Harlee POV
Zeev had me clutched tightly to his chest while I bucked and shuddered and my skin peeled. I barely heard the noise as Ash and Sands appeared, followed swiftly by the two Demons. They were still fighting, but my mind could only concentrate on the pain that I was in, inside and out.
"Let me die." I begged Zeev. "I can't do this any more. Please.." I groaned, clutching at his shirt. He just held me tighter. Ash's dragon Form surrounded us blocking us from a blow from one of the Demons.
"What's wrong with her?" Ash shouted at Zeev, shifting quickly back to human Form to drop beside us, panting and bloody.
"That damn idiot-he sacrificed himself for her." Zeev growled. Ash looked at Zeev, horrified. A Demon rushed us again and Ash was gone, swinging a long white tail with a roar as Zeev smoothed the hair from my face.
Zeev POV
There was no way we won this. Our only hope was that fool regenerating fast enough to tip the scales to our advantage. He'd better get here quick, because Harlee's soul couldn't stand the strain of another Bond in the shape it was in. He was going to fix it. One of the Princes broke free and I quickly unfurled my wings, taking to the skies with Harlee in my arms, giving Sands enough time to catch back up. Harlee started gasping heavily.
"Zeev I-there's something wrong! The Nephilim! Zeev-the baby!" Harlee screeched at me. She clutched at her stomach. Ah shit-I never considered the Bond might affect him as well. I placed a gentle hand on hers, I could feel the movement within as she panted desperately. She should be about four months along now, but she was so tiny. I could tell she and the baby were malnourished and unhealthy. I clenched my jaw, promising to make that jerk's life a living Hell when he did show.
"It'll be ok Harlee." I soothed, having no idea if I was right or not. I squeezed her tighter. On the ground a whirling flame appeared.
"It's about damn time." I growled, diving towards it.
Harlee POV
I was certain I had passed out. But I came to, surrounded by flame. Shocked, I cried out and Zeev buried his face in my hair and murmured incomprehensible things. A swirling of sparks started in front of us-something forming out of them.
"What..?" I groaned but Zeev just shushed me. The pattern took on a human shape and suddenly Samael stood before us. I screamed and I felt my mind finally break. "NO, NO!!" I yelled until I was hoarse, the tears running down my face. I was holding onto Zeev so tightly, I'm surprised I didn't rip his shirt. "How could you?" I sobbed.
"Harlee, he sacrificed himself for you two." Zeev said gently. Samael sunk to his knee in front of us with a clenched jaw.
"I have formed an irreversible Bond between you, the Nephilim and myself. From now on, I shall act as your shield from any forces in Heaven, Hell, or on earth that wish to destroy you." Samael stood and approached us. I struggled, trying to escape Zeev's iron grip. I didn't want any part of this!
"Zeev no!" I cried as Samael extended a finger. "I don't accept! I don't!" I screamed.
"Neither do I." Growled Samael angrily, "But we're stuck with it." He stroked my arm softly and the flesh burned and bubbled.
"Harlee," Zeev said with worry in his voice "You need to stop fighting the Bond!"
"No!!" I screamed, trying to break free of them.
"You'll hurt yourself! And the Nephilim!" Zeev warned. I stilled for a moment, looking at my midriff.
"I can't hear him anymore Zeev." I sobbed. "He took that from me!" I screeched, breaking down again, slapping at Samael's arm. "I don't even know if the baby's ok! I'll never accept him! NEVER!" My body burst into flames and Samael grunted, gritting his teeth and dropping to his knees, holding his chest with one hand. The pain was too much and I retreated within.
'Harlee.. Momma..' I jerked awake, opening my eyes in a completely black void.
"You have to accept him momma." A tired voice spoke. A tiny child that looked ever so much like Zeev walked out of the shadows. He had my eyes. I sobbed.
"Are you...?" I sobbed harder as the little boy nodded, answering my unspoken question and I opened my arms wide. He came running over and flung himself into them. He was warm and soft, smelling like honey and spice. I buried my face in his tiny shoulder.
"I can't." I whispered.
"Momma, we're gonna die." Our little boy said sadly. "I can't fix us. Only Sands can now. I'm too tired. And the Princes will kill us even if we could, so we need Sam." I pulled back as he placed his little hands on my cheeks, his expression sad but earnest. "I know he hurt us momma, but he can't anymore. Will you trust me?" I kissed his soft little cheeks.
"For you, baby. I'll do this for you." I murmured and leaned my forehead against his tiny soft curls. The vision burst apart.
"I accept! I accept!" I screeched and the flames stopped. I heard Zeev breathe a sigh of relief. Sam straightened, gasping lightly.
"Then I therefore Mark you Harlee, as under my protection, my Bonded. I will be your shield and your sword, and you shall likewise belong to me." The burning on my arm settled. There was now a golden band wrapped around my upper arm, the stain on my skin almost looking like real jewelry. Like slave jewelry, a part of my brain noted. I snarled. Sam reached out his finger and stroked it gently. "My pet." He said softly and I felt Zeev stiffen. Flames burst up Sam's own arm to coil around his wrist. A snake appeared, fangs bared, dripping venom. It was very prominent, as if a warning to anyone who saw him.
"Cute." San commented wryly
"I'm surprised it wasn't just the words 'Devil' or 'Demon'." I spat. The circle of flames went out around us, revealing four very astounded pair of eyes. "Monster." I muttered. Sands took one look at me and his expression hardened. He strode forward swiftly as all Hell broke loose around us.
Zeev POV
Being Bound could make a Demon stronger or weaker, depending on the Master. Ash and I, we had definitely gained strength as we gained acceptance. When we began to work together, we became a cohesive unit, which made us more efficient. Adding Sands to the group was like throwing gasoline on our bonfire, although he was only Contracted to Harlee, he leant us power and aid in more ways than we could express. Our group became deadly. But still, we were not enough to take on a Prince of Hell and be assured of a win. And now, we were facing two.
But we had an unexpected bonus now: A Prince of our own. He rounded on the other two Princes with a ferocity I had never seen, which only inspired Ash and Sands to greater feats of madness as well. I still had Harlee clutched to me, unsure of what to do with her. I couldn't leave her unprotected, but I felt the urge to sink my teeth into something as well.
'Stay with Harlee!' Ash snapped in my mind, picking up on my dilemma. I growled. Harlee was watching the battle around us with glazed eyes. At any moment she looked like she might lose consciousness. Sands had been headed our direction, but was overtaken by one Prince. So now he and Ash were battling it out with the one, while Sam had the other by the throat. Sam's Demon Form was rarely ever seen, but I saw his Form slipping today. The Prince broke free from Sands, who left a long wound in its side The Prince came rushing at Harlee and I, and I automatically shifted to my Demon Form, setting Harlee on the ground and standing over her protectively.
The growling in my throat built to a roar as the Prince rushed us and I swung both taloned feet at him.
"Mine!" I roared. Nobody would take Harlee from me again. I caught the Prince under the chin with my second swipe, but missed the first. Then Ash was there, wrapping a long, scaly body around the Prince.
"Ash!" Harlee cried weakly. "He's going to hurt you! Let him go!" I heard her sob. Sands was there in an instant and Ash sprang away so Sands could swing his blade once more. The growl in my throat wouldn't stop and I felt Harlee crawl out from under me to stand beside me, her fingers digging into my side. She was trembling, but placed her head against my side and started to murmur soothing things.
"Shh, it's ok, I'm ok now Zeev. You're here to protect me." She kept whispering until I turned to look at her.
"I'm not a dog." I griped. She slid to the ground with a strangled laugh and I sat on my haunches. She leaned against me.
"No, but you're my big, bad wolf. Even if you do look like some kind of hybrid griffin thing." She leaned her head back against me. "I'm so tired Zeev." Her voice began to fade and I looked at her with worry. There was a growl, then a shout on the battlefield.
"Damn you Samael!" Spat one of the Princes. He was heavily bleeding from multiple wounds, and clutching what looked to be an arm out of its socket. "You know Binding yourself to the the girl isn't going to get us off your back-it's just going to make things worse-and if you weren't the Prince of Death..."
"What? You'd stay and fight?" Sam sneered as the Prince backed up and faded into the shadows. Not to be outdone, the other Prince followed swiftly with a snarl.
"They'll be back." Ash sighed to no one in particular, then Harlee started screaming again.