Harlee POV
"Zeev! What are you doing?" I squealed as he tugged me towards the still water's edge. He turned and kissed me abruptly, wings flaring, then wrapping gently about me.
"Swimming." He grinned wickedly and picked me up.
"But-I didn't bring a swim suit!" I screeched and his grin widened as he used one hand to start unbuttoning his own shirt. "Oh no-you can't-what if somebody sees?" I hissed.
"I told you-people haven't made it this far." He purred wickedly and I heard his pants zipper.
"Oh..my..God." I groaned. I felt Zeev unbutton my own pants.
"I keep telling you about that-there's no god here-only us Demons." He growled in my ear. I squeaked as my pants started to slide down and tried to grab them, but Zeev outclassed me in strength, determination and wiles. He kissed me to distract me and quickly snatched the pants away with a triumphant grin.
"Damn it you blasted Demon!" I snarled. "Fine then-put me down and I'll do the rest myself, but you have to put your wings up like a curtain 'til I'm done. And you can't peek!" I scolded.
"Harlee, I've seen you naked." Zeev sighed. "Many times."
"It's still different having to undress in front of people! It's uncomfortable, and weird when they stare!" I protested.
Zeev set me on the ground.
"Maybe the reason I stare.." He said, wrapping his wings around us. "..is because I think you're beautiful." He tugged my shirt up over my head and I blushed.
"Demons." I tsked, turning around to pull off my shoes, socks and underclothes. Covering myself, I turned back to face Zeev, who was already nude and eyeing my exposed skin eagerly. "Umm.. you have to let me out." I jerked my chin towards his golden wings. He pulled them tighter around me, bumping me closer to him.
"Not sure I want to." He smirked, grabbing my arms and pulling them gently away from my body.
"I thought we were swimming?" I squeaked as he yanked me harshly against him.
"We'll get there." He growled against my lips, kissing me. The smell of nature was quickly overshadowed by his cinnamon spice scent and flavor. I moaned slightly, darting my tongue into his mouth for a taste, which made him pull me even closer, deepening the kiss until I was panting. He scooped me up, wrapping my legs around his hips and I pulled back from him slightly.
"This was your end goal all along, wasn't it, you pervert?" I complained.
"Hey, it took power to get here, and takes power to change and maintain Form. That requires energy." He kissed me again. "But actually no.." He kissed my jaw. "...I had just planned to bring you for a picnic.." He kissed my Mark "...under the stars.." I shuddered as the electricity shot through me "..and maybe a swim.." He moved his lips to my neck. "And let you fall asleep in my arms.." He nibbled my neck. "..as we watched the sun come up.." I pushed him away and looked at him with teary eyes. He looked hurt for a moment, then concerned as he rubbed a thumb under my eye to capture my tears.
"You're secretly a really romantic guy aren't you Zeev?" I asked and he froze for a moment, eye widening before wrapping his arms around my shoulders and burying his face in the crook of my neck, allowing me to slip back to the ground.
Zeev POV
Harlee's appreciation came through our link like a whirlwind, wiping away every other though that I had. As I set her back down I couldn't help but hide my face in the crook of her neck. I was only doing what previous Contracts had taught me. What her soul fragment insisted was emotionally appealing. Me? Romantic? No. Lustful? Certainly. Seductive? Absolutely. And I would use any and every trick in the book to seduce and assuage my lust, but any hint of romance Harlee thought she was seeing was deception driven by past Contractual requirements that taught me things women liked, combined with borrowed emotions from Harlee's soul. Did I even know what true romance was? Did this mean that I didn't truly know what love was? Was everyone right? Was the love I felt just a borrowed emotion as well? I squeezed her tighter. No, that couldn't be true, it burned in my Heart...
"Zeev, are you ok?" She asked, resting a hand on my head gently. I straightened and tucked away my wings so they wouldn't get wet. I tugged Harlee towards the water.
"Come on, before it gets dark and the water gets too cold." I said softly and she followed my lead.
Harlee POV
What I thought was going to be a playful romp in the water ended up being Zeev leading me out until the water was about chest-high and him simply holding me in his arms, my back against his warm chest as we watched the sun set. He had his arms wrapped tightly around my chest like he was afraid I would float away, and I was holding his arms gently, leaning back into him as the sun set behind the still water. As the air temperature dropped, I felt Zeev's body temperature rise to keep me warm. He once again dropped his head to the crook of my neck and I had a sudden sense of foreboding, like he was going to disappear.
"Don't be silly Harlee, I couldn't do that because of our Bond. Or the soul we share. Or the fact that you know my True Name. There are far too many ways you could call me back to you. As I told you before, you have complete control over me. I am yours, I belong to you and will be with you from now until the end of Eternity." Zeev murmured. "Now, let's get out of this water before you get hypothermia." Zeev's wings suddenly appeared and drove into the water around us at the same time that he gripped me around the waist and ribs. I gasped and then giggled as the water droplets cascaded from us, and the smell of rain from Zeev's wings intensified. Despite my delight at the motion, Zeev's sudden depression had me worried, and it hovered in the back of my mind like a dark cloud.
Zeev led me back tot he blanket silently after we had dressed. He laid back, staring at the sky, wings spread around him. I was struck by his beauty and also a moment of intense pain. He had never looked more like the Fallen Angel that he was than now, with one arm draped across his forehead, the other on his stomach, one leg propped up and the other akimbo. He looked like he had just Fallen and was staring at Heaven in despair. I dropped to my knees beside him with tears running down my face and he looked at me, startled.
"Harlee?" Zeev sat up and I threw myself at him.
"No, I'm alright." I choked out, knocking him over. "Oh no! Did I hurt your wings?!" I ran a hand along one outstretched wing and he shivered.
"N-no, but that's very d-distracting Harlee." Zeev shivered again as I continue to run my hands over the arch of his wing.
"Distracting? Huh?" I turned to look at him and then noticed the evidence of his distraction pressing against my thigh. "Oh.. OH! Sorry! I didn't realize! But I've touched your feathers before!" I exclaimed, pulling my hands back swiftly and attempting to move off him. He captured me and pulled me back down.
"Yes, the feathers. And I find that to be distracting even in my True Form also. But my True Form doesn't have a sex, so I cannot experience arousal like this body does, and you've never had the opportunity to touch the patagium or coverts." He shivered and I looked at him curiously. "The top part of my wings. Especially underneath, and most especially where the feathers are smaller and denser. I didn't realize how sensitive they would be..." Curiously I stroked the wing nearest me again and Zeev tensed up.
"Harlee!" He exclaimed breathlessly and I giggled. "I just sat here and told you.." I cut him off by slowly stroking the wing again with two fingers. He arched up, nearly bucking me off him as I ran the same two fingers down the wing again, and then covered his face with one arm as if embarrassed. "Harlee, please get off me." He said dully and I looked at him curiously again before carefully scooting backwards. He sat up awkwardly and turned away from me. before standing and striding swiftly away several yards. There were no trees up here, so I could easily see him with his back to me as he removed his clothing below the waist and replaced them with clothing he pulled from wherever the Hell he did that from. Hell maybe? Either way, I blushed and turned my head before he came striding back, so it wouldn't look like I had been watching. Zeev was obviously a little uncomfortable about this.