One Soul Book Two

Chapter Six

Harlee POV

Kayla pulled me into a hug and then tugged me down the short hall into her living room.

“Sit down, please!  I can’t believe you’re running around with as pregnant as you are!  And you’re pregnant again!  Did you tell me?  I don’t remember.”  Kayla nervously twisted her hair as she sat on the loveseat across from me, her knee bouncing quickly.

“Kayla, what’s wrong?”  I asked my coworker-turned-friend.  She gave a light laugh and moved to picking at her lip instead.

“Nothing, nothing.”  Her voice was too high, strained.

“Uhhuh.”  I responded, but let the issue drop.  I had more important things I needed to know about.  “About my job…”  I began.

“Your job?”  Kayla practically squealed.  “You haven’t had that in like a year!”  She stood and started to pace.  “Ash told me you were having memory issues, but I didn't think it was this bad.”  Kayla muttered to herself.

“Wait you know Ash?”  I nearly stood, what was going on.  Kayla pushed me by the shoulders back down and looked at me in disbelief.

“Yes, he, I mean, they work with me.  Or at least they did until recently.  Ash quit when it looked like you weren’t gonna get better anytime soon.”  Kayle chewed a nail nervously.  “God I can’t believe I’m the one who’s gonna hafta try to catch you up.  Ash should be doing this.  Or Zeev.  Or Josh.”  Kayla windmilled her arms in desperation, but I was even more confused.

“Wait, Josh?  That little nerdy high school kid that works with us?  Why him?’  I asked, completely lost.  Kayla turned to look at me with her mouth agape.

“How far back have you forgotten?”  She whispered nervously.

“I don’t know, I forgot!”  I yelled.  The baby jumped in my womb, making me wince.

“Alright fine, then what’s the last thing you remember?”  Kayla demanded.

“Just the same old, same old, work-home-work-home.”  I shrugged.

“Do you remember Zeev?”  She seemed even more nervous now.

“The man I met earlier?  That’s part of the reason I’m here..  Kayla I don’t know if I’m safe.  There are these four men, plus Ash, well Cael is sometimes a little boy and one of them showed me wings and so did Cael though, but Ash.. Ash has scales and they have this huge house and they say it’s mine, but I don’t recognize it and I’m pregnant Kayla and I don’t remember getting that way.  And they say Cael is my son, but how does he bounce from child to adult?  Kayla I think I’m losing my mind..”  I clutched my temples, looking at the floor and shook my head.

“Harlee, you really need to talk to Ash and Zeev about this, they’re your.. Partners?  I guess is the right word.  But beyond that, they know more about Heaven and Hell and whatever is going on with you guys.  I mean I just accidentally made a Deal with Zeev, I’m barely clued in myself..”  Kayla whined.  It was my turn for my mouth to hang open.

“What?”  I exclaimed.  “None of this makes any sense!”  I moaned.

“Listen, it would just be easier, I think, if you know, you ask one of their kind about all this stuff.”  Kayla sat down next to me and took my hands.

“All what stuff?  Polyamory?  Being gender fluid?  Kayla, none of this is making sense to me!”  I complained.  I knew I was being purposefully obtuse, but she couldn’t be suggesting...

“No, no, no.”  Kayla shook her head.  “About them.  You know, Angels and Demons.”  She said the last part in a hushed voice.  I looked at her incredulously.

“Ok Kayla, now I think you’ve flipped your lid.”  I accused.  Kayla grimaced.  There’s no way, just no way.

“But she’s no.”  A soft, seductive voice murmured behind me.  “Thanks Kayla for giving us a call.”  I turned to see Ash smiling gently at Kayla.  My temper tried to boil over as Kayla looked at me apologetically.

“I’m sorry Harlee, but you really are safer with them.  They know what to do to keep you healthy and, well, safe.”  She twirled her hair around her fingers nervously again.  “You need to go back home and let them explain.  Let them take care of you, protect you.  I’ll come visit again, I promise.  I don’t know why you’d want to leave that amazing house anyway.”  Kayla chewed her lip.

“You’ve been to the house?  Protect me?  I don’t.. There’s more questions now than before!”  I threw up my hands.  Ash settled on the arm of the chair beside me.  They reached out a hesitant hand and gently stroked my hair.  I tried to resist flinching, but Ash seemed to recognize that and pulled their hand away.

“Of course I’ve been to your house!  You’re not in solitary confinement!”  Kayla said with exasperation.  “But you were unconscious at the tie, ugh.  I know everybody.  Ash, Sands, Sam, Zeev, little Cael.  I know that Cael is Zeev and your son, and that is yours and Ash’s.”  She points at my stomach.  “I know that Zeev, Sand and Sam are Fallen Angels.  I know Ash is an Incubus.  I know it all Harlee!  I just didn’t know what you knew and what you thought I knew.”  Kayla paused looking at me with her mouth hanging open.  I’d stiffened, staring like she’d lost her mind and as her gaze slid to Ash, I saw Ash give a slight shake of their head, their mouth pressed into a firm, disappointed frown.

“But you didn’t know any of that, did you?”  Kayla cradled her head in her hands.  “I can’t do this.  I don’t know how you’re doing it Ash!  How any of you are!  It sounds crazy!  When I first found out..  I mean I freaked out..  And sooner or later she’s gonna find out-but what happens if she gets attacked before you guys clue her in all the way?”  Kayla had her fingers tangled in her hair as she paced now.  “If you don’t tell her soon, she’s gonna end up like Josh.  Broken and running.  Moving from place to place all the time..”

“What, what happened to Josh?  Did he leave?  Why?”  I asked, confused again.

“Yes Harlee, he left!  He was attacked and he left!  He left because of this crazy.”  She gestured with a sweeping motion at Ash and I.  “Because of you and your crazy!”  Kayla practically shouted, then placed both hands over her mouth in shock.  I turned to look at Ash, who was avoiding my gaze and then back at Kayla, who moved her hands away from her mouth, but didn’t drop them.

“I’m sorry Harlee, that was mean.  You know I love you girl, but some things have happened in the past couple of years that puts everyone in your life in danger, and you worst of all.  So I really think you need to go home to Ash now and let your Angels and Demons explain to you what the Hell is going on.”  With that, Kayla slumped onto the loveseat, hiding her face in her hands, her head bowed.  Ash gently brushed my shoulder.

“Are you ready to go sweetheart?”  Ash asked softly.  I flinched slightly, but looked at Ash’s tender expression as they waited patiently and then back to Kayla’s defeated form.

“Um thanks Kayla, for having me.  I’ll see you later I guess.”  I mumbled and began struggling out of the chair.  Ash immediately hopped up and wrapped cool, strong arms around my waist and shoulders, tugging me upright.

“May I carry you, Harlee?”  Ash asked softly.  “I’m concerned you’ve over exerted yourself today.”  The hand around my waist slipped around to rest lightly on my stomach.  I looked once more at Kayla, who was still sitting slumped on the loveseat and nodded nervously.  Was this all my fault?  Was Kayla serious about the Demons and Angels thing?  I mean, I’d seen some strange stuff but.. What had I gotten into to endanger everyone around me?  And why?  As Ash tugged me into their embrace, one arm under my knees, the other supporting my back, I snuggled into their chest by reflex.  Ash’s skin was so cool and the scent of them..  Ash took several steps before setting me down again.  I didn’t want to let go.

“I thought you said you were going to carry me.”  I muttered.  Ash chuckled.

“Harlee, we’re here.”  Ash murmured.  I looked around, what did Ash mean here?  I jerked and let Ash go in surprise, falling back onto the bed with a small plop and a sparkle of pain in my lower abdomen and back.

“How did we..  I mean..”  I stammered.

“Well, no use hiding it since Kayla spilled the beans, right?”  Ash shrugged and crawled up on the bed, shedding their shirt.  I swallowed as I examined their pale, beautiful skin.  The smell of Autumn doubled, making me lean forward slightly to inhale.  I raised a hand and ran it over Ash’s smooth skin, hearing them moan.  The scent hit me again as Ash lowered their lips to mine, gently brushing against them with the lightest whisper of touches.  Ash groaned again as I tangled my hand in their hair, yanking their face to mine, until Kayla’s voice caught up with me and I pushed Ash back.  Ash looked needy.  Wild.  Desperate.  Their eyes for a moment were pink with slitted pupils.  I withdrew further.