Zeev POV
Harlee was clinging to me tightly as I plunged headfirst over the cliff. The wind rushed by in an exhilarating rush that got mistier the closer we fell to the waterfall. Harlee was shrieking in my ear as I opened the link between us.
'Don't you trust my wings?' I taunted her in her mind 'Or do you think they're just pretty ornaments to tease me with?'
"I trust your wings! It's the GROUND I don't trust!" She shouted back. I laughed again and allowed my wings to spread out, catching the air to bring our decent to a stop. A few powerful beats later we were hovering in the middle of the mist.
"Open your eyes Harlee." I said gently. She peeked out from under her arm. The sunlight was refracting through the waterfall's mist and bouncing rainbow arcs of light everywhere. Harlee gasped again, reaching out a hand without thinking as if to touch the colors and I thought my Heart should swell or break. I wanted to forever see more of this look on her face, this wonder and delight. I wanted to be the one who caused it. Wasn't that love? It couldn't be just an echo or mimic, right? Harlee looked at me, her eyes clear
"It's not." She laid a hand on my Mark. Damn, I'd forgotten the link was still wide open. "Is this what you've been worried about?" She asked me. I swallowed, but nodded to her slightly.
"Well then, let me explain how I know what you feel isn't an echo. I've never felt anything like this Zeev. Nothing nearly as powerful as your feelings. Ever. How can what you feel be an echo from my soul, when your emotions are foreign to me?" Harlee asked. I felt the stirrings of hope in my heart.
"But you have been in love before." I pointed out. Harlee laughed.
"Take a look at those relationships." She ran them through my mind. "Sure, I thought I was in love at the time, but.. I don't know.. Maybe they were just really great crushes in the end compared to this, and if you remember, you were the one who started loving me first. Zeev.. I'm not saying this because you stole half of my soul, but, you complete me. Is that corny? You're my other half. I.. really love you Zeev." Harlee said quietly. I pressed my lips to hers as the water soaked us and the sun rose in the sky.
Harlee POV
My teeth were chattering as Zeev stepped us back home.
"Ah Harlee-you should have told me you were cold!" Zeev worried, rushing me to the bathroom, already stripping me of my clothes.
"I wasn't!" I replied through trembling lips. "You're a freakin' Bonded Demon that shares half my soul Zeev. You have insider knowledge of what's going on with me-your body temperature usually adjusts to whatever I need it to be. I don't even think you're aware you're doing it anymore." He blinked.
"Still..." He turned the water on, allowing it to warm as he held me against him, rubbing at my skin. He was out of his clothes before I could blink, rushing me into the warm water. I moaned with relief as he stepped in after me and pulled my back against his chest, rubbing my arms with his warm hands until they had warmed up some. Then he held me still for a moment or two against him under the water. I could feel the warmth of his skin compared to mine and sank into him eagerly. He turned me around and held my chest to his for a few moments before crouching and beginning to rub my legs.
"Uh.. Zeev, how much of me do you intend to rub?" I asked him as he made his way back up my thighs.
"All of you." He said seriously and I gave a nervous laugh.
"Well, it's just.. I think you're forgetting.." I tried to back away a step as I felt the warmth start to trickle downwards. "I'm still on my period and I haven't gotten to clean up in a while.." Zeev's eyes suddenly glowed bright orange and even through the link I could feel his hunger. The hand that had just been on my thigh he pulled back, there was a trickle of blood running across his fingers. He stared at it and suddenly the fingers were in his mouth, blood being licked clean.
"Aw now Zeev-come on! That's.. so wrong." I whispered. His eyes latched onto mine, still glowing.
"It's just blood. More nutrient dense perhaps. but blood. Vital energy I can harvest from you, Mistress. And it's very, very strong." He licked his lips.
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this." I replied, backing up another step. Zeev's eyes flashed and his hands shot out to grip my thighs.
"We have an agreement, you and I. Are you asking me to go hunt human souls instead?" Zeev asked, his eyes reminded me of the night we first met.
"Of course not-this just makes me feel.. uncomfortable.." I replied. Zeev pushed me against the shower wall.
"Yet you are ok with it any other day of the month? When this time would actually be more beneficial for me?" He demanded. He caught another trickle of blood running down the inside of my thigh with his fingertips and stuck them in his mouth. Some of the manic light in his eyes faded briefly.
"How hungry did you let yourself get?" I suddenly snapped, slapping a hand to his Mark. His raw need burned through me and I nearly collapsed under the weight of it. He pulled my hand away, but not before I saw the reason behind it. It had all been for me. Sacrificing his Core by tearing it to pieces, experimenting with it to see what would work, teaching and helping Josh in exchange for the occasional electrical powerups, all the little things he did daily, popping in and out of nowhere, the little picnic, the immaculate house. I slumped forward, grabbing his head, crying. I felt so guilty. I kissed his hair then laid my forehead on top of his head.
"I am a cruel and selfish Mistress Zeev. Take what you need from me. I'm clinging to a false sense of dignity." I sighed. Zeev looked up at me and his eye color settled back to normal.
"I would never do anything to harm you Harlee, and that includes your pride or dignity. If there was something distasteful about menstrual blood, I wouldn't have asked you for it. People eat Roe and chicken eggs and mammary milk from cows, think of it like that if you prefer." Zeev responded gently.
"Great, I'm once again being compared to a chicken." I griped. "Do you have a fixation with chickens or something?" I complained.
"I think you're the one with the chicken obsession, I always give you several examples, yet you latch on to the chickens every time." Zeev chuckled.
"They're like mini dinosaurs!" I gushed and Zeev stared at me in shock for a moment before laughing again. The terrifying mood from earlier had disappeared, however I could still feel Zeev's need and hunger.
Zeev POV
I still had Harlee trapped against the shower wall. The scent of her blood was driving me insane, I was so very hungry. I swallowed hard, debating with myself the best course of action. If I didn't do something soon, I would need to consume some human souls. I had no choice, and I was getting desperate. Harlee laid a gentle hand on my head. I looked up at her and she nodded her head slightly.
"I mean, I still think it's gross." She said with a grimace. I growled lightly at her as my eyes began to glow once more.
"There is no part of you that is gross or undesirable to me, My Lady." I responded and licked the trickle of blood from her thigh. I had to close my eyes it hit me so hard. A wave of dizziness washed over me followed by one or two seconds where I was sure I lost consciousness. I had to let myself get far too hungry..
"Zeev, are you ok?" Harlee asked with worry. I nodded and laid my forehead against her thigh briefly, and then the hunger kicked in with force.
Harlee POV
"Harlee, I'm truly sorry." Zeev apologized for the hundredth time.
"Just don't let it get that bad again!" I snapped. I was laying in the bed where he had placed me after attacking me in the shower. I cringed.
"I really am-"
"Shut it!" I growled, then heaved a sigh. "Look, I understand why you did it-you'd expended all that energy and starved yourself for me, but that doesn't mean I'm excusing your behavior." I curled up in a ball as my stomach cramped again.
"At least you wont have to worry about any more bleeding this week." Zeev offered apologetically. I glared at him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He gulped.
"I, uh, sort of.. took the rest of the blood and tissue you'd normally shed, which is why you're dealing with cramps now. I sort of rushed your body through the process to feed myself.." I threw a pillow at him before he could finish.
"Get out." I demanded and groaned as another cramp caused me to clutch my midriff.