabbed my chest. Harlee.. This pain, is worse than my Fall. How do you humans stand it? My mind was trying to splinter. The Demonic side of me knew that what I had endured was nothing, but the soul, which had integrated with my Heart, made me feel, and watching Harlee being stabbed while being completely helpless.. I wanted to tear the world apart, but mostly, I was ashamed. Ashamed at how weak I was. The images kept replaying in my head and the emotions were getting out of control. I was afraid to return to Harlee like this. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, then wiped at her face. Was she.. crying? I had cut off communications because she didn't like to see me hunt through our link, and I was too shattered to share with her now, but my chest ached when I saw the movement and I immediately reached for her, even though I was so far away.
Josh wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a hug. I dropped my hand and clenched my fists. Maybe it was better for her to get her comfort elsewhere. I felt a tingle as Harlee gently touched the Mark on her jaw. There was a brief flurry of images and thoughts all centered around a central idea. She was worried about me. I stiffened, then chuckled slightly. Josh, you may have an arm around her-but it's me who's wrapped around her heart.
Harlee POV
Zeev materialized out of the shadows down the street and walked towards us. He had changed his entire outfit and his appearance looked much better, what skin was available for viewing. He had covered most of himself with a long black coat and dark pants paired with a long sleeved white shirt. He truly did look like a Fallen Angel walking out of the shadows towards us, the image both impressive and disturbing all at once.