Zeev POV
We were so close I could smell her. My Heart, body and soul ached for Harlee. I groaned.
"Calm down. If we don't time this right, we'll never get another chance." Sands placed a restraining hand on my shoulder. I almost snapped at him, but bit back the instinct.
Two months. TWO MONTHS Harlee had been in this place. Hell only knew how long it had felt to her. It had taken us this long to organize a coup-get word back up to one of the other Princes that Samael was trying to swell his ranks with a Nephilim. It was a risky move, drawing attention to our son, but we had hopes that it would create a big enough distraction to get Samael out of our hair for a while so we could get to Harlee. He was always by her side, so if someone could just draw him out...
"Samael!!" Bellowed a loud voice. "Come out here and face us you coward!"
"Ah shit-more than one of them showed up!" Ash hissed. Sands slapped a hand over Ash's mouth.
"This may have worked..a little too well." Sands murmured. I growled my agreement.
Harlee POV
The noise was louder and closer now. Was this one of Sam's tricks again-to get me to break? He'd messed with my mind so much, I wasn't really sure what was real anymore. I'd tried so hard to escape at first, tried using the shifting technique Sands had taught me, Samael had laughed at that-the collar I wore prevented any change in Form. I'd tried calling to the boys and Ash, until Samael had beaten me to within an inch of my life. That was the day I stopped hearing the Nephilim. I hoped he was ok. I think he was just as exhausted from keeping us alive as I was from trying to live.
"Seriously SHUT UP!" I screamed. The sounds of fighting had gotten so close I expected to see someone any minute now. IF this wasn't another illusion to throw me off balance. "What's this supposed to do? Make me fear for my life so I submit and accept your offer to serve you so you'll protect me?" I scoffed. "You've cried wolf too many times." Still though-the sounds of Demon battle were ferocious and terrifying. There was a sudden snarling and growling I recognized as Samael's. I winced and huddled against the wall, closing my eyes. I couldn't endure anymore pain.
Zeev POV
Three of them were fighting right outside of the room Harlee was being kept in now. We were still hiding behind a bend in the tunnel.
"They're getting too close." I growled.
"Calm yourself." Sands replied quietly.
"They'll kill her Sands!" I snapped and he and Ash winced. All of us knew the pain that would entail. However, they would survive, I would not. I wouldn't want to. Harlee's soul fragment may be mine now, but it was a mirror image of hers. We were still not a complete whole individual. Our connection had just been severed, and we were suffering horribly because of it. Plus there was the Nephilim.. I could still feel its life force pulsing away in there, calling to me, but it felt..subdued..
One of the figures broke free from the fight and raced into the room.
"No!" I roared, blowing our cover as I raced towards Harlee and our son.
Harlee POV
I shrank further against the stone wall as two more Demons followed Samael inside. Well this was new.
"Hey, haven't you heard? Two's company, three's a crowd?" I muttered bitterly. Still couldn't stop my mouth. One of the Demons fastened its black eyes on me, and then on my stomach. I flinched covering it with my hands as if to protect the child within. It ripped off Samael's arm with a snarl, breaking free and I closed my eyes. Well, if this was the end, then-
'I love you' I sent the message to the baby, Ash, Zeev and Sands.
"Harlee!" I heard Zeev yell. I smiled. At least I got to hear his voice one last time. "No! Harlee!" He roared.
Zeev POV
Samael was pinned between the other two Princes. He struggled to break free.
"You won't kill her." Samael snarled.
"Yes, we will. You know the agreement we have. None of us makes a power grab so there's not an imbalance of power. If one of us does, he gets..punished.." There was a cruel snicker. Samael struggled again.
"She's the Bonded of one of mine! That makes her MINE!" Samael screamed.
"Oh please, he ceased to be yours the moment he became Bound to the girl-stop trying to twist this to your favor." Hissed the other Prince. The first strode forward with purpose and Samael broke free, only to have his arm ripped free in return. The Princes were closing in on Harlee as I shouted her name.
Harlee POV
I opened my eyes and looked past the Demons racing towards me to see Zeev in all his beauty in the doorway. The soft smile still played across my lips as one of the Demons reached me, yanking hard at my throat. Samael tried to get between us as Zeev stood watching, frozen in horror as blood began to pour from his neck as well.
Zeev POV
She was so thin. Her stomach was swollen, though she didn't seem as far along as she should be. She had a blood covered band wrapped around her chest and another around her hips, the rest of her was nude except for the collar chaining her to the wall. She sat smiling at me, ever so gently, and I could feel my Heart shattering into a thousand pieces. Sands and Ash caught up with me as the first Prince reached her, and the blood began to run from my neck and Harlee's alike.
Harlee POV
Ash, Sands, ah they were in my hallucination too.. I felt my body slump sideways. Samael roared and ripped the Demon away from me, spattering me with his own blood in the process.
"You know you'll have to do better than that if you want to make sure the Nephilim can't heal her." Said the other Demon in a bored voice as Samael panted in front of me.
"You could help you know." Snarled the first, and the second sighed before both lunged at Sam again. Sands and Ash pushed past Zeev, who had fallen to his knees in the doorway. Silly boy-didn't he know none of this was real anyway? I closed my eyes for a moment as the blood ran onto the cot, staining it bright red.
Zeev POV
Ash and Sands attempted to break through the Princes from behind. The Princes had gotten their hands on Samael and were ripping him limb from limb. Sands grabbed one by the back of the neck as Ash shifted to dragon Form, slamming venomous fangs into the other. The Princes rounded on Ash and Sands almost immediately.
"The Nephilim is MINE!" Sands growled. "It is under my protection. You cannot go against an Angel of Death." The two Princes looked at each other.
"Heaven only wishes to destroy them too." One crossed his arms. "So why not just let us do it for you and get it over with? Less work for you in the end." He jerked his chin.
"I promised the girl my protection." Sands answered.
"But she's Corrupted! And doesn't even have a complete soul!" Yelled one of the Princes.
"But her child does." Sands replied with a snarl, pointing. "It is my duty to ferry souls, are you questioning my authority?" The Princes looked at each other with confusion.
"This is.. most unorthodox." One Prince complained.
"She represents a challenge to us all." The other chimed in.
"That is not your decision to make." Snarled Sands. They were only being cautious of him because of his status, but that could change at any time. I attempted to shake myself from my daze. They were distracted! I could get around them to Harlee! I struggled to my feet.
Harlee POV
The Nephilim was trying to save me. I felt the blood slowing at the same time an unimaginable burning sensation started under my skin. Zeev appeared beside my head, he ripped the chain from the wall angrily, just as I started to scream. All eyes turned to me as Zeev scooped me up and the room disappeared around us.
"Harlee? Harlee? What's wrong?" Zeev asked desperately, laying me in the middle of a meadow of wild flowers. He pressed a trembling hand to my throat. I felt him trying to help the Nephilim heal me swiftly, but I was bucking and screaming as my body burned from the inside out.
"Sam.. Samael.." I gasped-willing Zeev to understand he'd done something to me.
"They ripped him apart Harlee-he's well on his way toward being dead... no..." Zeev grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to his chest. "Oh God no. Harlee..."