Harlee POV
"But not always." Ash soothed. "And you're well beyond human now, on your way to being a supernatural creature, so you'll be fine. Besides, you've got two Demons and an Angel to patch you up if anything goes wrong.." Zeev tossed a skillet at Ash's face.
"Hey! That's my money maker!" Ash pouted, barely dodging in time.
"So that's why all the hesitation and.." I waved a hand "..everything... at first." I whispered. Zeev frowned.
"I honestly did intend to wait originally, but then you mentioned your fear that your humanity was being lost, and you had already started being Corrupted and had your first shift, so I thought it would be safer, or I could pull you back since we're Bound and share a soul. I would never purposefully put you in harm's way, so if I thought this would kill you, I wouldn't have done it.." After fighting all that time not to talk, Zeev suddenly couldn't shut up.
Zeev POV
I dropped Harlee off at work, she was strangely silent. It had been a few days since the battle with the Angels and the subsequent Contract with Sands and discovery of Demon pregnancies often resulting in death, and she was still.. subdued.
"You fucked up man." Ash clapped a hand on my shoulder when I returned. "But I'm tired of seeing you mope around the house. Let's do something nice for her so she forgets about it for a while."
"I fucked up? You were the one who let slip-" I snarled
"Enough!" Sands stood from the sofa. "You two bicker like siblings." Sands sighed. "Or a married couple." He mused, which set us off at him. He waved a hand at us and we both froze. I glared at him as he vanished. God damn flashy bastard was just about as bad as the snake.
Harlee POV
Josh tried again to get me to smile with some lame joke. I drummed my fingers on the counter and sighed, watching an elderly lady push a shopping cart past the customer service area at speeds faster than Josh's wit.
"Oh fuck!" Josh suddenly yelped and jumped backwards as Sands walked out of the wall.
"Yeah, he does that." I said with boredom. Sands had a bad habit of just appearing and disappearing anywhere and everywhere. It was Hell when you were showering. He said it was because people didn't always die in 'convenient' places, so the laws of physics really didn't seem to apply to him.
"You and your Demons and Angels Harlee." Josh griped, wiping his face and leaning on the counter. "I thought it was bad before! How many do you plan on collecting?"
"How many indeed?" A sour voice spoke. I clenched my jaw.
"Dad!" Josh exclaimed. Sands walked over to stand behind me, laying a gentle, if heavy, hand on my shoulder. "I told you I'd catch the bus back!"
"Don't lie to me boy!" Josh's father snapped. "I checked the bus schedule-there aren't any running that late! You've been having one of this.. this creature's Demons bring you back!" Josh's father was screeching by this point, a finger extended in my direction.
"Creature?" I mumbled, but was ignored.
"You know how dangerous that is! Anything you ask of a Demon could condemn your soul! They could EAT YOU son!"
"Hey now! Josh and Zeev have a Contract, and I oversee it. There will be no eating of Josh's soul. Zeev's on a strict diet." I objected. I felt Zeev and Ash step up behind Sands, flanking him. I hadn't called for them, but I knew Zeev had picked up on the disturbance in my mind and had probably informed Ash. I felt Ash reach forward and squeeze my hand.
"Oh? The same diet he was on when he ate my friends? Or are you going to deny he consumed the souls of a bunch of magicians?" Josh's father demanded.
"Ok one: you guys KIDNAPPED us and nearly killed us, so uh, yeah, I sent him after your merry band of idiots. Two: aren't you a hypocrite Mr. Sold-my-soul-for-power? Or do you think I don't see that Mark you keep hidden on your thigh?" I retorted. Zeev chuckled and moved up to pull me against his chest. Josh's father suddenly looked apoplectic "How many years do you have left? Ten? Twenty?"
"You-you-You've BRED with this Demon?" He screeched.
"Aw damn, am I already getting fat?" I asked looking at my midriff.
"Never." Zeev purred in my ear, kissing my neck.
"In case you'd failed to notice, human sorcerer, the child in question is a Nephilim, and the child and its mother are under my protection." Sands spoke softly, once again placing a hand on my shoulder. Josh's father sputtered and Sands, Zeev and Ash all made sounds of disgust.
"I would recommend you discard such thoughts immediately, perhaps you do not realize who I am." Sands murmured
"Uh oh, here we go." Josh muttered and covered his eyes. I was about to follow his lead when I felt Zeev's hands settle over my face instead.
'What did he think, Zeev?' I shot quickly through our link as I felt Sands revealing his True Form to Josh's father.
'It was really crude..' Zeev hesitated, but I shoved through his mental blockade to find the recent memory of Josh's father thinking of basically using me as a Demon breeding factory. I gasped and then growled, grabbing Zeev's hands, intent on staring Josh's father down as his eyes burnt out.
"No Harlee." Zeev whispered in my ear as the light around me faded once more and I could hear Josh's father raggedly panting on the other side of the counter. Zeev removed his hands and I saw Josh's father on his knees, his face frozen in an expression of fear, blood running down his face while Sands stood over him.
"No please," The man begged. Josh was there in an instant.
"Please don't!" He cried, jumping between them. "I know he's a jerk but.. he's still my dad!" I walked around the counter and touched Sands' sleeve gently. His head jerked to me swiftly and I shook my head at him softly.
"I have three of you." I looked at Josh, who blushed. "Four of you now, to protect me, I'll be fine. If he makes a move against us, it'll be different, but for now.." I trailed off.
"Thank you." Josh relaxed and exhaled.
"But do you understand Josh? I don't have any control over Sands. I can only make requests of him. If someone threatens my safety or the baby's, he will not hesitate to strike and I might not be able to call him off. Zeev and Ash I have more control over, but Zeev shares my soul and will fight tooth and nail to keep us alive and safe. Further, this child." I laid my hand on my stomach. "Is his and he's pretty protective of it already." I turned to smile at him slightly. "And Ash... Well Ash was willing to do anything to get me, I don't expect Ash will let me go so easily either." There was a growl of agreement from behind the counter. Josh's expression hardened and he shot a look at his father.
"I understand. And I respect you guys and have come to call you friend, but if it comes to it-I may not have a choice but to protect my family as well." Josh gritted his teeth and I reached out a hand to him to cup his cheek.
"I know." I whispered. "I'm sorry."
Zeev POV
"You know he's still Contracted to us, right Harlee?" I asked quietly as we sat on the sofa.
"I'm hoping, if it comes to it, we can use that to our advantage." Harlee replied grimly. I felt her share a variety of ideas with me and I grimaced.
"That's very cruel. I've come to like Josh." I sighed, tugging her against my side.
"I know, me too. But it may be the only way. I know it's manipulative, but do you think you can manage it when the time comes? If we have to?" Harlee asked, grimacing, she was running a finger in circles over her midriff. I put a hand over hers to still it and she looked up at me.
"If I have to." I replied. She nestled against my side and Ash came in to sit down with us as well, clutching her hand.
"I'm sorry Mistress, I can feel the ache in your heart from the other room. Relationships change, and sometimes that means they come to an end." Ash said gently, kissing her temple. A tear fell from her eye and Ash caught it swiftly, blowing on it immediately, then offering it to her. It had changed to a small crystal and Harlee gasped.
"Flashy bastard." I muttered, making Harlee giggle and Ash laugh. I tugged Harlee against me tighter and pulled Ash into the hug as well. Ash looked shocked, but then relaxed into the embrace and I could feel the link between the three of us thrumming.
Harlee POV
Frustrated, I screamed wordlessly.
"Problem Harlee?" Zeev asked, popping his head in the door with amusement.
"This-THIS is the problem.." I grabbed the pants and shook them. "None of them fit anymore! Gahh!" I collapsed on the bed close to tears.