Harlee POV
"Ah, there it is, I think that should just about do it." Ash withdrew their hand from my chest, and my body settled back to the bed. I couldn't feel the ache much anymore. It was dulled, easily ignored, and Zeev.. that connection was almost gone too! I panicked. I'd had Zeev in my head for so long, my mind was strangely empty, and I suddenly felt like half my senses had been shut down. I tried to sit up, but Ash pushed me back down.
"Why are you so worried about bird brain?" Ash snarled. "he hurt you, and then took off. Yet here you are, acting like the world is ending because you finally have a little distance from him!" Ash huffed. "How about a little appreciation?" Ash crossed their arms and tsked.
"I.. uh thank you Ash, and I know it doesn't make sense but.. it's the other half of my soul, and I've gotten so used to having him around constantly and I miss him and.. Yeah, I'm hurt and angry, and I don't know how to process what he did.. but I.. still love him." I murmured. Ash tsked again, then leaned in, stroking my cheek.
"Do you think any of that love will ever be reserved for me?" Ash asked, kissing me gently.
"We'll have to base that on your behavior, now won't we?" I retorted and Ash laughed a musical laugh, standing to pull me into a hug. Zeev burst into the room, panting.
"Harlee!" He cried.
Zeev POV
When our connection suddenly went silent, a thousand fears ran through my mind, but I almost immediately circled back to that snake. If it wasn't for the Bond, I would have been terrified I would never find her, but the Mark assured me of locating her, and she hadn't moved from the spot she had been in, and I raced back home as fast as I could, overstepping my destination in my haste. Since I was already afraid the snake was involved, it was no surprise to me to see the snake wrapped around her when I opened the bedroom door. I couldn't tell if she was alright.. She looked so limp in the snake's arms. I growled.
"What did you do to her?" I roared, racing forward to rip her out of the snake's grasp.
"Me? I think you should be asking yourself that buddy." Ash retorted. Harlee tensed up under my touch. I looked down to see her eyes were filled with pain and fear. It was just like in the beginning, only then I didn't love her. My heart squeezed uncomfortably, and I clutched at my chest, letting her go immediately. The guilt was going to eat me alive.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I got so carried away, out of jealous." I dropped to my knees before her, the tears flowing from my eyes. I felt her fingers gently brush my hair.
"I'm glad you're home." Harlee said softly. "But I'm going to need some space." Her words fell like a blow and I could almost feel the Bond forcing distance between us.
"Yes Mistress." I replied, not daring to look up. I was certain my heart had broken in two. Harlee didn't bother to correct me, either, about my use of the term 'mistress', which was further proof of how much damage I had done to our relationship. The pain intensified, I didn't need to breathe, but suddenly I couldn't catch my breath. Harlee left the room, but I remained where I was on the floor. Ash sniffed as they walked by, but I could care less, I was looking at the broken pieces of my heart and had no one to blame but myself.
Harlee POV
"Harlee!" Kayla shook me awake again where I had fallen asleep slumped over the counter at work.
"Damn it Kayla, I'm sorry." I sat up straighter and tried to force myself to wake up.
"Ash said you'd been sick, but this looks more serious than that. Why don't you go home?" Kayla put a hand on my forehead, then gasped. "Wait-this doesn't have to do with a d.e.m.o.n. thing does it?" She asked, spelling out the word.
"You can say Demon Kayla." I sighed. "Ever since I Bonded with Ash, I just can't recover."
"What? Ash? Oh my God! Ash is a Demon?!" Kayla shrieked. A customer passing by looked at us strangely.
"I said say the word, not shout it Kayla." I sighed, propping my head up in my hand.
"I mean, I always knew Ash was a little weird.. I don't even know if Ash is a boy or a girl! But a Demon? Wait does that mean Ash is neither?!" Kayla grabbed her head.
"From what I can understand Demons can be whatever they want to be, but I'm just shocked you're being judgmental about Ash's personal choices." Maybe it was the Bond speaking, but it got my back up to hear her call Ash 'weird' and discuss Ash's gender so disgustedly.
"You don't think the way Ash dresses is weird? Ash wears women's AND men's clothes. AND makeup and nail polish! And then makes moves on me! I mean is Ash a he or she? Why not dress right so we know!" Kayla fumed.
"Oh I see-so you're really not uncomfortable with Ash's preferences. You're uncomfortable with the fact that you might be ok with the advances of a woman?" I snarled. Kayla sputtered.
"Well then, what about me?" I sidled up next to Kayla in a poor attempt of Ash's behavior, sliding my fingers up her arm. "Would it make you uncomfortable if I hit on you?"
"B-but you're not gay! You're with Zeev!" Kayla stammered.
"I could be bi-or covering. But I see, you have a problem with gay people." I replied.
"N-no!" Kayla yelped.
"Then if you're not interested in Ash, shoot them down." I responded nonchalantly.
"It's not that! I might be! If Ash is a guy.. But I can't tell and Ash doesn't dress right!" Kayla squeaked.
"I see. It sounds more like your problem is with society's dress code and gender standard's than Ash." I shrugged. Kayla sputtered again. "If you like Ash-you should tell them, but make up your mind about whether you like them for their genitalia or their personality. And if you're really only interested in guys, be open about it. Don't lead Ash on if you won't follow through because of their sex."
"But Kayla-just don't get involved with Ash, ok? Ash is a Demon, and an Incubus at that." I sighed.
"An Incubus? What's an Incubus?" Kayla asked.
"It means I'm a sex Demon." Ash laughed, leaning one shoulder against the wall at the opening of the customer service area. Ash looked particularly stunning today, a fancy black scarf wrapped around their slender neck with a well fitted long sleeved top that bagged just enough in the chest to keep you guessing, and a nice pair of black slacks with green lace up accents up the sides. Ash's shoes were green fading to black-hi-top sneakers of some kind, and the whole ensemble against that pale, beautiful skin was striking. Ash's arms were crossed, and I dimly noted the black nail polish and light, green jacket slung over one shoulder before my attention was brought back to Ash's beautiful face. Ash had donned winged black eyeliner today and a green barrette to pull the hair back on one side, and I swear looked the very part of a sex Demon. Pick your sex. Ash smirked.
"I think you've tortured your friend enough on my behalf, Mistress. Time to go, yeah?" Ash asked.
"Holy Hell!" Josh yelled and bolted around Ash, arms raised. "How-why? What?" He looked suddenly between the two of us "WHAT?! I demand answers!" He yelled, pointing at me. "Where's Zeev?! What's going on with this dude? How did YOU slip by my radar?!"
"Yeah, it's time to go." I sighed.
"Harlee." Josh suddenly caught me by the arm as I passed him. "Is everything alright? There's something majorly off with you."
"It'll be ok." I responded dully, but Josh's grip tightened.
"Just.. be careful, ok?" He let me go as Ash reached for my hand. I sighed and let Ash take it.
Zeev POV
Harlee and Ash returned shortly after her shift ended. I had food waiting on the counter, but she went straight to bed.
"Harlee-you need to eat!" I objected, but she held up a hand, and ignored me.
"Let me try." Offered Ash, picking up the plate and carrying it to the bedroom. Knocking gently on the door, Ash called "Mistress, it's me." There was a muffled reply from within and Ash walked in, closing the door behind them. I clenched my fists and sat on a kitchen stool with a thump. The soul link we had was being kept numb by Ash. I could no longer feel Harlee through it. As time went on, she withdrew from me more and more, and seemed to grow closer to Ash. Worse yet, she was growing thinner, paler, and seemed to sleep more by the day. There was something wrong, but she wouldn't let me in, because I had betrayed her trust. Unforgivably. I rubbed my eyes angrily. I was such a fool.
Harlee POV
Ash took me to work the next three days in a row. The third day, Josh was working with me. He immediately jerked when he saw me.