Harlee POV
I yawned. I was trying to piece together everything that happened, but my mind was fuzzy.
"You were drugged pretty heavily." Zeev said softly.
"It even took a toll on Bird Brain. I didn't think you were gonna wake up. I think the only reason you did is because you felt Zeev's pain and danger." Ash remarked. I tensed, my hand freezing on Ash's head. Ash looked at me. "Don't get me wrong-I'm not jealous or anything. For once that shared soul thing of yours came in handy." Ash grabbed my hand and started moving it through their hair again.
"When you crashed into me, you were pretty much out of it." Zeev said softly, sharing the memory of the event with me. I winced.
"Zeev, I'm sorry, that was.." I clutched my chest. It was very much like being raped, in fact, the event for him felt eerily similar to what I had endured. A tear ran down my cheek and I brushed at it hurriedly, turning my face away. But our connection was still fully open, Zeev turned my face back to his, leaning his forehead against mine.
"It wasn't your fault." Zeev said softly.
"It was. I insisted Ash send me to you. There had to have been a better way. I acted rashly, and you paid for it." Another tear crept down my face. Zeev caught it with his thumb.
"It was a battle Harlee. Nobody has time to think things through." Zeev responded.
"I just, don't care, I'm sorry, I feel guilty, I hurt you again!" I shoved away from him, but he pulled me back.
"Then I forgive you." Zeev murmured, opening our connection more fully so I had no choice but to believe him. I sobbed. I sobbed because of the forgiveness, but also because of his remorse for everything he had done wrong to me, even the perceived things, like saving my life with his Grace, which Bound us together. Why would he feel remorseful about that? I cried because I could feel his love, so many angles and versions of it, from the pure Divine, the possessive Demonic, the devoted Fallen, to the complicated love of humanity between partners, parents, friends, lovers, mates. I cried because Zeev had not completely bared his half of our shared soul to me like this in so long and it was such a relief and welcome joy that I forgot where each soul piece began and ended, and then, I became aware of something else. Zeev was desperately hungry. I breathed deeply, trying to get myself under control.
"First-you have some 'splainin' to do mister 'bout Josh and prepping for battle. Second-why didn't you tell me you guys were so damn hungry? Third-go eat and get back here quick Mister, because that bedroom is calling your name and tonight I own your body." I scolded Zeev. His eyes lit up, turning orange as he gave me a wicked grin.
"Yes Mistress." He replied, then turned to Ash. "Well, you heard the lady-let's get going. I have duties to perform at home tonight." Zeev grinned.
"Lucky you." Ash grumbled.
"Behave and maybe I'll talk her into a threesome." Zeev laughed.
"You mean it?" Ash asked excitedly.
"Who knows. Up to Harlee." Zeev shrugged. Ash disappeared.
"Oh Zeev, the connection please." I winced and he nodded once and I felt the link between us fade out. I rubbed my chest.
Zeev POV
I followed Ash, catching up as swiftly as I could, catching their shoulder.
"Do me a favor-for your Mistress's sake. Close off the link between you and Harlee while you hunt and feed. It upsets her, and.. it is something she has a hard time getting over." I shared the memories with Ash. Ash winced and agreed.
"Catch you later then. Leave the lust bunnies for me." Ash took off again. There was still an open line of communication between us, which allowed us to coordinate, or in this case, avoid each other. I wondered if I should have told Ash to only go after depraved sex criminals or not kill if possible. I shook my head.
'Lead with that next time!' Ash snarled in my head, adjusting targets. 'You know how much harder it will be to find souls now?' Ash sighed dramatically.
'Not really-you just have to widen your search area a little and look a little harder-it's scary how many of them are out there.' I responded and swiftly pointed out about twenty-five repeat offenders in a fifty mile radius of Ash. I could feel Ash's shock.
'You're really quick at this.' Ash commented dully.
'Practice' I shrugged.
'Harlee.' We both sent at the same time. It was a half-exasperated, half loving sigh from both of us. Since I had already hunted them up, I examined the closest sexual predator nearest me. This one liked children, which really ticked me off now that Harlee..
'Hey! I said leave the lust bunnies to me!' Ash shot through the link.
'Not this one-this one's MINE.' I snarled back.
Harlee POV
For the first time in forever, I cooked myself something to eat, and it sucked. Even Ash cooked better than I, although Ash stated it was all part of the Incubus skills, seduction and all that. I dumped the too salty scrambled eggs in the trash and settled for eating the toast with fruit instead. I longed for some bagels. Dissatisfied, I dropped the rest of the toast in the trash too, and put the fruit back in the fridge. I wondered how much longer Zeev and Ash would be. Being cut off from them like this was suffocating. Now that we were finding a balance I felt like my heart and soul had started to expand, and now.. It was like somebody had cut off the biggest chunks of me. The little Core piece inside me seemed an even brighter reminder of what was missing. I would have to insist they went in shifts next time. I flopped down on the couch with a huff and flipped through the channels aimlessly. I would have to avoid the news for the next week or two. I sighed, leaning back on the couch. I stared at the ceiling, once again reminded that most of that had been ripped free by a bunch of Angels intent on destroying Zeev and I. How many months ago had that been? Well now we were three and a possible Cambion or Nephilim on the way to boot. How much would Heaven object to that? Out of boredom, I got up to cut myself a peach.
Slicing the peach into wedges, I tried to pry the pit out with my fingers, but it was stuck. Cursing, I grabbed the knife again and angrily jabbed the tip under the pit, trying to pry it free, but the blade slipped and sliced through one of my fingers deeply. My eyes began to water immediately as I held back tears, biting my lip and running to the sink, blood drops splattering the floor behind me. Oh my God there was so much blood! Should I go to a hospital? I ran my finger under water to try to see the wound, but as soon as the water washed the blood away, it flooded back. Then the pain really hit, throbbing into my finger with a thunder of adrenaline. I grabbed a kitchen towel and wrapped it around my hand. Squeezing my bleeding finger and holding above my heart, I panicked. This was supposed to help stop the bleeding right?
For a moment, I was frozen in place, then found myself racing towards the door. Maybe I should go to the hospital, but then again, maybe I was overreacting. I checked the towel. The blood was already soaking through! I headed towards the door again. Oh, I needed my shoes! I turned towards the bedroom and realized I needed to leave the boys a note so they'd know where I'd gone! We'd cut off all contact! I hesitated again in the middle of the kitchen, still holding my hands above my heart. I checked the towel again. There was a huge blood stain, which freaked me out even more. I moved the towel aside to look at the cut, it was still dripping blood but, had it slowed? Suddenly my body started to feel flushed. Was I going to faint? I sat down on a kitchen stool with a huff. The finger in question started to burn and I yelped, shaking it. Did something get in it? There was a soft glow and suddenly the wound was just gone. Perfectly healed. Not a trace left.
"What the fuck?!" I shouted into the empty house.
Zeev POV
The sight that greeted me on my return was like something out of one of the horror movies that Harlee hated.
"Mistress.. please-put the knife down." Ash cajoled.
"But you have to see this! I didn't believe it the first time either!" Harlee's eyes were wild and I tapped into our link to see that it was a mixture of fear, excitement and adrenaline.
"I believe you Mistress-you don't have to show me." Ash replied swiftly. There was blood all over the floor, counters, sink and stools. A bloody towel lay discarded on the floor and Harlee's arm was covered in dried blood. I could tell by the scent of it all that it was all Harlee's, but with a quick scan I of her, I could see no wounds. I took another swift step forward, holding out a hand towards Harlee to interject myself.
"But WATCH ANYWAY!" Harlee raised the knife and Ash rushed at her, grabbing it just as the blade nicked her skin. "Aww, he won't do it if it's not dangerous." Harlee complained.
"He? Do what?" I asked softly as Ash took the knife from Harlee's grip. I moved cautiously towards her, opening the link between us wider steadily, trying to get into the memories in her racing mind.
"Zeev! Did you see? No, you got here too late-I'm pretty sure- No I'm really sure, I just know it in my bones.. The baby.."
"Nephilim." I gasped and fell to my knees in front of her. The memory of her injury came through loud and clear. She'd repeated the injury several times to test it out, before the child had basically sent a distress call asking her to stop. It was incapable of forming words at this point, but it made itself understood. Harlee was thunderstruck and now, so was I.
"What? What's going on?" Ash asked suddenly and I gripped Ash's arm and flooded Ash's head with the memories.