Harlee POV
"Harlee, you're almost two months in now, you know you had to start gaining a little weight sometime..." Zeev said gently. I glared.
"Yeah, great work bird brain. Real sensitive." Ash sneered from the door, then came around to grip my hands and pull me into a hug. "She's only gaining weight because she's carrying your ginormous offspring, you monstrous bird. Come on sweetheart, it's time to go shopping for cute clothes." Ash said cheerfully. I groaned.
"Yeah I know, groan, but bonus: you can buy a bunch of stretch pants and nobody will judge you for it." Ash responded, and at that I perked up. "See, I knew you'd like that." Ash encouraged, rubbing the small of my back.
"Mmm. that feels good. Do that every day." I instructed and Ash laughed.
"Let's find you a pair of pants you can go shopping in first." Ash responded, ushering me towards the closet.
Zeev POV
"Aren't you coming?" Harlee asked, pausing with her arm looped through Ash's. I was torn.
"Come on bird brain. It's your kid too." Ash demanded and I growled lightly, finding myself tagging along as Ash stepped our group into a small mall first. I felt like a third wheel as I followed Ash and Harlee from store to store. Ash kept up a lively stream of chatter and I watched them for a while with a mix of jealousy and fondness, and then Harlee turned with a bright smile, reaching her arm out for mine and that was it, my world was right again.
"If I was dressed better and Ash was quieter, this would remind me of the street fair." Harlee whispered, and I felt my heart swell. I kissed the top of her head.
"Ok first, I'm a Demon and second, I'm Bound to you, so why do you assume I didn't hear every word of that?" Ash demanded and Harlee laughed. She tugged me tighter to her side and I felt our Bond lighting up like it hadn't in a while, all three of us suddenly in sync
Harlee POV
I was comfortably smooshed between Ash and Zeev on the sofa after our shopping trip. My soul was at peace, and I felt the Bond between the three of us quietly humming with the same peace. Zeev wrapped his arm around my waist to settle his hand on my stomach, rubbing small circles with his thumb. I wasn't sure if he was even aware he was doing it, but I found the gesture unexpected and endearing. Ash's head settled on my shoulder and I gripped their hand. The truth was, understanding Ash's nature a bit better, and being reminded again that I was sort of failing my duties as a Mistress, had helped me to mellow him out. Incubi did seem to crave nearly constant physical contact. Zeev had explained it was like low level feeding for Ash. All I knew was, it seemed to have strengthened our Bond, and calmed that violent and possessive streak down a little that Ash had. I sighed and Ash looked at me swiftly.
"Are you ok Mistress?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, I'm actually.. happy." I frowned. "Is that wrong of me? There's so much going on right now and.." My frown deepened.
"No, it's not wrong." Came Sands' gentle voice. "Even in grief, I encourage those that are suffering to find happiness." Sands' hand settled on my head. "You definitely deserve a little happiness, after everything you've been through." Sands walked around to sit in the chair facing the sofa.
"Sands." Zeev greeted and Sands nodded his head in return.
"Sorry I'm late. Work." Sands shrugged. I giggled slightly. The way he casually mentioned it, like some normal every day human activity. Zeev looked at me with a half smile as well, pulling the thought from my head. Sands quirked an eyebrow at us. I know he was capable of picking up on human emotions and thoughts around him, but he didn't always understand my humor. Ash also giggled beside me.
"Look at the poor confused Angel baby." Ash teased, running a finger up and down my arm seductively while eyeing Sands. Sands let off an impressive glare in Ash's direction.
"I have told you before Demon, I have no desires for your flesh." Sands reproached.
"But your current Form does have desires, doesn't it? I mean, you've chosen to take on a wholly male aspect in front of our Harlee, correct?" Ash asked sauntering over to circle Sands' chair. "I wonder why that is?" Ash purred, running a hand down the arm of the chair.
"Ash!" I scolded as Sands' expression darkened.
"Out of respect for Harlee, and in an effort to prevent her any further pain, I will not kill you where you stand." Sands growled through clenched teeth. Ash giggled, still circling the chair slowly, this time in front of Sands. The hand that had come down the arm of the chair gracefully slid down Sands' own arm to his lap. Ash squeezed in between Sands' legs and Sands jerked.
"Ah, there it is, fully anatomically correct male." Ash purred, then danced away quickly before Sands could get his hands on Ash to strangle them.
"Ash! You're going to get yourself killed!" I hissed while Ash quickly leapt onto the couch, grabbing onto me tightly as Sands reached out with a snarl.
"Protect me Mistress!" Ash squealed with laughter.
"You know Ash is enjoying this right?" Zeev's voice rumbled out and Sands paused.
"You're so twisted." I breathed with a grin to Ash, as Sands grimaced and retreated to his seat.
"But Mistress loves me for it." Ash replied pertly, kissing me on the cheek.
"Ok, it's time you drop the Mistress thing." I frowned. "It's Harlee, Ash. You make me sound like a pervert."
"But I like to call you that!" Ash pouted.
"You would." I grumbled under my breath.
Zeev POV
All of us breathed a sigh of relief the moment the Nephilim's soul was developed enough to detect. I was once again carefully monitoring Harlee's health through our link. She got perturbed whenever she caught me doing it, so I mostly did so on the sly. I was acutely aware the Nephilim was changing Harlee's body, which of course it would have to, to ensure Harlee could contain it to term. I had my concerns that the Corruption of Harlee's soul would fight against the Nephilim's Grace, but Ash was quick to point out the the majority of the Corruption was caused by me, and since the Nephilim was in essence a part of myself at this stage, it would likely not fight it.
"Um, guys, people, Demons, BEINGS!" Harlee exclaimed. "Should I be hearing that?" She was working with Ash and since it was a slow day I stuck around.
"Hearing what?" Ash asked, cocking their head. I tuned into Harlee's thoughts. A sudden whispering of information in various languages quickly took over. I groaned and gripped the counter.
"Zeev?" Harlee squeaked with worry, grabbing my shoulder. I tried to tell Harlee what I/we were hearing, but my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth, and all I could do was moan.
"Hold on." Ash bolted over the counter in our direction and slapped a hand on each of us, then let out a low hiss. "Ohhh... Zeev-you've gotta withdraw from her mind buddy, come on..." I felt Ash digging through my head, trying to untangle our consciousnesses, but we were too intertwined because of her soul.
"Let me IN bird brain!" Ash hissed louder, and I felt nails digging into my skin, and an ice prick jabbing at my brain. I wasn't attempting to keep Ash out-it wasn't me it was.. "Oh fuck!" Ash exclaimed and rounded on Harlee.
"Uh.. Sorry Harlee, do you mind?" Ash asked, suddenly gripping Harlee by the hips and plopping her on the counter.
"What's going on?" Harlee desperately questioned Ash, as Ash leaned her back slightly and she propped herself up with her arms.
"Oh nothing much really-the Nephilim is just twining its Core, well the Core it and Zeev share, to the soul it now has, and to yours to Bond with you both, so you'll forever be connected. Think of it like the Nephilim's placenta where it attaches to you, and of course the soul will be absorbed into the Nephilim and become its own." Ash was eye-level with her midriff now, bending over while saying this. "But basically, what it's doing is like feeding a bunch of genetic info to you both, and it's like Zeev's 'coding', so when you started hearing it and he tapped in-it's kind of like a telephone dialing its own number. I just gotta make it.. stop." Ash's hand transformed into a scaly claw and then Ash looked at Harlee apologetically.
"Sorry Harlee." And with that, Ash plunged their hand into her midriff while both of us screamed.
Harlee POV
"What the actual fuck are you doing?!" I screeched as my arms gave out and my whole body cramped.
"Severing its tie to Zeev! It's trying to connect to the piece of soul he carries as well, and that can't happen-he's already connected!" Ash growled. I screamed, it felt like someone had replaced my lower body with icy daggers. Zeev collapsed completely. I'd never seen him faint. There was a sharp tug that felt like someone was pulling my bladder out through my navel.
"Next time you guys do this-tell Zeev to keep away from you during the critical stages of development. Damn." Ash hissed, panting.