Zeev POV
"Hey-aren't you gonna go check on him?" I called to whoever else was in the shadows of the room.
"And why would I do that, knowing perfectly well it would be giving you time to try to escape?" My superior stepped out of the dark.
"Crap. Why'd it have to be you?" I grumbled.
"Because they knew I knew you best. Sorry my boy." He replied.
"Yeah, it figures." I jolted as I realized how much like Harlee I was beginning to sound.
"You mean to tell me that idiot hadn't figured out that he was gonna Fall if he hadn't already?" I chuckled.
"Some.. take a while.." My superior responded.
"Ah man, is he going to be pissed when he finds out he burned through all that Grace for me to his own detriment..." I laughed. My chatter was actually just a distraction, I was trying to see how strong the restraints were.
"I have to ask you to stop." My superior said smoothly.
"Stop what?" I asked innocently. The threads binding Harlee and I appeared and my superior laid a finger along the soul thread.
"You know very well what." He replied coolly. I shivered.
Harlee POV
Something.. wasn't right. I felt pressure in my chest, and shivered suddenly. The idiot Demon kicked me again and I closed my eyes, touching the burning place on my soul as another blow landed, I whispered the Name once.
Zeev POV
I suddenly felt Harlee's call and my body twitched, trying to answer. But I was restrained and couldn't move!
"What are you doing now?" My superior asked sharply.
"I'm.. NOT!.." I panted, shivering.
Harlee POV
Another blow and I whispered his Name a second time.
Zeev POV
My whole body jerked forward this time. I felt like my bones were on fire. I was breathing hard.
"You can't break free by force, so you might as well stop trying." My superior snarled.
"I told you, I'm NOT!" I yelled. "But you have to let me go!" My body was wracked with shudders. "Somebody's invoking my True Name-and if you don't-"
Harlee POV
The Demon kicked again, and I heard a rib snap. With a snarl, I called Zeev's True Name for the third time.
Zeev POV
"It's going to rip me to shreds!" I screamed as my body strained against the Bindings, arching upwards unbidden. I heard my joints crack. The Arch Angel came bursting back into the room upon hearing the commotion. My body was losing Form, trying to escape the Bindings, but it couldn't fully shift, so kept reverting to my human shape.
"What's going on here?" He demanded.
"He says someone's invoking him using his True Name." My superior shrugged. "Could be a trick." My body had begun to glow from inside, my skin showing my bone structure. I felt as though I was burning.
"That stupid human girl!" The Arch Angel snarled and raced from the room. Harlee!
Harlee POV
I couldn't catch my breath, so I waited for the last kick to use the force of the air being driven from my chest to call his True Name for the final time, Invoking our Bond.
'Come get me, please!' I pleaded in my head, as I struggled to breathe, gaping like a fish out of water as the air refused to return to my lungs. The door suddenly burst open and someone rushed in with a growl. 'Zeev?' I thought desperately, but no-it wasn't him. Wait-I recognized this devastatingly handsome man didn't I?
"What did you do?" He roared, throwing the Demon against the wall.
Zeev POV
The final call struck like a hammer and my body broke completely. I burst into flames and every bit of me was torn to shreds. My superior watched as the flames turned to sparks that vanished into thin air. No one could hear my screams anymore.
Harlee POV
A swirl of sparks descended in front of me and coalesced into the shape of a man. I couldn't see any features, but it crouched in front of me and held out a hand. I flinched, but the flames didn't burn me as he ran a hand along my cheek. He lifted me from the floor and we both disappeared in a whoosh of fire. He kneeled and set me down again on the ground somewhere I didn't recognize and I reached for him.
"Zeev?" I asked. The shape fell over beside me and the flames went out. Zeev's cold form lay next to me, still and unconscious. I coughed up more bloody mucus and called his name again. He didn't answer, so I lay my head on his chest and cried. "Thank you Zeev." I whispered softly. I couldn't hear a heartbeat, but my soul fragment was still drawing me to him, so he must be 'alive' in some sense of the word. I was still huddled next to his still body when I heard the crunch of footsteps behind me.
"Oh dear me, what's he gone and gotten himself into this time?" Said a familiar voice.
"Don't I know you?" I asked looking at the man blearily. The memory was hazy, as if from a dream.
"I don't think we've ever officially met, but I know you're his Bonded." The man replied, crouching. "You can call me Gabe. I owe, what do you call him? I think he told me once, hmmm, Zeev, wasn't it? A favor. See you guys helped clear out my hotel that night it burned down and we Demons, we don't like owing favors. That's probably why Zeev came here." As he stood back up, his eyes glowed red and I shivered, but nodded.
"Now, can you walk? I can carry him, but I can get someone else to carry you if you need it." Gabe offered.
"I can manage." I replied and Gabe nodded. He picked up Zeev's limp body and I stumbled to my feet, ribs screaming in pain. I coughed and spat up more blood. Gabe observed, but said nothing. He lead the way, and as he walked, I couldn't help but admire him. He was tall and slender with long light colored hair, fair skin, and a beautiful almost androgynous face. I wanted to touch it to see if it was real. He looked at me suddenly as he could hear my thoughts. Probably could. Damn Demons. He grinned. I coughed again and hid the fistful of blood that came up. My head suddenly felt dizzy and I stumbled, gripping Gabe for support. Wow, might be slender, but I could feel the muscles under his clothes. He grinned at me again.
"I think I'm beginning to see why he likes you so much." Gabe smirked. I let go of him and stumbled after him a few more steps. A coughing fit sent me to my knees and then I was wheezing to catch my breath. The ground rushed up to meet me...
Zeev POV
The pain I was in-was not all mine..
"Harlee!" I jolted awake, sitting up immediately.
"Woah there buddy. I just barely finished stitching you together with that spell, could you maybe give yourself some time to heal?" Gabe joked, pushing me back towards the bed.
"Gabe-Harlee-was she with me?" I gripped his shoulders tightly.
"Hey-calm down! Yeah she's fine! Again-this was tough going, and I'm wiped too, you know? You're lucky I trade in currencies other than money, or else I never would have had the Grace and Demonic Energies necessary to piece you back together properly again. As for your girl.. Well.." Gabe grimaced. "I did what I could."
"Harlee-let me see her." I demanded.
Harlee POV
I smiled brightly at Zeev as he entered the room. He collapsed by my bedside in tears.
"Gabe said.." He began, but I shushed him,laying a hand on his head and ruffling his hair. He hadn't noticed yet-which meant he still hadn't explored our link. How injured was he?
"How are you Zeev?" I asked quietly. My voice was barely above a whisper, it was still rough like I'd had laryngitis. I coughed and even I could smell the blood as it spattered across the bed, mixed with rotten tissue and foul smelling liquid. Zeev sat up quickly and I felt his mind running along our link. I winced as we connected for the first time in days. We were both in bad shape-and..
"Oh God Zeev-I'm so sorry.." I sobbed "I had no idea that's what I put you through."