Harlee POV
"Josh!" I cried running to him and feeling for a pulse. He was breathing raggedly and sweating hard, his skin cold and clammy.
"I'm afraid he's quite exhausted himself, young one. It takes quite a bit of power for all the magic he was slinging around. He burned through a lot of his soul too, it seems." Sands said softly, bending over me.
"Can you help him?" I asked desperately.
"I'm really not supposed to-" Sands began, but I glared at him.
"He's not under my protection-you are, Harlee." Sands said softly. I yanked up Josh's shirt to reveal the gold feather.
"He is Contracted to my Bonded, which means under my protection as well. You offered to help me and protect me. I am sworn to likewise protect him. I am asking for your aid to do that now." I snarled. Sands sighed.
"You don't look very much like a Demon yet, but you sure have figured out how to twist words like one." Sands commented wryly. He placed a hand on Josh's forehead. Josh's color began to improve and he suddenly inhaled deeply.
"There-that should do it." Sands said softly. "Though I can't do much about his soul, he'll have to give that time to recuperate on its own."
"Thank you. So much." I sobbed and threw myself at him. Sands stiffened briefly, but then softened under the contact. "I'm sorry." I apologized, backing up. "You probably don't have that much human contact, do you?"
"No, that's not it-Death Messenger, remember? I'm just usually the one doing the comforting, so it was, surprising.." Sands responded.
"That's Harlee for you." Zeev remarked, looping a hand around Sands' shoulders. He was back in his human Form and covered in blood and other remains, which he was currently smearing all over Sands. "Always doing something unexpected." Zeev picked at his teeth. "That asshole was tough, man." Sands lifted Zeev's arm off of him in disgust, letting it drop to the side.
"Care for your Contracted and your Mistress 'Zeev'." Sands said with his nose turned up.
"Hey-she's sorta your Mistress now too!" Zeev responded happily before scooping me up in a big hug with a goofy grin on his face that was mirrored on mine.
"Are you ok? I mean truly?" I asked, checking him physically and through our link for damage.
"I'm fine Harlee-and I'm glad to see you and the little one made it through ok." He lifted me higher and kissed my abdomen. I blushed. Josh made a noise behind us and I turned my head as Zeev set me down, leaving an arm wrapped around me. Ash walked up on my other side and wrapped a cool arm around my waist.
"Ash!" I turned and hugged and kissed Ash briefly, checking them over as well. "Are you ok? Well fed? You look beautiful even covered in blood-I'm jealous." Ash blushed slightly from the onslaught of attention, but nodded.
"I'm fine Mistress, thank you for asking." Ash smiled shyly.
"Did your family make it home ok?" I ask softly, but Josh groaned again, interrupting us.
"Don't tell me the snake has family! There's more like that out there?" Josh complained, opening his eyes weakly and holding a hand to his head. I laughed.
Zeev POV
Sands ended up taking Josh home-he was too weak to even stand. Ash and I took Harlee home, and the first thing everybody wanted to do was get cleaned up. Sands was seated on our couch when Harlee and I walked out of the bedroom after dressing. I nearly laughed at the absurdity of the image, an Arch Angel on our couch, channel surfing. Harlee ran forward immediately and gripped Sands around the neck, giving him a hug from behind. He stiffened slightly again, but she held on until he relaxed, then she kissed his cheek and murmured another thank you in his ear. He looked stunned as Harlee plopped down on the couch beside him while I prepared he something to eat. There is no way anyone could have prepared him for the storm that is Harlee.
Ash was again curled up at her feet when I came back into the room, but this time, she had an arm around Ash's chest and Ash's hand was wrapped around her arm. I couldn't even muster up my jealousy. I also noted that Harlee was leaning on Sands' shoulder, who again looked like he wasn't sure how to handle the situation. I smiled to myself and set the food on the table in front of Harlee and turned to sit in the armchair across from them on the other side of the room.
"Uhuh, Where are you going?" Harlee demanded. "Back here-now. I told you all I wasn't letting go of you for a while, and I meant it. Ash hun, move for a sec would ya?" Harlee asked. Ash stood and moved to the side and so did Harlee.
"You, there." She demanded, pointing at me and then the spot on the sofa beside Sands.
"Yes Mistress." I said with a chuckle and sat. She promptly crawled into my lap with a sigh, facing Sands, but with her legs bent over mine to the side so as not to disturb him.
"Ash, please." She motioned, patting the side of the couch to bring Ash closer. Ash sat on the floor again, back against my legs this time so Harlee could run her fingers through their hair, which she promptly began to do. Ash picked up some fruit from the platter and handed it up to Harlee. She giggled and thanked them, settling back against my chest and tucking her head under my chin. If I could have purred in this Form, I would have. Sands suddenly reached down and grabbed her feet, pulling her legs across his lap so Harlee could be more comfortable. I smirked. Just a few hours in and she already had him wrapped around her finger.
Harlee POV
Ash handed over the yogurt from the tray Zeev had brought in. It was filled with coconut, almond slices and chocolate pieces, just like I liked it. I suppressed a moan. Zeev still heard it through our link and chuckled, rubbing my back. The very motion was enough to make me arch into the touch and I had to remind myself that I wasn't trying to start anything here. I was just healing and strengthening the Bonds between us all. Plus, recovering from everything that happened.
"So what is the price? Of an Angel Contract?" I asked Sands quietly and everybody froze.
"It's normally much the same as a Demon Contract-we get your soul. We can use them too, you know. They're like powerful little batteries." Sands replied offhand. "However, your soul is not only broken, but Bonded twice and Corrupted, and I have no use for it. So at a later time, I will name my price. It could be something simple, but it could be significant. I might ask for your aid, or the aid of your Demons. We'll see." Sands shrugged. I couldn't stop the worry from chewing at my mind.
'Zeev-how trustworthy are Angels, really?' I shot through our link.
'Why are you asking me? I used to be one.' Zeev responded.
'Exactly.' I replied, my frown deepening.
Zeev POV
Harlee eventually fell asleep and Sands made his excuses about duties he needed to perform. I picked Harlee up and and carried her to the bed.
"Ash.. Zeev.." She moaned.
"Still here Mistress." I responded. Ash popped their head around the doorframe.
"Is she just sleep talking?" Ash asked.
"Most likely." I responded, briefly touching her consciousness with mine. She was somewhere between waking and sleeping. I tugged her pants off and motioned to Ash. "Those red flannel pajamas are her favorites, would you get them for me?"
"These ratty ones here?" Ash tsked, handing over a pair of soft, well worn pajamas. I chuckled, changing Harlee's clothes.
"Yes. Old Christmas present. They're so worn out the fabric's very soft. She really enjoys them. I repair them when they get too bad." I replied indulgently. Ash sat on the end of the bed as I tucked Harlee in.
"Does Harlee know everything you do for her?" Ash asked softly. "Does she know how much you truly care?" The last question seemed almost to be meant to apply to Ash, and came out strangled.
"I don't know." I murmured. "I don't think she does. I don't think she's capable." I brushed her hair from her face.
Harlee POV
I woke up in the dark from a nightmare, Angels and Demons trying to take Zeev and Ash. I called out both of their True Names, my hands outstretched, sitting up, and within minutes they were both there. Zeev held my waist, tugging me against his chest on my right and Ash slid onto the bed on my left, grabbing my hands and kissing them softly.
"It's ok Mistress, it was only a dream." Ash murmured gently as Zeev cradled my head against his chest and I began to cry. Zeev kissed the top of my head and I pulled Ash towards me with my left hand, while wrapping the other around Zeev.
"Don't leave me. Don't die. Don't go." I babbled. I knew I wasn't making too much sense, but it was about time I had a breakdown after everything that had happened.
"We're not going anywhere Harlee." Zeev whispered and I cried harder.