'Shit that was rough!' Ash grimaced in my head with a groan. 'I wish we could hold her..' The ache from Ash was almost palpable and my arms twitched.
'Get it together! I don't need both of you messing with my self control!' I snapped.
"Mom, I wanted to introduce you to your grandson." Harlee was saying. She had turned Cael to face her mother, brushing his soft waves off his forehead as the boy blinked at his grandmother. Cael was about the size of a four to six month old at this point, even though many months shy of that, and he was still relatively quiet, so it shocked everyone when he reached out one well-shaped tiny hand and said one simple word.
"Nana."
Emma's mother squealed with delight.
"Oh what a beautiful baby! Is he yours?" She reached out two shaky limbs for the child, and Emma assisted her in holding him as her mother looked down lovingly into his face. "What an absolute Angel!" She cooed. Ash and I jolted and I could feel myself becoming more wary even as Ash began to speak.
'Maybe Harlee was right..'
'Yeah.' I cut Ash off.
Harlee POV
You're an Angel Baby aren't you?" My mother cooed to my son. "Did you fall from Heaven? Are your mommy and daddy Angels too?" For the first time my mother's attention swung to me. I stood, one hand still supporting Cael's back, I tugged Zeev forward with the other.
"Mom, this is Zeev. He's my partner. He's Cael's father." I said softly. Her gaze shifted to Zeev, who wrapped a comforting arm around me and smiled softly at my mother. There was a moment of confusion on her face.
"Harlee.. you know it's against the bible to marry outside of your race." My mother stated querulously. Frustration and helplessness warred within me and with them a sense of powerless rage. I rubbed my forehead between my brows with the hand not holding Cael and breathed steadily for a few moments.
"Mom, you know that's not true." I tried to say it calmly, but it came out like the cracking of a whip, harsh and unapologetic. I breathed deeply again. "I know your disease makes you confused sometimes, but that is a really ridiculous and racist thing to say. There's nothing in the bible that says that." I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment, I could feel my control on my temper slipping. I felt Zeev squeeze my shoulders and kiss my temple.
"You're doing fine Harlee. Just remember to breathe." The voice was a mix of his and Ash's and I turned to look at him curiously. There was a swirling sensation when I gazed in his eyes and I saw the two of them through the link and I nearly collapsed with relief. The support and love I could feel pouring through, I was so grateful to them! I hugged Zeev's body and whispered an 'I love you' to them both.
"There isn't?" Came my mother's confused reply behind me.
Zeev POV
"No mom, there's not." Harlee replied to her mother. Her overwhelming gratitude still poured through the link and through Ash and I.
'Oh my God, I think this is actually feeding me a little!' Ash enthused.
'Concentrate!' I snapped as Harlee's mother turned her attention back to us.
"You're so beautiful." She murmured and I chuckled, but her expression changed the next moment. "No! Get it away! What is it?! Monster!" Her mother continued to screech.
'Well, time to go.' Ash commented in my head dryly.
'Yup.' I agreed with a frown.
"Mom! Mom, calm down, it's ok. It's just us. You're fine!" Harlee was trying to salvage the situation. Her mother looked at her next and suddenly shrieked.
"What did you do with my baby?" She turned to glare at me as if some preternatural knowledge had led her to conclude it was my doing.
'She wouldn't be entirely wrong.' Ash pointed out.
'Shut up, snake.' I hissed.
"What did you do to my Harlee? Demon?" She spat. Then she blanched as Harlee tugged Cael from her arms.
"That's enough!" Harlee yelled. Cael gave a single, piercing wail and everyone fell silent. Harlee's mother put a hand to her head and looked at me again.
"Angel man.. Fallen Angel man.." She began to murmur.
"Come on, let's go." Harlee said through gritted teeth, snatching the diaper bag off the floor while holding Cael with her other arm. I followed after, resisting the urge Ash and I both had to wrap her in our arms.
Harlee POV
When we made it halfway down the silent hall, I dropped the bag and turned into Zeev's chest, Cael cuddled between us. I let all the tears of frustration, anger and pain loose in a torrent that I felt had no end. His arms immediately gripped me like he'd been looking for this opening. I felt Zeev and Ash gently whispering in my mind, reassurances, comforts and love. All I wanted to do was wrap myself in them.
"Wish granted." Zeev said softly and stepped us straight into the bedroom.
"Cael.." I objected as Zeev took him from me. Zeev turned his sleeping face towards me to show me he was already out. Ash appeared next to me, folding me into their arms.
"Oh Harlee.." Ash cried and I collapsed against them and let them rock me while Zeev put our child in his bassinet. Soon two pairs of arms were encircling me, holding and comforting me, rubbing my back, stroking my hair and two sets of lips were kissing away my tears. And then Sands was there, wrapping us all in his comfort.
"It never gets any easier." I whimpered softly, to many murmured condolences. I soon fell asleep, like our son, wrapped in the arms of the ones I loved.
"You smell like sunshine on cotton." I mumbled into Sands' chest. Why was I all wrapped up in Sands' arms again? The visit with my mother came crashing through my head. Oh yeah, that's why. Sands was doing his comfort thing because I got a little weepy.
"Harlee, please don't torture yourself anymore. It hurts too much. It's not just impartial now, this drive to help you. It's personal, and Heavenly Messenger you're driving the pain right into me." Sands' grip on me tightened slightly. I grimaced.
"Sorry Sands. I keep forgetting about how I affect you guys." I reached behind me to find Ash's cool body pressed against mine. "Is Ash still asleep?" I asked curiously since they didn't move.
"Yes, Incubi are very sensitive to moods and emotional stimuli. To say you've overloaded this poor dear would be an understatement." Sands chuckled darkly and I sighed. I checked in on Zeev, who was in the kitchen making breakfast with Cael in the bouncer beside him. Although we all knew he was 'more' than just a baby, my infectious enthusiasm seems to have worn off on the others, because even Zeev was in the kitchen singing to our son. He sent my mind a gentle a smile but I was entranced. I had never heard him sing like this before. I tugged myself free of Sands and Ash and walked to the kitchen in a daze. Zeev's beautiful voice softly filled the kitchen, the words were unknown to me, but Cael seemed to understand. I stood just inside the kitchen, afraid to break the spell. Sands came up behind me and gently hugged me from behind. "It's the song of the stars. An Angelic hymn. I haven't heard Zeev sing since his Fall." Sands murmured in my ear.
"I've heard it, but not like this." I whispered. "Nothing like this." I could feel the gooseflesh on my arms as every hair on my body stood at attention. My eyes closed involuntarily and a shiver ran down my spine. I could almost see the night sky and the stars shining brightly. When Zeev stopped singing, it took several moments for my body to stop buzzing enough to open my eyes again. I rubbed my arms. Zeev had a small audience now. We were all listening to him, even Sam had come in to stand on the edges of the group. In a move that surprised even me, I pulled Sam closer to us. I was still fighting the goosebumps down, but something in my soul suddenly felt at peace, right, like it hadn't in a long time. Zeev turned to look at us.
"Well, are you guys going to just stand there or are you going to get a move on? Harlee-breakfast is getting cold. Ash, don't you have work? Sands-Sam-reaper duties?" Zeev cocked an eyebrow at us and the spell was broken. Sam looked at me in surprise. I still had a hold on his arm.
"I thought you would be upset with me?" He asked hesitantly.
"I.. was.." I responded curiously. I could find no trace of that anger anymore. "But not for my mother, if that's what you mean." Sam's face looked shocked and he hid the expression quickly. The strange peace had taken over and I felt almost, happy.
"Take the good fortune while you can, Brother." Zeev's hand descended on Sam's shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, our Mistress requires sustenance." Zeev scooped me up and deposited me on a stool.
Zeev POV
Harlee let out a little squeak when I set her on the chair. I chuckled, the sound was, quite frankly, adorable. I set a bowl of cinnamon and sugar oatmeal in front of her with toast and mixed fruit on a platter beside it. She looked at it and then at me suspiciously.
"I can't decide if you're trying to seduce me with a fragrance you know I think smells like you, or fatten me up." Harlee remarked.
"Why can't it be both?" I purred, leaning across the island counter towards her.
"Uhhuh." She commented, watching me warily as she started to eat and I laughed. A change around us in the air had me snatching Harlee and our son into my arms. In mere seconds, Sands, Sam, Ash and I were ranged our around her while she held our child to her chest.
"Zeev!" Harlee's panicked voice whispered. "I can't shift!"
Harlee POV
I could sense the Angel through Zeev before it arrive, but as soon as he shoved Cael into my arms and my little family arranged themselves in front of me to protect me, I knew we were probably in danger again. I tried to ready myself by extending my claws, prepping my senses, anything, to give myself an advantage if I needed to protect Cael. Only I realized, I couldn't... How could I protect us if I was stuck in this helpless human Form?
"Ah, that's probably my fault. Well Sam's a little to blame too. Once his Corruption was split between the four of you, and then my Grace became Bound to your soul-well, you're actually a lot more human than you have been in a while Harlee. Sorry to spring that on you." Sands murmured quickly as the glow spread in the bedroom doorway. I was more human? I was at once ecstatic and terrified. I'd lost the ability to defend myself and the baby, but.. I had my humanity back.. at least part of it.
'You're not the only one.' Zeev shot through our link. He held up his arm to reveal a simple silver band and I realized why he was singing. His soul felt lighter, less Corrupt. I wanted to hug him, kiss him, probably wrestle him to the kitchen floor and..
"Harlee!.." Ash snapped. "Now's not the time!" Zeev's eyes twinkled.
'Me too Harlee.. me too..' Zeev sent through the link and Ash turned to glare at him next. An Angel stepped through our bedroom door into the kitchen. The little group huddled tighter around me.
"Sands! I can't believe it's true!"