Zeev POV

I paced the living room and could feel Harlee doing the same in the bedroom, though we were agitated for different reasons.  She was always so ridiculous about her own appearance and her draw where other people were concerned, but I had more pressing matters.

This young warlock-what was I going to do abut him?  He didn't pose too much of a threat in his current state, he appeared untrained and unaware, but his power awakening made him wildly unpredictable.  And if he chose to take a Demonic or Divine power in order to try to best me-he could prove problematic.  Specifically if he made a Deal...  The horrifying possibilities there made me shudder.  I stepped from the room.  Time to go visit our young Mage.

I stood in the shadows, arms crossed, light bent around me, watching him while he worked.  Three or four customers came and went before his shoulders tensed and he spoke.

"You might as well come out of there-Demon."  He snarled, not looking at me.

"You're quite talented."  I observed.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before!  My family used to always talk in cryptic whispers about this kind of stuff.  I found my dad's stash of magic books when I was thirteen.  I thought it was just really cool collectibles until he freaked out about me reading them.  I always...saw...things...  But when I touched the Mark-I knew.  I KNEW what you were and what you'd done!  How dare you take her soul!"  He turned to glare in my direction and I let my disguise drop.

"I didn't...Well not entirely."  I shrugged.

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"  The boy snapped.

"Look, I just came here to warn you.  I would never harm Harlee.  I'm physically incapable of doing so without harming myself.  Don't do anything rash.  Your plan might backfire.  We're Bound permanently."  I explained, stepping back into the shadows.

"No. More. Cryptic. Nonsense!"  The Mage snarled and I felt the shadows condense around me.  Interesting.  This kid had power.  "Explain yourself!"  He yelled.  I gritted my teeth.  Untrained and I still felt it, his will.  He would be formidable, if he survived.  I sighed.

"A word of warning.  Don't go selling your soul or making Contracts with my kind.  Beware the Divine, to them you are nothing but a means to an end-I should know, I was once one of them..."

"You're Fallen?"  He gasped and I smirked, allowing my True Form to show briefly.  He flinched.

"Concerning Harlee and I, just know that I made a terrible mistake that I do regret, that I've since tried to rectify.  We're both now stuck holding half her soul and neither can obtain the other half nor harm the other lest we perish.  Just...be careful what moves you make against me.  Don't harm my Lady."  I cautioned.

"What?  What did you do to split her soul?  Did you...  DID YOU TRY TO CONSUMER HER SOUL?!  The boy was suddenly enraged and the air around him froze.  It plunged towards me in jagged shards, trying to nail me in place, but I had switched to my shadow Form.

"My, my what a smart one you are."  I whispered, then stepped back into Harlee's living room as the boy yelled and jumped at me.  "I wonder how he'll clean up all the water when it melts?"  I mused.

"What did you do?"  Rang out Harlee's sharp voice and I felt like I'd been whipped.  

"Blasted Demons, if you don't keep an eye on them every fucking minute of every day.  Worse than a dog!"  She continued to mutter to herself as she pulled my shirt over my head to look at my arm.  She was bleeding too in the same location, which is how she had discovered my transgression.  Hmm, look at that-the boy got me after all.

"It'll heal shortly Harlee."  I told her, but she just made a disgusted noise in her throat.

"Look at this!  I can almost see the bone!  I thought I was gonna die when I felt it-how did you not even notice?"  She griped at me, prying the wound open slightly to look inside it.  I growled.

"Now that hurt."  I told her.

"Well, I had to make sure there wasn't anything in it, didn't I?"  She snapped.  "Stupid Demons and their ridiculous fighting."  She grabbed a rag and wiped away the blood, pressing carefully over the wound itself.  "I think I have some gauze around here somewhere."  She muttered, and left the room.  I sighed.  Humans.

Harlee POV
I ducked my head under the sink to hide my tears.  Blasted period, making me all weepy.  He would be ok.  The pain and blood on my arm had just shocked me, especially when I reached out to Zeev and found that he had placed the barrier between us again.  Even though I could still dimly sense him, using the Bond-it was like trying to watch TV with your eyes closed and ears stuffed up.  You might see flashes of light and hear loud noises, but you definitely weren't getting the whole picture.

I dug out the gauze and tape and paced back to the living room.  Zeev jerked a little when he saw my face.

"Lady-Harlee-you've been crying...  Have I done something to upset you?"  He brushed a thumb across my cheek to wipe away a tear and I rubbed angrily at my face.

"No, it's just hormones."  I snapped, then concentrated on bandaging up his slowly closing wound.  I could feel him sneaking around in my head so I gave him a mental slap to the hand and almost heard a yelp.  This wolf metaphor thing was going to far.

"I could look like a wolf if you prefer."  Zeev said with amusement.

"Out. of. my. head."  I pulled the tape too tight on purpose and this time he really did yelp.  I sighed and sat down next to him on the couch.  "If someone had told me I would be worried about the life of a Demon, I would have laughed at them."  I complained.

"Aww-you worry about me?"  Zeev asked scooting closer to me.

"You're carrying precious cargo!  You have half of my soul!  What happens if you die!  Plus, I'm your Mistress now!  We're Bound together-what does that even mean for me?!"  I whined.

"First-you don't have to make it sound like I'm pregnant.  Second, is that really all you're worried about?"  He sounded hurt.

"Well..."  I rubbed my chest and he pulled me closer.  "No...not exactly.  I guess...We've been together kind of a long time now and I'd kinda miss you...But I'm just an emotional wreck right now, so leave me alone."  I shoved him away and stood up to put the gauze and tape away.  As I did I saw the expression on his face, he looked touched by my worry.  I blushed and raced back to the bathroom.  "Stupid Demon."  I muttered with my head under the sink, running my fingers over the Mark on my jaw lightly.  Zeev caught my fingers.

"I've told you, that's almost like a Summons for me."  He said quietly and pulled me back out from under the sink.  "Let me in Harlee."  Zeev begged, still holding my hand.

"What do you mean-I've never been able to keep you out of my mind before."  I griped.

"That was before the Bond.  Now I do and be what you require, so if you want to keep me out, I have to have your permission to come back in."  Zeev pleaded.  "Tell me what's wrong.  What have I done?"

"Oh God-a Demon, begging so shamelessly."  A voice behind us spoke.  I flinched, but Zeev growled, shifting immediately into his Demon form and surrounding me in the shadows.  I briefly saw a very handsome man leaning against the bathroom door before Zeev had whisked me away.

Zeev POV
Caught off guard TWICE.  Something was definitely wrong with me.  Why was I so distracted lately?  I looked at Harlee, clutching my side tightly, one of my wings wrapped protectively around her.  I had chosen this space so I could use my size to my advantage.

"What do you want, Angel?"  I spat.  I didn't recognize this one.  How did I not recognize this one?

"Having trouble recognizing me?  Perhaps you'd recognize me in my True Form?"  He asked and began to shift.  No it couldn't be!  I couldn't win this battle!  He was an Arch Angel!  I stared in horror.