Zeev POV
"Ok, let's give Ash a little taste of your power." I called to Josh, feeding him some of my own through our Contracted link. Josh jolted then looked at me with a wicked grin.
"Right!" He turned back to Ash.
"Your thing is fire, right? I don't wanna do you any real harm if I can help it." Josh circled Ash.
"Fire and Ice. I'm a dual-natured creature. Hit me with your worst." Snarled Ash. I blinked. Ash had a little more power than even I knew. Josh grinned again and pointed his Sword. The two of them looked for all the world like an ancient tapestry depicting a knight going up against a Dragon. Ash roared and spread their wings as Josh charged. Josh channeled fire from the Sword through his hand, while also trying to stab Ash. Nice. I hadn't taught him that. Ash took the blow from the fire well, absorbing it, but wasn't expecting Josh to actually try to stab them. The Sword glanced along the scales of Ash's foreleg. The scales parted beneath the Angel's Sword easily and Ash yelped.
"Hey!" Ash cried. "No fair!"
"No such thing as fair in battle." Josh snarled and attacked again, this time bringing up sharp shards of ice from the ground that jabbed at Ash's soft underbelly.
"Oh you fight dirty!" Ash suddenly hissed. "But I like it dirty." The hiss turned to a purr as Ash lunged forward and used their long body to wrap around Josh. Josh made a face.
"I feel like I've just been assaulted." Josh complained.
"Oh you have, you definitely have." I laughed, bending over double. Ash was suddenly impaled by ice and gnashed their fangs close to Josh's face.
"Don't do too much damage or I'll have to feed." Ash snarled.
Harlee POV
My arm twinged and I looked down to see if I'd accidentally snagged it on something as I carried the box to the back room. It was fine, so I rubbed at it and tried to shrug it off. Kayla was helping a customer when I made it back and she looked at me with a grin when I returned, that quickly turned to a frown.
"You ok?" She asked and I nodded. I took the winter jacket the customer was returning and hung it neatly in the back for reshelving since it still had all its labels and things, it would probably be discounted and resold, if not here, at another location. Suddenly, my whole body was hit with the feeling of being stabbed and I panted and fell to my knees. The Mark on my collar throbbed. I touched the one on my jaw.
'Zeev! Is Ash with you? Is Ash ok?' I asked desperately through our link.
'Oh, ah, we're training today.' Zeev offered awkwardly.
'Training? As in fighting? Zeev! Are you BEATING ASH UP?!' I demanded angrily.
'It's not me, I promise! Look!' Zeev opened the connection more fully and allowed me to see Josh and Ash dueling. 'Josh wanted to practice, and since Ash has different skills..' Zeev offered. I could tell there was more to it, but I could also feel the impenetrable wall Zeev had built around the information. The words 'I will do anything to protect you' echoed in my mind. A chill went down my spine.
'Well tell Josh not to go too easy on Ash, and they both look good out there. You gonna join in?' I asked.
'Maybe later.' Zeev responded.
'Warn me if you do, I don't wanna be surprised.' I sent him a mental image of Demon eyes appearing in my face. I felt Zeev's chuckle in my own chest.
'Understood.' Zeev responded and there was something like him blowing a kiss through our link. 'Now go back to work so I can too.' I shivered again. I didn't like the sound of that.
'Go kick their butts.' I told Zeev and felt his grin.
'Yes Mistress.' He replied.
Zeev POV
"Aw damn. Seriously Zeev, why the Hell'd you have to do that?" Ash rubbed their shoulder as we walked into the store.
"Harlee said to kick your butts. I took it as a command." I shrugged.
"You know she didn't mean it! It was like one of those 'break a leg' things." Ash yelled. I grinned.
"I see what you mean." I heard Kayla's voice.
"Yeah." Harlee replied. I sped up, I couldn't wait to be near her again. Our soul couldn't either.
"Yo! Wait up! Some of us are injured!" Ash called.
"Do better next time." I responded, not looking back. Harlee was waiting for me at the edge of the counter when I rounded the corner. She raced to me immediately and I grabbed her into my arms. My Core piece still pulsed away within her. "How are you?" I asked her.
"Little headachey, but not too bad. Thanks for the warning. I was able to shut most of it out." She grinned and leaned her head against my chest.
"Harlee!" Ash cried, rounding the corner. I noticed Ash hamming up the injuries. I rolled my eyes.
"Aww, my poor Ash-what'd they do to you?!" Harlee moaned, pulling free from my arms. She walked over to look Ash over, tutting with concern, and then slapped Ash on the shoulder. "Now stop hamming, you're Bound to me, I know just how badly you were hurt you jerk." She kissed Ash on the cheek, which made them freeze.
"Mistress?" Ash asked, putting a hand to their cheek.
"What did I say about calling me that in public?" Harlee hissed.
"Ah, I'm sorry Harlee, but.. the kiss?" Ash asked with confusion.
"You two have been working hard, you both deserve a little reward, right?" Harlee kissed Ash again on the other cheek and sauntered back over to me as Ash flushed from head to toe. "I'll see you after your shift, ok Ash? Come home soon." And with that, we walked out of the store together, hand in hand.
Harlee POV
"It's still there." I said softly when I woke up. How many days had it been? A week since the implantation? The burning sensation wasn't fading, if anything it felt a little stronger. I ran a finger down the middle of my lower body and Zeev flattened my hand against my waist.
"I can't tell if you're happy about that or not." He murmured.
"Um.. amazed? I can't believe there's something alive inside of me." I whispered.
"I'd like to be something alive inside of you." Ash stated, walking into the bedroom with a tray of fruit.
"Trust an Incubus to ruin a moment." I sighed.
"Oh come on Mistress, you've never let me taste you once." Ash pouted. "Meanwhile, you're carrying around a bit of his Core." Ash crossed their arms and sat on the foot of the bed.
"You know, one day, you're going to have to give in." Zeev sighed.
"See! Even bird brain agrees!" Ash exclaimed. I sighed.
Zeev POV
I accompanied Harlee to work the next day. She was the only one working, so I just hung around casually.
"Don't forget-if the manager shows up.."
"Make myself scarce, I know." I grinned. I watched as she wiped down the counters. Ash had one thing right, I was getting hungry myself, and watching Harlee move was not helping me since it made me think of a certain form of feeding..
"Zeev. I'm at work." Harlee scolded, turning to face me with the paper towels in her hand. Suddenly she stumbled a little and put her hand to her head, and the cloying chemical scent hit me.
"Harlee, throw that wet paper towel away!" I yelled and stepped to her side, grabbing her around the waist and moving her to the other side of the room.
'Ash.' I snarled in my head.
"Already felt it. Mistress-are you ok?" Ash bent down to look at Harlee's slumped form.
"I'm just really dizzy." She mumbled. "And tired." Her body went limp in my arms.