In Dreams: One Soul

No Rest For The Wicked

Harlee POV

The man's cool fingers brushed my jaw and it was like icy smoke had crept into my veins. It raced along the Bond between Zeev and I, but lingered curiously on the soul attachment between us. I felt my chest tighten and Zeev's answering snarl. I pulled away.

"That's enough!" I snapped at the man and retreated to Zeev's arms.

"My girl, what has happened to you?" The man asked with pity. "My son told me he'd met a strange case at work, but..."

"Son?" I asked, confused.

"This is the young Mage's father." Zeev growled in his chest. I blinked, they looked nothing alike.

"And you-the emotions you display, they are borrowed at best." The man sneered at Zeev. I clenched my fists.

"Borrowed? Not as long as my soul resides in his chest." I snapped. The man's gaze sharpened, looking again between Zeev and I.

Zeev POV

"How... has this happened? What did you do, Demon?" The man demanded. "No, never mind, this will be easier." He lunged across the counter and gripped Harlee by the face, staring into her eyes. "Just relax." He murmured as she struggled. I snarled again, but Harlee's memory of the attack started to play before our eyes, crippling us both.

The night in question:

As seen through Harlee's memory

I opened the front door and walked in, slamming it behind me. I was so sick of this life. Stupid work, stupid job, stupid house. The house needed cleaning, but I was exhausted and it was late. I was headed towards the fridge when I felt it-something 'off' in the room.

Had I left the door unlocked? A window open? Was somebody in here? The creepy feeling of being watched made my neck hair stand up. I spun around. The living room was completely dark and covered in shadows. My breathing kicked up. I was sure somebody was watching me. Goosebumps broke out along my skin.

"I'm sorry for doing this, but you were the closest one..." Said a beautiful voice from the shadows. I could melt into that voice, if what it was saying wasn't so creepy, if what it was saying wasn't coming from what was supposed to be my empty house. "...and I'm badly injured." Shadows swarmed forward out of the corner, a pair of orange yellow eyes appearing within. The pupils were slitted like a cats or snakes. I stumbled backwards a step.

"No, no, don't run, little lamb. I don't have the energy to chase you." The voice crooned. I felt my heart rate double. The shadows coalesced, revealing more of the creature's face. What was it? How could it even talk with that mouth? Sharp teeth grinning, it surged towards me and I stumbled backwards, getting tangled in a blanket that was half draped over the arm of the couch. The creature's eyes lit up and two taloned limbs appeared. It lunged forward, knocking me to the ground. I screamed and tried to fight back.

"Shush now, none of that." I felt the talons did into my arms, piercing my skin and screamed again. Another set of limbs pinned me in place, nailing me to the floor with yet more talons. I wailed, and couldn't stop the tears from rolling out of my eyes.

"What... do you.. what even?" I gasped and a taloned claw slid down my face.

"Shhh...it's ok.. I'm just going to eat you. It'll be over quick, I promise. Just yield to me. Give me your soul." The creature cooed. My soul? What? Eat me?

"I don't understand!" I screamed. Why didn't it just kill me already. A taloned claw dug into my face, almost lovingly. I screeched. The creature placed another hand over my face, holding my mouth shut and keeping me from jerking anymore. It freed my arms and I gripped the one covering my mouth, trying to free myself so I could breathe. I couldn't budge it.

"They say the eyes are the window to the soul..." The beautiful voice purred softly as the creature dug out my left eye. Part of my cheekbone and face came away with it. I screamed into the leathery taloned hand as the creature popped the eye into its grinning mouth, still struggling to free myself. The rest of the creature began to solidify before me, large wings settling on its back, body a mix of strange animal parts. I was in so much pain. I should pass out, I had to pass out, surely. Blood ran freely down my face and got into my other eye. I couldn't breathe properly and I could feel the creature's hot spicy breath swirling inside my face where air was never supposed to reach. My remaining eye began to roll back in my head. Was this death then?

"Ah, ah, ah. Not yet little...Harlee? Was it?" The voice cooed to me. "My prey needs to be awake for this, you see-you still have to promise me your soul. Will you give it to me now?" I stared at the creature in fear, and blood swam over my vision once more. Suddenly I was angry.

"Mmmph..." I tried to speak around the clawed hand.

"Hmm? What was that?" The beautiful voice purred.

"No!" I screamed and the creature's face hardened.

"Indeed, perhaps you haven't suffered enough. Well no matter, I can no longer wait. Even a soul unwillingly given will feed me for a time." The leathery hand gripped my shoulder. "This could all be over so quickly if you give me your soul willingly." The wet trickle of blood got in my ear and I shook my head. It made me dizzy and I panted and vomited on the carpet. The creature turned my face back to it.

"Still a no then?" It asked soothingly. I spat vomit-flavored saliva at its face. It grinned wickedly. "Too bad, your soul would be particularly delicious given willingly. All that aggression." The voice tsked in disappointment, once again covering my mouth with a taloned hand.

"Yes, they say the eyes are the windows to the soul." The monster purred running a talon down my destroyed cheek to my chest. "But I find the chest to be a better access point." And with that, the creature let out a snarl and taloned limbs tore into my torso. The creature pried my ribs apart and I felt myself losing it as a glowing light was drawn from my chest by the creature.

"Relinquish your soul to me." The creature purred and sank its teeth into the glow. My body no longer obeyed me, I was pretty sure I was almost dead, but I felt the glowing thing scream.

No! I wouldn't! You can't have it! It's mine! The glow stretched backwards and the Demon's eyes grew wide. That's what it was. Once my soul touched it, I knew. It was a Demon. My soul tried to withdraw some more, but neither of us were willing to yield. Like taffy being pulled too far, my soul snapped. The Demon gulped and clawed after the remaining soul piece that was slowly settling back into my chest. Suddenly it gagged and coughed. Light ran through the Demon's form briefly and it clutched at it's chest. It dug desperately at mine again and howled as its own chest tore open. It fell to its side, gasping and let its form melt to shadows, and then to that of a the most handsome man I had ever seen. My ribs suddenly started to crack and return to their original position. The Demon's eyes bugged out and it writhed in pain on the floor next to me.

"That's enough!" Screamed Harlee and she shoved the man away, tears soaking her face. I stood from my kneeling position and grabbed her as she fell into my arms. I ran my thumb along her cheeks to wipe away some of the tears, murmuring my apologies to her over and over. Then clutched the back of her head as she buried her face in m shirt. The Mage pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have never seen anything quite like this." He sighed. "So now you each possess half of this girl's soul?" I glared at him as an answer. "And you're Bonded to her through an act of self-sacrifice or Love." He pinched the bridge of his nose again. "And further, if I'm not wrong, the two of you have developed feelings for each other." The Mage squeezed his eyes shut. "What kind of trouble has my boy stepped into this time?" He sighed.

Harlee POV

"How much control do you have over your Demon?" The man had snapped before leaving. "His emotions are borrowed from you, from your soul. Granted I know of no way to undo that, so it may be permanent. The only thing you can hope for at this point is that your soul slowly regenerates over time, becoming two complete souls instead of two halves. But you'll never be rid of each other-because the souls will be like conjoined twins, still missing their separated other half, even though they may be a complete being without the other."

"Your Bond-you need to take more control. I sense the love between you two, but it is still off balance. You have not taken complete control of your Bond with your Demon. You are the Master after all, why are you not performing your duties as such?" He had scolded us some more before leaving with an ominous. "I'll be checking in. Demon, I acknowledge I cannot harm you without harming your Mistress, which I will try to avoid. But I know Binding techniques that will seriously limit your activities, should I discover you have been acting contrary to your status as this young lady's protector, other half and lover. Understood?" Zeev had growled.

"Lover...?" I had stammered and Zeev squeezed me tightly, chuckling. The man had turned on a heel and left.

"You don't approve?" He murmured against my neck, making me shiver.

"I.. uh..no I mean.. yes? Ah crap, I'm going to Hell anyway, might as well actually date a Demon." I sighed and Zeev growled approvingly, squeezing me against him tighter.

"What the heck is going on? Is everybody ok?.." Josh's voice trailed off as he rounded the corner and saw Zeev wrapped around me suggestively. "Oh, you're here. I guess my dad didn't kill you after all." Josh sighed. I threw up my hands.

"Time for us to go." I told Zeev sternly and he grinned wickedly at Josh.

"Yes, My Lady." He replied, and with that, stepped us backwards into the living room while Josh yelled after us. I sighed.

Zeev POV

I pulled leftovers out of the fridge for reheating while Harlee sat at the counter glumly staring at me.

"What exactly am I supposed to do with a Demon anyway?" She asked wryly. I chuckled.

"Whatever you want." I replied. "But-everything comes with a price you know." She rolled her eyes.

"Can't I just let you go about doing what makes you happy so long as it doesn't hurt anybody?" Harlee griped and I felt my Heart swell.

"If you want." I replied.

"I mean, you stick pretty close to me anyway.." She rubbed her chest "And you already act like a servant or something-look at you cooking and cleaning, and now you're Bound to do whatever I tell you, and protect me from harm. Why should I make you do anything else? Seems like you've already got the short end of the stick." She let her head fall to the counter. "I don't know how you can stand me." She mumbled, face hidden in her arms. I paced quickly around the counter and gripped her shoulders, pulling her back against my chest and tilting her face up to look at mine.

"I attacked you and stole half your soul, then Bound you to me because of my rash actions during a fight which permanently condemned your soul to Hell. Now I'm toying with your emotions in a desperate bid to win your favor, all while all you've done is give me direction and purpose and the amazing capacity to feel emotions through your very human soul. How do you feel it's not fair you get to order me around a bit in exchange?" I chuckled. She closed her eyes and a single tear escaped. I kissed it away.

"Your life, your soul, your happiness-these are all very precious to me Harlee." I whispered. "Don't think that by asking me for whatever would make these things more fulfilling to you that you would be asking too much of me or that I would resent you overmuch for it." I kissed her again, this time softly on the lips.

"Zeev, the food." She murmured and I darted around the counter quickly to reduce the heat on the pot of overheating soup.

Harlee POV

"Can you sleep?" I blurted suddenly as we lay in bed. "I know you told me you don't need to but can you?"

"This body can do anything a normal human body can do, as you well know." Zeev purred in my ear. I shivered.

"Yes, but you said having children was a chore.." I explained "..and you don't often like to eat.. So I was just wondering if other things were difficult or unpleasant." I shrugged and Zeev pulled me closer.

"The only difficult thing for a Demon is being this close to a human that smells as good as you, and continuing to restrain himself." He murmured lasciviously.

"Be serious for a moment!" I swatted at him as he nibbled my ear. He sighed and rolled away.

"Fallen are different. We were once Angels. Demons that are corrupted from humans or are born Demons aren't quite the same physiologically. For me, sleep is unnecessary. I could, but I choose not to because it's unpleasant to have all of my senses shut off. A corrupted human has an easier time bearing children, one born Demon can generally reproduce normally. Both generally sleep and eat because that is what they are accustomed to. The Fallen generally consider the Spawned and Corrupted as lesser Demons. They will never possess the power we do, because we are the originals, Divinely created." He explained softly.

"What you told me before-about my soul-I'm going to be a Corrupted human aren't I?" I asked softly and I could just make out Zeev's wince.

"Yes. I am sorry." Zeev whispered.

"Done is done." I said decisively, and rolled away so he wouldn't see my tears. I felt his arms settle around me, cradling me gently as I cried quietly, one hand brushing the hair from my forehead, the other wrapped around my ribs, that I clung to like it was the last lifeline to save me from a sinking ship.

"My heart hurts Zeev." I told him after a while.

"It's not just your heart." He answered roughly. I felt a throb come from him through our link and turned to face him. His expression was pained and he gripped me tightly. "I will do everything in my power to make you happy and keep you safe to make up for it." He held my chest against his chest. I gripped his shirt.

"Thanks Zeev." I told him and let his cinnamon and spice scent lure me into a comfortable, drowsy state. I was still in that state when I heard a voice whispering urgently from the dark.

Zeev POV

"Sir, sir!" Came the harsh whisper of my underling. I growled softly. They should not have been able to find me.

"Oh my God sir! The rumors are true! You've been Bound! And to a human girl! Wait-what's the extra connection you two share?" I growled louder and he backed up swiftly. "My mistake sir, my mistake! Listen, someone got smart and back-traced your movements. They're coming for you-to kill both of you! I still had the address on that piece of paper, so I knew how to find you-but sir-you've gotta go! Now!" My subordinate urged desperately. I looked at Harlee dozing in my arms.

"Understood." I told him.

"But sir!" He protested.

"Understood." I growled and he popped out of existence. I sighed and held Harlee tighter, just let her drowse a moment or two more...

Harlee POV

"Where are we going?" I asked Zeev. He was carrying me bridal-style, wrapped in a blanket from the bed, snuggled tightly against his chest. He was taking large strides with his long legs, yet I barely felt the motion.

"You heard the conversation?" He murmured.

"You mean that wasn't a dream?" I asked sleepily.

"No." He replied and let the memory play through my mind.

"Why do they want to kill us?" I pouted.

"Because you made a Demon your slave." Zeev shrugged.

"Wait a minute! Me?" I grumped, waking up. "You were the one who made that call!" Zeev chuckled.

"Yes, but they don't see it that way. Some factions believe it is a disgrace for a Demon to be chained to a human eternally, and until the pair asserts themselves as a force to be reckoned with, they're usually pursued relentlessly by Demons that have nothing better to do with their time." He growled.

"So what does that mean for us?" I asked.

"We're going to assert ourselves." Zeev snarled and I felt his Form shift and everything around me changed.

"What-what is this place?" I gasped, but I already knew the answer. I struggled to breathe for a moment as the atmosphere became denser around me. The colors were weirdly skewed.

"This is another plane-what you humans refer to as Hell." Zeev answered calmly. I looked at Zeev. He was in his Demon Form, and his usual Gold looked a dark reddish bronze, like drying blood. He winced as I thought this and looked down at me. "I'm sorry Harlee, I had to change your Form too so you could survive here." He grimaced. "I couldn't just leave you behind, in case... Well for safety reasons." I looked down at myself and moved aside the blanket.

"What the actual..." Zeev silenced me with a leathery, taloned hand.

"We're not ready for our presence to be announced just yet." He whispered. "This change is really not that drastic because our bond is so new. I had to borrow from the Corruption of the soul fragment I hold to have enough to even shift you this far, so there's a lot of me mixed in." He ran a talon over the leathery skin that stopped at about my ribcage, leaving my midriff exposed before picking back up again below my navel. A lot of my general shape was still human, but I could tell there were differences. Like the limbs that were too long, the hooked fingernails that weren't quite Zeev's talons, and the smattering of fur swirling up my arms. Plus my teeth didn't feel quite right.

"Hey, where'd the fangs come from?" I complained, pinching them with my fingers. Zeev chuckled.

"The eyes, claws and teeth are all you. We'll have to see as time goes on what kind of creatures you manifest as, but if I had to guess there's definitely going to be some kind of wild cat, you little vicious beast.." Zeev's laughter grew slightly louder. "Though, I do like your pretty eyes with those pupils." He brought my face to his and nuzzled against me gently.

"Now listen carefully, we're about to reach a rather large chamber where I'm basically going to issue a challenge. Most of the Demons will be too smart to mess with us, but some.." Zeev trailed off. "I need you to stay calm and act as unfazed as you possibly can-can you do that for me?" Zeev asked. I gulped.