Harlee POV
I used pillows to box Cael in on the bed so he wouldn't roll off, then slipped out to see who was around. In the living room, Sands was on the couch with his shoulders slumped, head hanging.
"Sands? Are you ok?" I asked softly. He jumped, which startled me. I'd never been able to sneak up on him. "Sands?" I asked breathlessly. He looked at me briefly, running a hand over his face.
"I'm sorry Harlee. I'm just.. very tired." Sands responded quietly.
"Angels get tired/" I asked.
"Fallen." He reminded me. "My Divinity used to come from the Divine. Once I Fell and Bound myself to you, replenishment of my Grace was dependent on you." Sands murmured.
"And then I was sick..." I had a horrible thought. "Sands, are you Corrupted?" I raced to his side. He looked alarmed.
"No Mistress, Harlee, not yet, just drained and weak." He said with a light chuckle. I couldn't replenish my Grace while you were..." Sands suddenly swallowed several times. "I was terrified." He admitted hoarsely. "I've never felt fear so powerful. I thought.." Sands grabbed me around the shoulders and pulled me into a tight hug, tugging my body between his thighs. His breathing hitched and I wrapped my own arms around him in turn.
"Is love always accompanied by such pain?" Sands murmured against my shoulder.
"Sometimes." I replied softly.
"I have comforted so many. I thought I understood.." Sands mumbled. I felt my shirt dampen with his tears. I kissed Sands' temple.
"The thing about human emotions, we can empathize, but we never really know because we all experience things differently. Even with you Sands. My heart aches for you, but I can't truly know how you felt, well I could use the Bond I suppose, but still, I can't completely understand because I haven't lived your life. I can't view things from your point of view with your experiences. Gahh, this isn't coming out right!" I pushed Sands back and held him at arm's length to look in his eyes.
"You provide an invaluable service Sands, and that makes you an incredible Being. Hell, you're an incredible Being without providing that service. Human emotions are wild. Handling them as a second-hand experience as part of your job versus actually facing down those real, raw emotions yourself, well.. It's going to be an adjustment at times. I'm sorry." I leaned my forehead against his.
"Why are you sorry?" Sands asked softly.
"I feel responsible. If you'd never met me.." I offered. Sands laughed.
"Then the one who should be apologizing is Zeev. For his choice to Fall lead to his need for souls, which in turn lead to his attack on you, ultimately leading us here." Sands pulled me against his chest and leaned back against the back of the couch. "I will never regret meeting you Harlee." He murmured, his head on the back of the couch, gazing up at the ceiling. I cuddled into his chest closer, placing a knee on the couch between his thighs and heard his heart speed up under my ear. I shifted my weight, straddling his leg to get more comfortable, tucking my torso more closely against his own, and Sands suddenly grunted.
"How are you doing that Harlee?" He asked me curiously.
"Doing what?" I asked, leaning back slightly to look at him, bewildered.
"It's like.. ahhhh.. you're funneling my own ability back at me. It feels very.. nice.." Sands suddenly moaned.
"Oh shit! I'm sorry! I had my head on your chest! Your shirt must be thinner than I thought-or our Bond stronger?..." I jerked upright, trying to extricate myself from his grasp. "I don't know how I do it-I just picked up mimicking Zeev's abilities early on when he split my soul, and I never really understood how, is just do. I'm sorry." I grimaced, again trying to tug free and Sands gripped the back of my head gently, pulling my head back to his chest.
"No, don't be. I like it." Sands groaned. For a moment I was stiff in his embrace, but as Sands began to rub my back, I relaxed into his arms and continued to let myself radiate comfort. Sands clutched me tighter to him and I suddenly realized he was enjoying this in more ways than one. I cleared my throat.
"Sands.. am I.. um.. is this.. turning you on?" I giggled helplessly. Sands blushed a bit before looking down at me again.
"I think it is. If that's a problem, we can stop." Sands murmured.
"No.. I'm ok with it. I actually.. well I mean, if you want, we could.." I didn't even finish before Sands had his lips crushed against mine. I gasped, but quickly melted into his kiss, greedily hungering for more. I slid my tongue along his lips, trying to get him to part them for me, then took a nibble of his bottom lip, and finally, with a gasp, he yielded and I let my tongue slip in to explore. The crisp flavor of him tingled along my lips and tongue. I was rocking gently in his lap, and Sands readjusted my position to free himself from his clothing with a quick exhale of relief. I slid my own pajama bottoms and panties down impatiently, wiggling them off one ankle, but not bothering about seeing where they landed after that. Sliding forward on Sands' lap, I let his arousal rub between my thighs teasingly while I nipped at Sands' jaw and neck until he gripped my hips and took his arousal in hand, joining us unceremoniously. He pulled my hips to his with a small grunt and I threw my head back with a gasp. Sands buried his face in my neck, nipping skimming his teeth along the skin, tugging at it gently until I was sure there would be a welt.
My hands drifted under Sands' white Tee, tracing the muscular outlines, then settled over his heart and the Mark. He arched backwards into the couch, suddenly thrusting upwards jerkily, making me cry out. I drove myself downwards to meet him, and could feel his muscles start to tense as his release neared. I leaned forward and gripped the couch back with the hand not locked on his Mark, feeling my own clenching response and as Sands met my eyes the memory of Ash being forced to mount me on the kitchen floor raced through my mind. I flinched, but Sands was there in a second, nimble fingers on my face.
"No-look at me Harlee, let me have your pain." Sands sealed his lips over mine, inhaling as he had done once before, taking, not my air, but something more.. A darkness, a pressure... out of me. I could feel it build into an almost physical mess as he placed a hand on my chest, then moved it to my temple. Suddenly I gagged and Sands drew in his breath more furiously. With a cough, the panic eased and I was in the moment with Sands again, chasing a climax that was demanding my attention. I moaned and Sands panted, leaning his forehead on my shoulder. I could feel him throbbing within me, and knew he needed release too.
"Are you ok to continue?" I murmured to him, letting my hands fall to his hips in case I needed to move away. He held me tightly in place
"Give me a moment to recover. I have a feeling this is going to be an incredible experience after absorbing that darkness from you." A slow chuckle from him which reverberated through our bodies, causing me to moan again.
"Sands.." I rocked my hips while whining his name. I grabbed his arm and locked his hand around the cuff on my wrist, feeling both our bodies shudder as the power arched through the connection it formed. I gripped his arm in turn with that hand and slid my free hand under his shirt. "I'm sorry, I hope you're ready, because I can't wait much longer." I murmured as my fingers came into contact with the shield Mark on his chest. Sands' whole body tensed like he'd been struck by lightning. He bucked under me so hard he nearly tossed me off his lap and then the power surge arced back to me. I heard myself screaming as my own body writhed uncontrollably. Until Sands clasped me to himself with his free hand, which rubbed all the right places between my thighs as it scooted me forward.
"I was so afraid.." Panted Sands. "That my sexual drive would scare you away. It's one reason I held out so long. I couldn't imagine being Bound to you and not being able to touch you..." He murmured. I ran kisses down his jaw and neck.
"Why? Why think that?" I nipped his skin and he sucked in a breath.
"I'm an Angel Harlee. A freakin' Angel of Death!" Sands exclaimed.
"So?" I mumbled, to his surprised look.
"So? Most people fear us!" Sands blurted. I spoke his True Name aloud, causing Sands to jolt.
"You're Mine and I see you for what you truly are. I'm blessed to call you mine." I leaned forward to kiss him and Sands twitched, moving with me once more. His movements quickly became jerky and he slid a hand between my thighs to stroke my clit just as his climax started and he shuddered into a powerful release. My body raced after his and I collapsed against him, exhausted. Sands was panting hard.
"Are you ok?" I asked with concern.
"Uhhmm." It was the first time I had ever heard Sands make an undignified and non-committal noise like it. "So....Apparently when we do this, it helps restore some of my Grace. Or perhaps it was just our closeness.." Sands blushed. "I particularly noticed the rush of restoration when you formed the circuit with our Marks." I giggled at his embarrassed expression.
"Zeev and Ash are able to 'feed' this way too. Though Zeev requires more.. fluid contributions, generally." It was my turn to blush as Sands' eyes took on a look of understanding.
"I can't wait to try more oral sex." Sands murmured. I swatted him gently.
"Are you sure you're not Corrupted, 'cuz I think we've perverted an Angel..." Sands looked alarmed at my comment at first, and then gave me a disapproving look. "By the way-what happened to that Angel that came here looking for you?" I asked.