Zeev POV
I sensed the exact moment Harlee's anger turned to me. I subtly checked who was around her and stepped up behind her to grip her around the waist.
"Oh damn, what did I do now?" I teased her lightly, kissing her neck. She elbowed me in the stomach.
"Sneaking off to play heroes with Josh apparently." Harlee remarked. Suddenly the smell of her blood hit me.
"Ah Harlee, I'm sorry." I murmured against her ear. I could feel her regret and disappointment through our link. She brushed at her face.
"We'll talk later." Harlee replied.
"Hey man!" Josh greeted me and I nodded. "Sorry the kid thing didn't work out-is that what all the lightning was for?" I nodded. "Cool idea!" Josh grinned.
"I feel suddenly uncomfortable, like Josh knows more about our pregnancy attempts than I do." Harlee complained.
"Naw, I just helped Zeev power up a couple times to replenish his Core-and a few times I saw you, you seemed to have a bit of him lingering with you, so I figured, well, uh.." Josh blushed. Harlee picked up a marker and threw it at him.
Harlee POV
I collapsed on the bed after changing and promptly curled into a ball, groaning. Zeev's gentle hand cupped the back of my head and moved my own out of the way over my abdomen as he sat down, allowing his hand to heat like a hot water bottle. I clutched it gratefully, then readjusted my position so that my head was on his lap.
"Thanks." I sighed.
"What do you feel like eating?" Zeev asked softly. "There are too many things running through your head for me to pick out a concise thought." I grimaced.
"I just want to stay like this for a while." I answered. I was feeling a little down, truthfully.
"There's always next month." Zeev murmured.
"Yeah." I sighed.
"I'm truly sorry." Zeev said quietly.
"It's not your fault." I squeezed his hand. "I'm probably taking it a little harder than I should." I shrugged a shoulder.
"If this is something you truly want-no. I can understand your disappointment." Zeev replied gently. "Just, don't give up so easily-you've never been the type to let difficult odds stop you." He laughed lightly. "Look how long and hard you fought me to get your soul back. You have remarkable spirit. I love that about you. It's the first thing I loved about you." His voice became softer and I looked up at him to see an expression on his face I had never seen before. It was like seeing his heart on display. It made my own heart ache with the power of the emotions.
I sat up and reached out a hand to place alongside his face. This, this is why people always portrayed Angels beautifully in movies and art. I kissed him gently. I wanted to etch the look onto my very soul. Zeev was always beautiful due to his human 'disguise' or rather his Demonic attempt to draw people in, but this.. This love and care on display, the empathy and adoration, all the beauty of his being.. His Core suddenly shone through and he looked simply Angelic, like he was glowing from within. I couldn't take my eyes off him. I kissed his cheeks, his forehead, his eyelids, his lips. He held still as if in shock for a moment, and then pulled me closer, leaning his forehead against mine. I spoke his True Name and Zeev pulled back slightly with a shudder to look at me.
"I love you." I said softly and the glow intensified.
Zeev POV
I brushed hair from Harlee's face while she slept. Her expression looked untroubled for the first time in weeks, lips slightly apart as if awaiting a kiss. I ran my thumb along them and she smiled gently. My heart fluttered in response. I pulled her closer to me.
What had this little human girl done to me? My whole existence had changed, though I guess I had no one to blame but myself. I chose to Fall, and wasn't that truly the start of all this mess? Still, if it hadn't been for her, these feelings.. these undeniable changes in me, never would have existed at all.
I felt the change around me at the same time Harlee's eyes snapped open.
"Zeev, what is that?" She asked with fear, eyes wide.
"Angel." I snarled, scooping her into my arms and placing her behind me protectively.
"Relax." A soft voice said, then greeted me by my True Name. "It's been a while." A chill ran down my spine, but then I grinned as the Angel came into view. I slid off the bed and strode towards him. He opened his arms and we hugged briefly.
"Ooh, look at the state of you! What a tangled mess you and this human are! Tch! You've burnt through the last of your Grace since I saw you last too! -No! What's this?!" He stared at me hard and then looked at Harlee, who was hiding her face on the bed. "You have love, true love, for this human girl? Human love! How did this happen? Is it because of this?" I felt him pluck the string that bound the two soul fragments between us. I grimaced and rubbed my chest.
"Most likely. You see how the soul fragment has integrated with me now? There's no chance of separation. My Heart has quite fused with it."
"Yes, it's dug in there, but why haven't you absorbed it? Why does it linger? Is it because she maintains the other half?" He asked curiously, walking closer to Harlee, who squeaked, covering her face tighter and turning her head away.
"Ah, wait a moment we haven't had good luck with visitors of Heaven of late." I grabbed the Angel's shoulder lightly, holding him back. Walking around him, I crouched in front of Harlee.
"It's ok Harlee, this is an old friend of mine, you can look." I told her gently.
"No, I can't." She moaned. "It hurts.."
"Ah!" Damn, I'd forgotten. "My friend, do you mind reigning it in a bit, settle into your human Form for her? She's just recently started to transition and her mind's not quite ready to process.."
"Oh dear sweet Heavens, I never thought! Yes of course!" The Angel replied and changed Form. Harlee relaxed slightly.
"Ok, it's safe." I told her softly and she uncovered her eyes, squinting at first, like she was afraid to believe me.
"Harlee, my love, this is uh, let's call him Sands, he's a Messenger Angel. He actually fought alongside me a few times as well. Seems we were sent out a lot together. I guess I was the grunt-work and he was the brains." I chuckled.
"I was definitely the brains." Sands retorted and took Harlee's hand, the long sleeves of his white robes enveloping her hand and wrist. "The pleasure is all mine."
Harlee POV
"My that soul, even though you've already corrupted it, it burns so brightly. Fierce determination." The Angel called 'Sands' shifted his robe away from my hand and kissed the back of it lightly. He sat next to me on the bed. Sands' long white hair trailed onto the bed. Another gorgeous being. I was going to die with all these freaking gorgeous creatures appearing around me.
"Ah, you're also in love. Well this is quite interesting. Oh but, also in mourning? Mourning a child, that will never be? Don't tell me?" Sands' light blue gaze jumped back and forth between Zeev and I again. The fair skin and long lashes seemed to be emphasized by the exaggerated by the reaction.
"Why, you little Devil." Sands chuckled. "Ah, but dear girl, don't give up so easily, your journey has just begun." Sands kissed me gently on the forehead and a sense of peace overtook me. Sands had a gentle voice and gentle touch. Even Sands' scent was gentle like sunshine on cotton that gently surrounds you. Zeev sat down on my other side and hugged my shoulders gently.
"I don't mean to be rude, brother, but I highly doubt you came here for that." Zeev said quietly. Sands lowered his long lashes and sighed.
"Ah no. Sadly, I was sent on official business actually. This was the last known location of the recently Fallen Arch Angel that was sent to dispose of you two. Heaven is aware that you helped clean up that little..ah..unfortunate..mess, and while it does not absolve you of your crimes, it has earned you a bit of a reprieve." Sands stated. He looked up at Zeev under his lashes mischievously.
"In other words.. They're afraid of us." Zeev snarled. Sands tapped the side of his nose.
"You know it." His eyes twinkled. "They're taking a 'watch and see' approach for now, but stay on your guard. There's no telling when they'll try to attack again."
"I don't understand-why are you telling us this?" I asked Sands. He ran a finger down my cheek and ended by lifting my chin.
"What do you call him? Ah there it is-Zeev-he has saved my life many times. He has been faithful and true, and chose to step down because innocents were dying at his hand. I couldn't fault him for that. I've been gifted with compassion for humanity, it's part of my duties as Messenger. I'm here to Comfort as well. It gives me a unique perspective and some free reign. I've been watching Zeev for centuries. And he's been miserable for all of them. I know your experience was difficult, but I am so glad you came into his life. He deserves happiness, and I'm so glad to see him finally receive some." Sands rubbed away a tear that slid from my eye. I jolted slightly and looked at Zeev. He was happy?
"More than you could ever know." Zeev leaned forward and kissed my forehead.