Zeev POV
Harlee was asleep, so I was out hunting for our newly Fallen Angel. I had heard a rumor from the last Demon I killed that he had been roaming around essentially bemoaning the fact that he was now Fallen. I had a feeling he was heavily blaming us for that. If I could catch him while his Grace was still depleted, I might just have a chance of destroying him. Unfortunately, his trail was leading back towards the places Harlee and I once frequented. I gritted my teeth and moved faster.
"I'm telling you, it's ridiculous-the new vests are ugly." I heard Kayla complaining as I rounded the corner of the customer service station. I slowed down and took my human Form.
"Yeah." Josh replied with boredom. He looked downtrodden. When he sensed me, his head jerked up and an anxious look came across his face.
"The Angel Sword-do you still have it?" I panted at Josh.
"I hid it like you asked me to. How's Harlee?" Josh asked with worry. I grimaced.
"She's fine, but I must ask you for a favor." I replied. Josh glared at me.
"How's Harlee, REALLY, Demon?" Josh growled.
"We don't have time for this-but here." I shoved open our link, he was still tied to me after all, and jammed the memories into his brain. His eyes glazed over and a tear ran down his face before he clutched his head and doubled over with pain.
"You couldn't have done that more gently?" Josh howled.
"No-the Fallen Arch Angel I showed you-"
"I got it, I got it." Josh griped.
"What's going on?" Kayla broke in suddenly. "Is Harlee ok?"
"Talk later. Can you cover for me? I gotta help Zeev with something." Josh called, hopping across the counter, scattering papers and miscellaneous office supplies everywhere.
"Hey! I'm tired of cleaning up after you, you jerk!" Kayla yelled as Josh grabbed my shoulder.
"Can you take me here?" He showed me a picture in my mind, along with an address and approximate directions from his house. "Sorry, I'm a little rusty- ..whoa that was fast..." He looked around the deserted playground and headed straight for the restrooms.
"This building is always infested with bees, so nobody bothers it-but I learned a new skill." Josh waved a hand and the swarm of bees suddenly parted. "Apparently, I can communicate with other types of beings beyond just Divine and Demonic. I think it's because I channeled the power of the Angel Blade before. It feels weird." Josh commented. He reached a hand up behind the beehive under the eaves of the building and pulled down the sword.
"Ta-da!" He crowed proudly. As he walked away, the bees resumed their normal activities. The Sword seemed to glow in his hand and I realized that the weapon had become an instrument of his own, easily intertwined with his particular soul, skills and abilities.
"Interesting." I commented. "Looks like Harlee and I aren't the only Abominations anymore. You've successfully integrated with a weapon of the Divine. You must have been playing with it when I wasn't around, Mage." I remarked and Josh blushed lightly, looking away.
"Yeah, well, it's kinda cool. Did I do something wrong?" Josh asked without looking at me.
"It depends. It's fused to your soul now, you two feed off each other's power. I would keep this weapon close, some might try to snatch your power away. But anyway, back to my main point. I need your aid, and am willing to offer you even more power-some of my own, if you'll help me take down this Fallen." I stated. Josh blanched, then looked resolved.
"Will it help protect Harlee?" Josh asked. I rolled my eyes.
"Of course." I answered. He nodded.
"For Harlee then." He replied.
"This... is going to be uncomfortable." I swooped around him in my shadow Form and moved us through space, following the Arch Angel's trail. I could feel Josh cringing and hoped he wouldn't decide to vomit while we were moving. I moved faster, just in case, only to come to a screeching halt with a feeling of foreboding.
"Wait-isn't this?"
"Yes-this is our home." I answered him.
"Aw man! Harlee's gonna kill us if we wreck the place!" Josh wailed.
"Shut up!" I hissed and melted through the walls.
"Aw Damn!" Josh breathed as I deposited him on the other side of the kitchen wall. He panted for a moment or two and held his stomach, then looked around the house and his expression gained an even more sickly cast. "Awww." He groaned. "You think she'll believe us when we tell her we didn't do it?" The house was destroyed, belongings tossed about and broken, food spilled haphazardly across surfaces, furniture demolished. I gritted my teeth. All my work to keep this place clean!
"Who's there?" Snapped a deranged voice. Josh stepped forward, readying the blade, but I switched to my human Form and put a hand on his chest, holding him back while shaking my head. I recognized the voice-even if it did seem a little less balanced currently. I paced towards the living room sofa-which had stuffing pulled from its cushions on one side. The Fallen Arch Angel was seated in the middle. I crossed my arms and stood in front of him.
"I should make you clean all this up." I stated mildly.
"You. Where is your other half? I can't sense her near you? And the boy in the kitchen? Is that a Sorcerer? You keep strange company, Demon." The freshly Fallen Arch Angel barely moved, just raised his head slightly to look at me.
"Ah-the Corruption has set in, hasn't it?" I said with interest. "How much Grace do you have left?" I leaned in closer to look and he reached up a hand to grip my throat.
"Don't think that just because I've Fallen, I'm suddenly weaker than you." The Fallen snarled.
"Oh, I would never dream of it." I smiled.
'Now Josh, run him through' I urged through our link, feeding him some of my power as he charged across the kitchen. The Fallen stood, flinging the sofa backwards across the room, knocking Josh's feet out from under him.
"Clever, Demon, but not clever enough." The Fallen snarled as Josh moaned behind him.
"Eh, I don't know." I replied, my grin turning wicked. "Look down." My talons were buried knuckle-deep in his midriff. The Fallen coughed.
"How did you?"
"About that Grace question?" I asked as I ripped my talons free and licked the blood from my hand. The Fallen roared and grabbed me up to toss me. My back slammed into the opposite wall and I heard the crunch and crumble of it give behind me. Sorry about the wall Harlee.
'Come on Josh-get up!' I urged mentally.
'I'm trying! I got the wind knocked out of me, ok?' He shot back.
'Then channel through the sword, you worthless Mage!' I screamed in his head.
'Oh yeah, I forgot!' A flash of blue light enveloped the Fallen and he was suddenly shot through with spikes of ice.
"Nice." I complimented him. When did he learn that? Josh struggled to his feet, leaning on the sofa.
"I've been practicing. And reading some of dad's books. He still hates you guys by the way." Josh replied happily.
"Yeah thanks, figured that." I muttered. The Fallen moaned as the ice dissipated, freeing him and he slumped toward the floor.
"Is he done?" Josh asked curiously. I grabbed him and held him back.
"No-just Hella pissed." I answered as the Fallen jerked his head up to glare at us. His eyes shifted into a strange yellow color, pupils straining into slits. "Ready your sword!" I yelled as the Fallen charged.