One Soul Book Two

Chapter Fifteen

Harlee POV

They were trying to staunch the bleeding from the gaping hole that just opened through my shoulder blade and chest.

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.”  I wheezed.  Ash, who had a hold of my shoulders while Sands tried to heal me murmurs something soothingly to me.

“I know, I know.”  Ash’s voice sounds pained.

“Nothing.  It’s not closing.  It must be Zeev.  And you can’t sense him?”  Sands asked desperately.  Ash is grimacing, shaking their head.

“He’s got us locked out.  Only scattered images and thoughts come through.”  Ash ripped gauze out of Sam’s hands and began packing it in the wounds.  I screamed.  I could see blood on Ash’s shirt too and wondered if it was mine or theirs.

“She’ll die at this rate.”  Sam snarled.  Sands outright punched him.  I’ve never seen any overt display of aggression from Sands like this, and it’s almost enough to make me forget about the fact that I’m probably dying.

“Th-thanks for the a-announcement S-Sam.”  My teeth were chattering.  I realized I’ve suddenly gone cold.  Ash cursed.

“She’s in shock.”  Ash growled.  I had started shaking when the first rippling wave of pain pulsed across my abdomen.  Ash gasped and dropped the tape they were holding.  It’s too soon.”  Ash whispered.  Sands glanced between the two of us, and then down to my stomach where my hands were resting  as I grimaced.

“Sam, we’re going to need you over here..”  Sands called out and I sucked in a breath as another sharp pain struck me, but this time it was accompanied by something else.  My name, resounding in my head.

Zeev POV

I hit the floor in one of the few rooms Gabe had already restored in his hotel.  The woman in front of me pouted as I gasped, huddling on my knees, clutching my stomach.

“That’s not very sexy baby.”  She complained.  The image flickered.  

Wait, this isn’t real…

“Do we have a lock on the Bonded one?  The Master?”  One Angel asked.  They held me suspended between them by chains, my body dragging.

“Yes, we’re actually headed there now.”  Another Angel replied, this one was holding a chain binding my wrist.

“Is the Abomination still unconscious?”  One of the Angels behind me asked.  Crap, must have seen me move.  A spasm of pain rippled across my abdomen and I clenched up, jerking in their hold.

“Oh!”

“Look out!”

Their voices faded into the background as I concentrated on the pain.  Despite the awkward way the Angels were hauling my body, the pain wasn’t mine.  That could only mean it was Ash’s or Harlee’s, but it almost felt like…

“No!”  I gasped.  It was too early, and if she was going into labor when these four dropped in, everyone else would be distracted.  I began to thrash, panicked.  I may be half mad, but that just made me all the more dangerous.

Harlee POV

“We’ve got no choice, she’s going to have to deliver.  I can’t stop it, and neither can Sands.  And that stab wound is taking too long to heal!”  Sam snarled at Ash.

“But, she still has over a month-”  Ash objected.

“She’ll be fine.  She’s huge.  And the baby’s a Cambion.  It should be just fine as well.”  Sands said soothingly.  I moaned.

“Oh Harlee!”  Ash smoothed my sweaty hair back.  “Welcome back.”  Ash gave me a weak grin.  “You were out for a while there.”

“Ash.. I’m sorry.  I’m sorry to you too Sam, and you Sands.”  I mumbled.  Ash’s eyes went wide.

“Don’t you dare!  I can hear your thoughts Harlee!  You’re not going to die.  You can’t!”  Ash ground their teeth.  “That’s it, I’m doing this.  Zeev can just kill me later for it.”  Ash crawled onto the bed and straddled my chest.

“Ash, you can’t!  Not while she’s awake!  Corruption usually happens over time!  Decades even!”  Sands objected

“She’ll be fine.  With Zeev gone, I’m first Bonded-that means I make the decisions.”  Ash snapped.

“Technically I was-”  Sands broke in.

“No!  I love her Sands!”  Ash argued.

“We all do.”  Sands said softly.

“It’s my child.  I get to make the call, what’s best for them.”  Ash snarled.

“Does that mean when its’ my child I get to make the decisions?”  Sam drawled.  I jolted.  Sam wanted to have children with me now too?  Another contraction stole my attention and I bit back a scream.  I felt the wetness a moment before Sands announced it.

“Water’s broken, if you’re going to do something, do it fast.”  Sands sounded angry.  I couldn’t recall ever hearing that sharp bite in his voice.  Ash looked down at me with a look of pain, a hand raised, sharp claws extended, skin scaly.  They hesitated.

“I’m so sorry Harlee.”  Ash practically sobbed, then slammed their nails into my chest.  Before the pain hit me, I saw Ash’s body bow backwards, a look of immense pain or pleasure on their face.  I couldn’t tell which.  But I felt it when Ash touched my soul.  And I felt it when the inky blackness started to steal across it as the light leached out of me.  It wasn’t that hard to change over.  My depression, fears and anxiety had all dragged me down far enough that my soul yielded readily to that darkness.  Only my mind resisted.  My already broken mnd, that suddenly flooded me with anger, and reasons to resist.  I was tired of having things stolen from me.  I bucked, nearly unseating Ash and sparking another contraction.  New found strength flooded my body as Ash literally fed on my soul, on what was left of my humanity, my goodness.

“Stop!”  I screeched, the sound almost a wildcat’s scream.  Ash fell backwards, tumbling off me, the force of my command giving them no choice but to obey.  “I remember.. I remember..”  I sobbed.  Ash touching my soul had awakened something in me, I didn’t know if I had all of my memories, but I knew enough.  “I need Zeev here.”  I cried as another contraction ripped through me.  I clutched for Sands’ hand.  “Ash, something’s wrong with Zeev.”  I tried to grab for Ash too, but got lost in a groan of pain.  My eyes fell closed and I tensed up as the contraction stole my breath.  The pain in my shoulder and chest throbbed, my jaw and ribs were sore, and Zeev..  there was panic feeding through our link, making mine worse.

“Please Ash.. You have to find Zeev, I think.. He’s in trouble..”  I moaned, trying to throw what I felt through our connection.

“Oh I wouldn’t worry too much about ‘Zeev’ if I were you..”  A cold voice stated.  This is him, isn’t it?”  An Angel paced into the room and tossed Zeev’s limp body on the floor, chains rattling.  Zeev doubled up in pain and growled with a nasty look over his shoulder.

Zeev POV

They thought they had incapacitated me, but they underestimated one thing: the human spirit that resided in my breast.  The Angel’s eyes lit up as he took in Harlee.

“So it’s true, it is you!”  He gloated as the other three Angels stepped into the room behind him.  The room erupted into a whirlwind of noise and movement.  As the Angel pulled the spear from my shoulder, prepping it to fight the other Demons rushing him in the room, I took the opportunity to bite three fingers off the left hand he didn’t retract fast enough.  The Grace hit the wound like a sledgehammer, but we needed more to heal.  I could smell Harlee’s blood from here.

Sam let out an outraged roar and his Form changed.  Dark wings descended, he took on a dark countenance, and he seemed to grow several feet.  He still didn’t completely change into his Demon Form, but this was the closest I’d seen in years.  He was pissed.  The Angel with the spear took one look and his mouth gaped open.

“S-Samael!”  The Angel stammered.  They didn’t take the time to examine all my Marks very well, or they might not have decided to try to tussle with the Arch Angel of Death himself.

“Why is it the enemy is the only one who actually calls me by my proper name?”  Sam grumbled.  I cackled madly.