CHAPTER SEVEN

BY LOYCE

The putrid smell of embalming fluid hung in the air as Hilde made her way down the chilled hallway that lead to the morgue. It was a smell that she had grown used to, something that at first caused her stomach to turn, but now it just tickled her nose. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor, the only sound to be heard. The walls were a blinding white color, enough so that Hilde squinted her eyes and picked up her pace.

Above a set of security patrolled wooden doors, a sign hung off center. 'County Morgue.' It read. Showing proper ID and providing the correct key code, the doors slowly opened, creaking on their hinges like something out of a horror movie, where a dead zombie would be waiting on the other side with a chain saw.

On the other side of the door, the hallway was dimly lit. The off-white walls were a welcome sight to her eyes. Shadows danced in the corners as one of the overhead lights blinked in rhythm with the humming noises coming from the morgue. She could almost predict when the light would flicker, knowing what machine was in use just from its sound.

How many times had she walked this path, down to the morgue in her career? More times than she could count and just recently, more times than she wanted. This killer was getting out of hand and he or she had to be stopped once and for all.

Stopping outside of the door, Hilde picked up a pair of gray surgical scrubs off the table and began pulling them on over her clothes. Through the door she could hear the music blasting, the lyrics muffled but Hilde knew the song by heart. Before she pushed open the cold metal doors, she picked up a pair of the patented latex gloves and tucked them into the waistband of her scrubs.

Her fingers made contact with the chilled steel doors, but she didn't pull them back. This was another thing she had grown used to, the chill in the air that mingled with the smell of death. With a heavy sigh, she laid both hands on the door and with a shove, she moved inside the room.

"Blood on her skin... Dripping with Sin... Do it again... Living Dead Girl." It was second nature for her to pick up with the lyrics of the song and finish singing them, along with the young attendant who was busy at work. Reaching over to the CD player near the door, Hilde flipped the device off once the last lyrics had been sung.

"I was listening to that, you tramp." A smooth feminine voice rang out breaking the silence.

"Good morning, you crazy bitch."

"Good morning to you, you twenty dollar whore."

Hilde laughed. "Ouch, Lu. That's the best one you've come up with in a while. Though I don't think she would appreciate that comment too much."

Shrugging her shoulders, Lu turned around and rolled her eyes. "She's dead. We could talk about her mother and she wouldn't give a damn."

"Such a compassionate soul you are, Lucrezia." Hilde watched her friend move away from the examination table and over to the small desk in the corner of the room. For the most part, the morgue was completely done in metal, making for an easy clean up. Drains littered the floor around the table, along with a series of small tray containing all of the surgical instruments. A few cabinets where hung over the counters that line the walls, and a grocery scale hung near the far corner.

Turning, Hilde saw Lu picking up her breakfast. "Is that healthy?"

Lu looked down at her Po-Boy before taking a huge bit out of the sandwich and answering her with a full mouth. "Probably not. I loaded this thing with everything, including the kitchen sink, but there's nothing like dying young..." Her voice trailed off as she swallowed the rest of the sandwich.

Through assessing eyes, Hilde watched the emotions play on Lu's face. "Why don't you come out with me tonight? We'll hit the town, like we used to. We'll show those young punks all about the Bourbon Street nightlife."

"And do you plan on driving? From what I hear, you're still taxi bound since the boys have your vehicle in impound." Dropping the amused tone in her voice, Lu continued. "I'm worried about you, Hil. Talk is that someone has it out for you. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm alive and except for the fact that I'm still pissed off about someone tried to run me down and I can't drive anywhere." Hilde placed her hands on her hips. "Come on, what do you say? I'm dying for a Hurricane."

Lu waved her off. "Sorry, Hil. Not tonight. I've got a ton of work to get done. You keep bringing more stiffs every week to work on, its never a dull moment in my world."

Hilde shook her head. "But you can't live constantly in your world, it's not healthy and you know that Lu." She walked over to her friend and placed her hands on Lu's shoulders. "Where did this preoccupation with death come from? It's because of him, isn't it?" She watched Lu downcast her eyes. "You have to let it go, it wasn't your fault, and you know that, right?"

Sensing Lu was upset about the current direction of the conversation, Hilde decided to get back to the real reason for her visit to the morgue. "Well what do you have for me today?" As she closed in on the examination table, Hilde pulled on a pair of familiar plastic gloves.

"Contestant: Sylvia Noventa. Hails from a broken family located in one of the bayous on the out skirts of New Orleans." Lu pulled the sheet down to reveal Sylvia's face. "She's your average hooker, though this one had some smarts."

"Do tell." Hilde picked up the few pages of scribbled notes and glanced over them as Lu gave her to run down.

"Well, lets start off with the external analysis. The deceased is a Caucasian female, in her mid twenties, five foot five inches, weighing in at one hundred and five pounds. There's a deep ligature mark around the victims neck. Cause of death: asphyxiation. No hematomas around the wound show that the victim was unprepared for the attack. Some petechial hemorrhaging can be found in the eyes. A few defensive wounds are found around the neck, which is backed up by DNA analysis of fingernail scrapping, indicating that she fought to pull the weapon away from her neck. Deoxygenation, which lead to cyanosis, tinted her extremities blue another indication that she probably struggled with her attacker. No evidence of sexual assault was found."

"Just like all the others." Hilde sighed tossing the notes down on the on of the trays. "You mentioned that you found her DNA under her fingernails. Did you find any foreign ones?"

Lu eyed sent her a confused look. "With all the signs pointing to the fact that she fought back, you'd think she at least would have gotten on good swipe in, but there was no other skin or hair. Pretty strange, huh?"

Hilde thought back to over everything that happened in the last 48 hours and snickered. "Everything's been beyond strange as of late." Though Lu was her best friend, she wasn't exactly sure if she could tell her about Duo and the strange encounter she had last night. Things were a jumbled mess, a mess that she wasn't so sure she should drag her friend into. "Please continue."

"As for an internal examination, the girl was messed up. Her larynx and esophagus were both completely crushed, which is hard to believe since the murder weapon was a rosary. The person welding the weapon had to have been pretty strong to do that type of damage. Blisters were found in the back of the throat, along with worn tooth enamel, points to bulimia. Her liver is too fatty, too light, too orange and too big. Five bucks if you remember what that means."

"Heavy drinker."

"I always knew you were smart. Her lungs are nearly sixty percent contaminated with carbon dioxide and dead. She must have started smoking at a young age. If she hadn't been killed, she would have probably died from liver disease, cancer or OD."

"OD? But she doesn't have any track marks on her arms." Hilde pulled one of the victim's arms out from under the sheet and inspected it. Sure enough, the veins in her arms should no indication of drug use. As she continued to look over the body for any signs of needle marks, the light bulb went off in her head. "Between the toes, right?"

"You get a gold star for the day." Lu moved down to the end of the table and pushed back the blanket. Pulling the dead woman's toes apart, she pointed out the various needle marks. "This is where she showed her smarts. My bet is that she didn't want to let her John's know at the she was an addict. Even horny men with money to spend have morals."

Hilde stood back up. "Do you have the toxic report?"

"I wont get it back until tomorrow. My hunch is she was probably on something at the time of death. Other than that, I couldn't find anything else that would help you with the investigation, Hilde."

Another dead end. Everything lead to the same conclusion; that they were being toyed with by someone how knew how to beat the system. A low growl came from her throat as she yanked off the gloves and tossed them into a near by waist basket. She took a quick glance at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was Monday. That gave her about six days before the killer would strike again, unless he got antsy and struck sooner.

Lu turned away from the body and made her way back over to the desk. She was muttering under her breath, inaudible words that only sounded like ringing in Hilde's ears.

Ignoring her friend, Hilde looked down into the face of the dead woman and brushed a piece of dull blond hair out of the way. I wish you could tell me who did this to you.

The young woman's eyes sprung open. Her mouth pulled against the sewn stitches breaking free, the corners of her pale lips tilting up in a sinister smile. "Be careful. You're blood will be spilled next."

A scream bubbled up from her stomach as Hilde flung back from the table, knocking over a few of the surgical trays sending instruments tumbling to the floor along with her. Her hand landed on the shape edge of a scalpel, as she tried to catch herself, breaking the skin. A small rivulet of blood flowed from the open wound and down the drain. Even though the pain registered, she couldn't stop herself from scooting further away from the table.

Small arms wrapped around her. "Hilde! Hilde, are you all right? What happened?"

"Her eyes... She opened her eyes." Every nerve in her body began to shake as shock settled in. Tears started to well up in her eyes, blurring the images of the morgue and the friendly face in front of her. Hilde moved both of her hands over her ears, trying to block out the gravely sound of Sylvia's voice. Blood smeared across the side of her face. "I'm next, Lu. I'm going to be next. It's never going to be all right, Lu. Never."

Lu glanced back over her shoulder and looked at the body. The victim's eyes and mouth were shut. Turning back to Hilde, she saw how pale her friend had become. "Hilde, honey, you're hallucinating. Nothing happened." She gathered the younger woman in her arms. "I think you've been under too much stress lately. You need to go home and get some rest, dear. I really am worried about you."

"I'm okay." Hilde pushed away from the hold and began to rise on shaky legs. She kept her eyes adverted from the figure clad in the white sheet. "I need to go." Trembling fingers tugged at the scrubs she was wearing, hastily pulling them over her head and down her legs. "Send me a copy of the official report once you've finished it, Lu."

"Hilde?"

The air in the room grew heavy, making it hard for Hilde to breath. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her. No longer able to stand the room, she started backing towards the door. When she felt the cool metal penetrate through her clothing, she spun around and ran through the doors, leaving Lu calling after her.

****************

"I don't know, Murphy. She just ran out of here like a bat at of hell." Lu ran a hand through her short dark hair. "I tried to go after her, but by the time I hit street level, she had disappeared."

"Is she okay, Lu. Did she get her wound looked at?" His concerned voice called through the static on the phone.

Unable to help herself, Lu paced the length of the morgue. "I'm not sure she was even thinking straight. She's probably walking the streets still bleeding from the cut on her hand." She stopped and laid a steadying hand on her desk. "You should have seen her, Murphy. Her eyes were wide and glossed over, she had gone completely pale and she was covered in sweat. Do you know what's going on with her?"

"I was hoping you'd be able to answer that question for me, Lu. You're the closest thing to family she's got and you're her best friend, but it seems she's keeping this a secret from all of us."

"Yeah." It hurt to know that Hilde was hiding something from her, but then again, she had her own secrets that she would probably never share with her closest friend. "She hasn't shown up at the office yet, has she?"

Murphy sighed. "Nope. She must have stopped off at the morgue first thing this morning. No one's seen her all day, and she hasn't shown her face in the building yet." His voice took a reassuring tone. "Don't worry, Lu. I've got a couple of units out looking for her now. Though she'd probably tan my hide if she knew."

"More like she'd demote your ass."

"Probably." He snickered. "Well beautiful, I have to get back to work. I'll call you as soon as we find her, I promise."

Lu cradled the phone against the side of her face like it was her lifeline. "I'm holding you to that promise. I better get going too, even though it's pretty dead around here." She could hear Murphy smack his forehead. "I know, bad joke, but I couldn't help myself. Take care, okay? Bye Murphy."

She waited for the line to go dead before she broke the connection. Clicking the button with her finger, she laid the cordless phone back into its base and leaned up against her desk. Something was very wrong with Hilde. The concern she had felt when she had looked into her friends wide, scared eyes had now been replaced with the beginnings of fear.

Was Hilde losing her mind? After all of the cases she had worked on, was this the one that was finally going to break her? Had the constant sight, smell and the lingering memories of death cause this?

Expelling a deep breath, Lu knew she didn't have much room to talk. Hilde was right; she was obsessed with the dead. An obsession just as unhealthy as drug use, and nearly as addicting. Death had followed her all her life.

Her mother died in child birth, her shortly after. Seems her father couldn't survive without her mother, dying from what Lu now termed as a 'broken heart.' So, barely old enough to hold up her head, she was placed into the system. Most people think that newborns, even infants, would be easy to place into loving homes, but in a poor state like Louisiana, that's hardly the case.

When she got older, she was placed with a foster family. For a while, it she was able to forget about the horrors of the orphanage. But just as she was settling in with her new family, tragedy struck again. On the way home from a trip to Biloxi, the van they were riding in, overturned, killing everyone on board and severely injuring her in the process. At nine, she was hardly old enough to be out in the world alone; so after she healed from her injuries, she was once again put back into the system.

Years passed and Lu was continually bounced around to different parts of the state, as they tired to find a place for her in the over crowded homes. With one more year until she would be free of the system, she ended up at a home on the outskirts of New Orleans. There she met a young raven-haired girl named Hilde and a boy by the name of Charlie.

Three years younger than her, Lu took them both under her wing, making sure that they were cared for and never wanted for anything. Even if it meant sneaking out and stealing the things they needed, food clothes and the occasional surprise. Then one night, Charlie followed her, and ended up stumbling into a wrong neighborhood. His body was found two days later, and she still couldn't forgive herself.

Sighing, Lu moved away from her desk, leaving her wayward thoughts behind and walked over to the examination table. All of the important testing, evidence collection, and documentation had been completed on the last victim. The only thing left to do was to finish preparing the body for burial.

Apparently the Noventa family decided that they didn't want the body of their youngest daughter. That meant that Sylvia would be cremated via taxpayers' money, taking the expense off of them. Shaking her head, Lu used the remote control to turn on the CD player.

The room was once again filled with the sounds of Goth rock music. Lu adjusted the volume lower so she could her the ring of the phone, if Murphy called her with any news on Hilde. She cast the phone a quick look, wondering if she should try to reach Hilde at her house, but decided against the idea. That was probably the first place that Murphy had checked. Her mouth lifted into a half smile. It was obvious that the gray-eyed man had some strong feelings for Hilde, but Lu doubted anything would ever grow out of the simple infatuation. Reaching to the table beside her, Lu took hold of her gloves, only to drop them back on the metal tray.

A cold breeze fluttered the papers on her desk. They danced across her desk, flying in circles, but never falling to the floor. There were no windows in the morgue, only chilled stonewalls covered in cabinets and freezers. Lu knew exactly what had caused the papers to stir across the top of her desk.

"I was wondering how long you'd stay away."

The cold wind tickled the tip of her nose before moving away from her. She tried to follow it, but it mixed with the stale air of the room, throwing her off his trail. He was playing games with her again. Excitement coursed through her body as she waited to feel his icy touch again. However, he seemed more inclined to make her wait this time. Normally, he would wrap her in his seductive embrace within moments of entering the room, but not this time.

"Why do you have to toy with me so? You know that I want to feel you." Lu said, spinning around in a circle, talking to thin air. "And I know that you want to feel me too. The air is pulsing with your energy. You're not every good at hiding your emotions from me, are you?"

Her teasing worked, and immediately she was taken in by the cold air. Sensations worked over her, little waves crashing on the shoreline, a never-ending torture she enjoyed. He knew what pleased her, what excited her, how to make her beg for more and of course how to fulfill her.

It was a well-practiced seduction, one that he had probably practiced on other women in the past, willing them to do his bidding. But enveloped in his phantom embrace, it felt more than just a normal seduction. She craved more, needed more; more importantly she wanted him. Not him in spirit form, but him in a tangible form that she could entwine her body with.

"Please take me back with you."

The second the words were whispered passed through her lips; Lu wished she had been able to hold them back. The cold air that had brought her pleasure was whipped away leaving her raw and weak. It felt as if sheets had been pulled abruptly away from her body, leaving her without any form of protection and alone.

"Don't go!" Lu took a step forward and reached out, hoping to find him, but all she found was warm air. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, causing her vision to blur. It took control to keep her tears from entering her voice. "Please don't leave me alone. I didn't mean it, honestly." She knew she was lying to not only him, but also herself.

She did want to go with him. To wherever it was; heaven, hell or some black void. It didn't matter as long as she could be with her ghostly lover. Lu spun around, her hands clasped together at her chest. Closing her eyes, she tried to concentrate on his energy. His dry snicker floated in the air, sparking her anger and drying her tears. "You're laughing at me, aren't you? Why wouldn't you be? I mean, here you are, playing with a mortal female, seducing her into following you to the ends of the Earth. This is a game, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to stop playing."

Her hands balled into fists and struck them against her thighs. Lu knew some of her anger was directed at him, but the blunt of it was directly at herself. Scoffing, she turned away from the direction of his energy and moved back over to the examination table.

"Please, just... just leave."

Even with the room as silent as the above ground cemetery just down the street, her voice barely made a sound. She felt his presence grow closer, but she ignored it and began pulling on a set of plastic gloves.

It was then, when she was carefully rebuilding her defenses that he touched her; a soft chilled caress that fluttered against her cheek. Helpless, she leaned into it, feeling the shape up his hand cupping her face. And then it was gone.

His simple touch had more meaning, more feeling in it then she could have ever thought possible. The air in the room returned to normal as he slipped back into his world. Sinking to her knees, Lu wrapped her arms around herself and began rocking back and forth on the cold floor.

***************

"Stupid woman. Never on time."

Wufei muttered under his breath as he leaned against the far wall of her chambers. Shielded under invisibility, he had managed to find his way into heaven without drawing any attention to his presence or is actions. And until she walked into the room, he planned to stay that way, hidden from view.

He couldn't stop himself when he heard the news. While waiting to hear his orders from Akmen, he overheard his leader's conversation. It seemed that Dorothy had yet again failed in her mission, and from the energy that poured out of his commander's room, Dorothy was going to have her hands full the moment she returned to hell. Right now, she was probably off somewhere, licking her wounds and trying to fabricate a story to tell Akmen why she failed. And if she brought Sally's name into the mix, Akmen wouldn't be the only one that Dorothy had to deal with.

It was while he was listening to the conversation that he learned Gabriel had sent Sally to take care of the priest. 'More like she begged to be sent.' He knew her, in every sense of the phrase. They had been lovers long before the trial. Though their individual stubbornness bounced off each other, and they had threatened to kill one another on several occasions, they had always been able to find a neutral ground when they were between the sheets.

But even then, he wasn't stupid. Wufei knew the punishment if he was ever caught for his transgression and the fear of seeing Sally stripped of her status prompted him to stop the affair. His sides of his fists slammed into the wall on either side of him. It was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, and he lived with the regret.

Images of her tear filled eyes still haunted him, even after thousands of years. It had been a callous way of breaking off their relationship, but he needed Sally to forget about him, forget about the fact that she loved him. He had to turn her love for him into hate in order for him to save them both and the plan had worked, though he nearly failed.

When Sally had whispered those three cherished words, wrapped in his embrace, he almost faltered and returned the words before his mind took control. Instead, he laughed; a heartless laugh that chilled the air in the room. Most of the confrontation remained a blur to him, maybe that way he wouldn't have to remember what a bastard he had been to her. But he did remember was the broken look that shone in her face, while her tear filled eyes blazed at him in anger. And her words, 'How could I have ever been stupid enough to fall in love with a demon? I've guess I learned my lesson. Thank you, Wufei, for teaching it to me.'

He sighed. The problem was that he didn't love her, just that he loved her too much to allow anything to happen to her. That was part of the reason he was in her room now. Word had spread that she had been through a pretty tough fight with Duo. Accounts of her injuries hadn't been mentioned in his realm, leaving him to find out first hand if she was all right.

The door to her chambers opened and Wufei caught his breath the moment he saw her. Her face was covered in scratches and bruises. The material of her pale blue tunic was ripped in several places. White bandages were wound around her left arm. The wings she cherished hung against her back. It pained him to see her in such a state. His hands itched to wrap around Duo's neck and squeeze the life out of him, even if he was a friend.

"So, you've come to rub it in, haven't you?"

Her tone was cooler than he had ever heard. Walking away from the wall, he tossed aside his invisibility and moved in front of her. "I would never..."

"You'd never what? Rub in the fact that I failed in my mission? Laugh at me?" She broke off the eye contact. "Please, say your demeaning words and leave me alone. I don't have time for this."

She was broken, beaten, and from the way her wings hung, exhausted. It took most of his control to rein in his emotions and not cup her face with his hands and wipe away the tears that threatened in her voice. "I didn't come here to fight with you, woman."

"Woman?!" Her head swung up, her chin raised in defiance.

Mentally smacking himself, Wufei prepared for the full fury of her anger. This time he wouldn't stop her; he'd let her get it all out in the open.

"You have no right to call me 'woman'! Let alone, coming into my private chambers. Do you have any idea what could possibly happen to you, that you've trespassed on holy ground?"

It shocked him to hear the hint of concern in her voice. Even after all the years that had passed between them, she still loved him, like he still loved her. He made took another step toward her, only to have her wrap her arms around her waist and step away from him.

"If they found you here..." She broke off, her voice so faint, before she recovered the strength of her anger. "What they would do to you would be too good, for the likes of you. You deserve only the punishments that they cook up in Hell."

He tried to control the growl that lingered in the back of his throat. Sally had more right to be anger at him than anyone else he knew. Keeping her in his sights, Wufei took a step towards her, determined to punch through her anger and find out if she was truly all right. Before he could take another step towards her, Sally squared her shoulders.

"Leave." She stated as she pointed towards the door with her injured arm.

"I can't..."

She scoffed. "That's right, you haven't said what you've come here to say. Well let me help you out, Wufei. I've. Failed. My. Mission." A dry laugh escaped from her lips. "Does it make you feel better for me to say it, or do you need to actually rub it in my face before I'll get you to leave? How about I tell you what you've always thought about me?"

"Sally, you're pushing me too far." His eyes narrowed. Hearing her talk about herself with such disgust, made his skin crawl.

"I'm weak." She looked as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "There, I've said it. Now please, just leave..."

Wufei looked on as Sally squeezed her eyes shut, pinched lines of pain radiating from their corners. He rushed forward to catch her as her knees gave out from underneath of her, only to have her wave him off. "You're worse off then you're letting on, aren't you?"

"I'm fine." Sally growled at him as she wrapped an arm around her ribs.

"Damnit, Sally..."

"Sally, are you all right?"

Wufei knew whom the owner of the voice of the angel just beyond her door. His blood boiled over as he watched him push open her door, like he owned the place, and stroll into her chambers.

Golden eyes glared at him from the doorway. "What in the name of God are you doing here, Wufei?"

"That's none of your business, Gabriel."

Gabriel's face twisted as he tried to keep his emotions under wraps. "I make it my business when you come here, bothering those under my protection." He pushed his way passed Wufei and moved towards Sally. "Has he hurt you in anyway?"

"I'm fine, Gabriel."

Over Gabriel's shoulder, she sent Wufei a pleading look. Her blue eyes asked him to leave the room before things got worse, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his feet to move. He couldn't leave her, not with Gabriel in the same room as her, not when he had that look in his eyes. The look of a man in love, the same look Wufei tried to keep out of his own eyes.

The blood that had been boiling, almost combusted when he watched Gabriel gently stroke one of Sally's bruised cheeks. "Get your hands off her, Gabriel."

"Better for me to touch her, then for her to be soiled by the touch of a demon."

Uncontrollable rage coursed through his body. Before he even knew what he was doing, Wufei cupped his hands against his chest. His eyes turned from ebony to a glowing red, as he focused all of his energy in to his weapon. Moving his hands apart, the light took on the form of a sword, with the blade still glowing red, like it had just been pulled from the fires of Hell. He easily whipped the blade around, the hilt grasped in his right hand, the blade lying parallel to his outstretched left arm.

Gabriel pushed a protesting Sally behind his back and reached for his own sword. The metal whined as it was pulled from the sheath, the blade glistening pure silver in the light of the room. He raised his weapon in front of his face, the blade turned on its side. His eyes narrowed as he looked passed the smooth surface of the sword.

"Please, Wufei, Gabriel, stop this madness!" Sally's words were breathless as she spoke.

But both men were passed the point of listening.

They stood, waiting for the other to make the first move. Time seemed to draw along, making the individual grains of sand in the hourglass visible. Finally, Gabriel lunged forward, pulling his sword from its initial position into one poised for battle.

Wufei moved to block his blow, when he looked passed Gabriel and into Sally's pale face. Her face was etched with concern and worry, but then her eyes drifted closed. The hand that had been supporting her against the wall, slipped away, allowing her body to pitch forward. Without thinking, Wufei rushed forward, ducking under Gabriel's attack and knocking the angel off his feet. His sword fell from his hands as he ran to catch Sally before she hit the ground.

Her limp body fell against him like dead weight, knocking him off balance and causing the both of them to fall to the floor. Wrapping her in his embrace, he moved the strands of loose hair from her face. "Sally. Damnit, Sally, speak to me!"

Slowly, her eyes opened and she smiled. The tint of her skin was still deathly pale. "Wufei..." She reached a shaking hand up, to cup his face, but her eyes quickly closed and her hand fell back to the floor.

"Sally!" His heart-wrenching cry echoed through out her chambers.

****************

Stepping out of Charity Hospital, Hilde looked down at the small gauze bandage wrapped around the palm of her hand. Somehow, common sense had prevailed and she had ended up in the Emergency Room of the New Orleans hospital.

It had taken the nurse a few minutes to stitch up the wound. The nurse shook her head when she had turned Hilde's hands and eyed the blood pouring out of the gash. The tetanus shot had stung, but the burning sensation hadn't been able to clear her mind of the image of Sylvia's mouth and eyes opening, giving her the warning.

The dead girl had been right; her blood had spilled. Now the question was how much more was going to fall before this whole thing was over with. No one seemed to have an answer for her.

Hilde walked down the street, oblivious to everything going on around her. In the past few days, everything she had known was completely turned upside down. What she once thought was a stable life, was in shambles, and she wasn't exactly sure if she'd be able to pick up the pieces. With her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, she stumbled toward the heart of the French Quarter. Street vendors attracted the attention of tourists, with their magical tricks, card games and jazz music.

She came to an abrupt halt when the pendant she was wearing around her neck began to grow warm. A gentleman slammed into her, knocking her off balance, calling her a few choice words before continuing on his way, never offering her assistance. However, Hilde was too busy pulled the hot pendant out from underneath her shirt to pay him any attention.

From some unknown reason, she felt compelled to hold the pendant in her injured hand. The warmth seeped through the bandages, spreading across her entire palm. Pain, although it was faint, caused her to bite her bottom lip until both the pain and heat disappeared. Eyeing her hand, she unwrapped the bandage, letting it fall to the ground.

The stitches along with the wound were gone. There wasn't even a trace of a scar to show that she wasn't dreaming. Somehow lost in her thoughts, she had wandered to the Moon Walk, and staring at her from across Decatur Street was the towering outline of St. Louis Cathedral.

An invisible force pulled her past the bronze statue of Andrew Jackson and towards the open doors of the Cathedral. Never once in her life, had she ever walked into a church of her own accord, but for some reason, with her mind jumbled with a ton of conflicting thoughts and emotions, she sought out the sanctuary that the Catholic church always preached about.

Her eyes adjusted to the light and she took notice of all the people kneeling in the pews that lead up to the huge ornate alter. Surrounding her where a number of murals that mixed the baroque and Renaissance artistic styles of painting depicting the Nativity and the Seventh Crusade. The atmosphere of the church was overpowering. She didn't step further into the cathedral, but as she backed up toward the entryway, Hilde noticed an elderly woman bent in silent prayer in front of a display of candles. Clutched in her feeble hand, was a black beaded rosary.

Tilting her head to the side, Hilde continued to stare at the woman as she moved from bead to bead on the chain. A dull ache started to throb in her temple and soon the pain became intense, causing her to squint in order to keep the woman in focus. Blackness began to close in and her breathing had become erratic. Spinning on her heels, Hilde darted for the light that was just beyond the main doors of the Cathedral. She crossed the threshold and made a move for the railing for the stairs, when everything around her went black...

...The bead felt smooth as she worried it between her fingers, hoping that it would ease her troubled mind. Her voice, barely above a whisper, was lost in the silence of the room. "Hail Mary, full of grace..."

Even as she continued the prayer, she felt the moment that he stepped into the chapel. She could feel his eyes as the fixated on her back, never drifting from her knelt form.

"I thought I might find you in here. Self punishment is not the answer, Hilde."

Lifting her head, she watched the silver eyes of her mentor from across the room. They were filled with concern. "I feel the need to ask God for His forgiveness. My actions today nearly cost the life of another."

With her knees still cushioned by the padding in front of the vigil candles, Hilde shivered as the memory of scaring Trowa replayed in her mind. She never meant to harm him, to harm anyone, but she let her temper get the upper hand. She let go of the comforting beads of her rosary, allowing it to fall back in her lap.

Hilde turned back away from him and stared into the light shinning from the white candle. The path of an angel in God's army was one that had to be paved with good intentions and she wasn't exactly sure if she could hold her temper in check when the time came. Today it was Trowa, who else would feel the sting of her sword in the heat of the moment? It was something she didn't want to find out.

Michael padded across the marble floor of the chapel and knelt by his ward. The weight of his feathered wing rested on her shoulder as he pulled her closer. "Hilde, God knows that you did not maliciously try to hurt Trowa and both of them have given you their forgiveness."

"They may have forgiven me, but I haven't forgiven myself." She sighed. "I don't think I can be in God's army anymore, Michael."

"I'll not hear you speak like that, Hilde. It was my decision to train you and I'm not going to go back on that judgment now." He turned her face towards his. "You have much to learn, child. And I have nothing but high expectations for you, Hilde. One day, you'll take over my place on the council."

She smiled. "No one will ever approve of me being on the council, Michael, and you know that." Hilde leaned closer against her mentor. "Besides, you're not going anywhere any time soon."

"I don't plan on it, but I have to be prepared, Hilde." He gave her a quick hug. "Now, I'll give you a few more minutes to be by yourself, but I expect you to be on the practice field again later this afternoon."

After she was sure that Michael had left her alone, she reached down into her lap and picked up her discarded rosary. The ritual was second nature to her. She made the sign of the cross, placing a chaste kiss on the crucifix and stated the Nicene Creed. Closing her eyes, she started back at the beginning, holding the first bead between her fingers and began to recite the prayers.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name..."

Her eyelids felt heavy as she tried to open them and bright light threatened to increase the headache that had consumed her. When she was finally able to open her eyes, the blurry image of a young woman came into view. It took a few seconds for her vision to clear, bring the fuzzy image into focus.

The pale-eyed woman looked down on her with concern. "I got here as soon as I could. Are you all right, Hilde?"

Her statement only seemed to escalate Hilde's already mounting confusion. Taking hold of the hand that was offered, she allowed the curly haired brunette to help her to her feet. Hilde wobbled a little before her knees and legs felt sturdy enough to give support.

"Do I know you?"

Her smile lit up her face. "Let's just say, I'm a friend of Trowa's."

At the mention of his name, Hilde grew more suspicious about the situation and began to back away from the woman. "Look I appreciate your help, but please just..." Hilde stopped when the pendant hanging around her neck began to pulse with energy. Her eyes drifted down to the sliver of stone hanging between her breast and then back up into the face of the woman standing in front of her. "What in the hell is going on?"

"My name's Catherine Bloom." She extended her hand. "I'm not here to hurt you, Hilde. Trowa would kill me if any ill befell you."

"You know what's going on, don't you, Catherine?" Hilde watched the smile falter from the woman's face as she dropped her offered hand. "Why does every one but me know what in the world is going on? What are these dreams I keep having? What do they mean? And what does this all have to do with me and that priest?" Throwing her hands up in the air, Hilde became more agitated.

"Hilde, please try and calm down." Catherine's calm voice did little to break through the anxiety building inside of Hilde. Reaching out she laid her hand on Hilde's shoulder.

Hilde felt a jolt from the contact between them. A light airy feeling swept across through her body, clearing her mind of its confusion and bringing her back to focus. As Catherine pulled her hand away, Hilde looked down at the glowing pendant that hung from the silver chain around her neck. She flashed Catherine a questioning look, but before she could ask her about what just happened, Catherine smiled.

"I don't think this is the appropriate place to answer some of your questions. Let's go to back to my shop. It's only a few blocks from here."

****************

He could understand why Duo fell in love with this place. Earth was unlike any other place he had been to before. Since he had been self-exiled from Hell, Heero had spent most of his time stuck in the mortal realm. Sitting on the edge of the rectory roof, he looked on as the city came to life with each passing second.

From his perch, he was able to watch Duo as he completed his daily chores. His lips quirked as he held back the laugh at watching the once proud demon, reduced to pulling weeds from the over grown flowerbeds. However, Duo seemed to be enjoying the menial task. As his friend picked up the trash bag, he groaned and a grabbed his side.

Though the mystical pendant around his neck had healed the wound, the pain still radiated from his tired muscles. He had taken a blow from Sally before the cross had protected him from further harm. Sally was not any easy force to deal with, as he had learned on the battlefield many years ago. Heero was still amazed that even as a mortal, Duo had been able to evade the attack from one of Heaven's best warriors.

However, it still plagued Heero why Akmen had sent Dorothy to dispose of him. Dorothy was cunning and powerful, but Akmen had to have been aware that she was no match for him, so why had he sent her on a mission he knew she was going to fail. His head snapped up; he had the answer. Akmen had wanted her to fail, but then a new question was raised: Why?

Knowing he wouldn't find out the answer in this realm, he once again focused his efforts on trying to protect his friend. Following advice that had been given to him long ago, Heero closed his eyes and listened to the wind, trying to find that natural rhythm Duo had talked about and listening out for the next threat that would be coming their way.

The wind changed direction for only a spilt second, but it was enough time for Heero to realize he wasn't alone anymore. He didn't need to turn around to know who was standing behind him. "Relena."

"Heero." Her cool voice responded.

At her acknowledgement, he lifted up from his position and turned to face her. It took almost all of his strength to keep a mask of indifference on his face. Relena stood only a few feet away from him, clad in a flowing pale peach dress. Her blond hair was unbound from it's normal ponytail, dancing in the mid morning breeze around her face. Without knowing it, she had created another image that would plague his waking thoughts.

"I'm not here on orders, I just wanted to let you know that." Relena took a tentative step toward him.

His eyes narrowed as she took another step forward. "If you're not here on orders, then why are you here?"

"I'm not exactly sure." Relena replied, folding her hands together in front of her.

"How's Sally?" Heero hadn't meant to ask the question, but it passed his lips before his mind had a chance to stop him. He had always respected the angel, and he knew that once Wufei found out about her injuries, nothing would keep the smitten demon from giving her a piece of his mind.

Shock was visible on Relena's face, coupled with a puzzled glint in her eyes. "I don't know. I was in Daedalus garden talking to..." She paused, causing his suspicion to be peaked, before she continued. "When she returned she was taken to the infirmary. I only got to see her for a moment, but she was in intense pain. My understanding is she took a serious blow from the priest."

"Hn."

An uncomfortable silence grew in the small distance between them. Finally, he turned away from her and tried to focus his attention back on Duo. He thought that she would take the hint, and leave, but Relena continued to hold her ground behind him. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? Heero knew why, because from the moment he first laid eyes on her, she caught his attention with her grace, compassion and determination. It didn't take him too long to realize that he felt all of the same feelings and sensations that Duo had described to him about when he knew he was in love with Hilde.

"Heero?"

He kept his eyes trained on the man he was protecting. "You're still here? I thought you left." He'd kept his tone cool and emotionless, getting the desired response out of her. Anger poured off her, but instead of turning away, she walked up to stand beside him.

"I don't even know why I bothered listening to him."

She caught him off guard with her mumbled comment. "Who?" Heero cringed at the sound of his voice breaking past his lips. What power did Relena that whenever she was around caused every ounce of common sense he possessed to flee his grasp? The damn annoying inner voice was about to identify the power when she interrupted.

"Quatre."

Shaking his head, Heero dismissed her when both of her hands flew up to her mouth, too late to stop herself from mentioning the Quatre's name. So, the little demon took it upon himself to try and play matchmaker. His hand balled into a fist. Didn't Quatre know that until the realms were safe, and finally brought together that this wouldn't work? And even then, he didn't...

Relena cleared her throat, causing him to glance at her out of the corner of his eye. The determine set in her chin, informed Heero that she wasn't planning on leaving until she had said what she had come to say. "I've had a lot of time to think over what you said to me earlier." Relena sighed. "You're right, this is not God's plan. Love is the greatest gift he gave us, why would he want to see it destroyed."

He turned and looked at her profile. Relena was staring down into the courtyard, watching Duo lift the heavy garbage bag and carrying it over to the dumpster. "But that still doesn't answer one last question..." Her eyes never left the priest. "Why do you care so much, Heero?"

Heero couldn't help himself. Taking hold of her chin, he tilted her face toward him, looked into her aquamarine eyes, and tried to keep himself from drowning in them. "Duo gave up his life for love. It was something I didn't understand at the time, why he would willingly sacrifice all that he was for that one emotion. But I do now." Letting go of her chin, he moved past her. "There are some things that are worth fighting for, once you believe in them."

A few moments before the wind shifted its direction again, and Heero knew she had gone, leaving in her wake a scent that could have only been hers; clean and pure. The lingering smell only helped to refuel his reasoning to stay away from her. Something sweet and innocent, like Relena, did not need to be soiled by someone like him.

****************

Hilde sat in the back room of Catherine's shop, feeling more out of place in the Wicca store than she did at the Cathedral. Pulling her feet up in the plush chair, she hugged her knees closer to her body while she waited for Catherine to return from her customer. Her body still hummed with shock over what she had just been told; she was the reborn spirit of a fallen angel and someone was out to kill her.

Normally, she would be able to laugh something like this off, rolling her eyes and ignoring these weird people entirely. Unable to sit still any longer, Hilde unfolded her legs and pushed out of the chair. However, there were too many things that kept adding up, like a puzzle, all the pieces fit in some fashion or another.

Her stride ate up the length of the room in a short time, and spinning on her heel, she paced. From what information Catherine had told her, she had been able to piece together that Duo had an important role in her previous life. But the witch would always avoid the question when Hilde outright asked her. It all came back the initial feeling she had when she met him; she had been correct, Duo was familiar to her.

Making her sixth pass across the room, Hilde watched Catherine through the doorway. "I'm sorry about that..."

Hilde waved her off, interrupting the apology. "Help me. Help me remember everything."

Catherine dropped her gaze and looked at her painted toenails that stuck out from the hem of her long skirt. "I... I can't."

"Look, Catherine, all I want to do is find out what in the hell is going on." She placed her hands on her hips. "You keep telling me that these dreams I'm having are actually memories from a former life, a life that has 'come back to haunt me.' But yet you won't help me remember any of it, to help me prepare myself for what could arise."

"Hilde..."

Letting her hands fall to her sides, Hilde curled them into fists. "Fine, I'm out of here." With a quick turn, she pushed back through the curtain and made it halfway across the sales floor before she heard Catherine's voice.

"Wait! Wait, Hilde."

Hilde turned around from her spot and saw Catherine move away from the doorway. "Trowa will hate me for this, I want you to know." She motioned for Hilde to follow her into another room. "There is a way that I can help."

Curious, Hilde's feet lead her across the room and through the beaded curtain Catherine had stepped through only seconds before. The first thing that struck her was the light, so bright and white, she had to close her eyes to allow them to adjust. When she opened them again, the light had dimmed and only faint sunlight passed through the sheer curtains over the windows. The small circular room empty except for a slab of marble held up by statues. Hilde moved forward to examine the statues, finding that each one represented a different element; Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. Looking around her, she noticed that her hostess was no where in sight.

The white marble table seemed to call to her, so disregarding the eerie sensations that crawled up the back of her neck, Hilde walked over to the center of the room. Just like she expected, the stone was cool and smooth to the touch. Her fingers tingled as they ran across the top, stopping when the reached the rounded edge of the slab.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Catherine's voice broke the peaceful silence in the room causing Hilde to jump. She cast a glance over her shoulder and found the young Wicca standing to her left, a steaming couple of orange liquid held in her outstretched hand. "What is this place?"

"It's kind of hard to explain..." Catherine held out the cup, offering it to her. "But I'll try to simplify it by saying it's a place that will help you focus your energy while you sleep."

"While I sleep?" Hilde looked down at the cup, and reluctantly took it from Catherine's grasp. "I don't quite understand what..."

Smiling, Catherine motioned for her to sit on the marble table. "Drink. It's a mixture of honeysuckle and wormwood, warmed by a heated stone of petrified wood. All three of them help promote memories through your dreams. The petrified wood helps keep your dreams focused on your past life."

Somehow, with her reassuring smile, Catherine had gained Hilde's trust. She lifted the cup to her mouth and slowly drank down the mixture. The taste wasn't as bad as she originally had thought, even though a piece of stone sat in the bottom of the cup. Once she had finished the drinking, she handed the cup back to Catherine, flashing her an apprehensive look. "What now?"

"Now, stretch out on the table, close your eyes and breath deeply. The mixture should begin working soon."

As Catherine began to chant, in a language foreign to Hilde's ears, she laid down on the table. Her vision began to blur before she had a chance to close her eyes. Then, a fuzzy sensation washed over, reminding her of the nights she'd close down the bars on Bourbon Street. "Did you spike my drink?" Her speech was slurred.

"No, Hilde. Please just relax and let the dreams come to you."

Relaxing, Hilde felt the warmth of the bright light wash over every inch of her body. At first, it felt like she was flying with without any constraints to hold her down. Unfortunately, the feeling didn't last long. With in a matter of seconds, the warmth was ripped away from her and she fell into the darkness

...Her muscles screamed in protest as she lifted her sword, delivering another blow to her opponent. Even though she tried to remind herself that this was a war, Hilde watched with sad eyes as the young female demon fell to her knees, clutching her side.

"You bitch!" Her venom filled voice barely penetrated her veil of blond hair.

"I'm far from that Dorothy, though I couldn't say the same thing about you." Shaking her head, Hilde stepped away from the young demon and continued to fight her way back to her commanding officer. The ground around her was littered with bodies, from both sides of the battle. However, the conflict was nearly over. Akmen's attack had been stopped just short of the pearl gates of Heaven.

As she hovered above the ground, she looked at the fallen bodies, identifying a few friends she had lost. But her eyes were mainly searching for him. His presence had rung out at the beginning of the battle, but now, she was unable to feel him at all. If Duo had been hurt or killed, she wasn't sure if she could survive without him.

Off to her left, she caught a quick moving blur and barely had enough time to use her sword in defense. Sparks flew in the air as the metal blade of her sword was met with the powerful blow of another. Pushing away from her enemy, Hilde whipped her head around and regarded the young demon that squared off with her.

His blue eyes spoke of compassion and sadness, which contradicted the blood dripping off his armor. He took an offensive stance, the blade of his sword glistening in the dying light of the day. All in all, it seemed that the young demon was only fulfilling orders, and not taking an ounce of joy in the chaos and destruction that surrounded them.

Hilde landed on the ground, planting her feet firmly into the soil. Raising her own sword, she waited for him to make the first move. Before he did, his eyes changed color, mirroring the fires that burned in the background and she felt her heart sink in her chest. This wasn't going to be an easy battle.

With lighting quick speed he charged at her, almost knocking her to the blood tainted ground. Hilde had to spread her wings to keep her balance, using them as leverage against her attacker. Their swords were crossed in an 'X' between their bodies, and Hilde knew he was stronger than her. If they kept up, she would end up cut by both of the swords.

Spinning to her left, Hilde broke off the attack and swung her sword around in time to block his next offensive move. The air between them was once again filled with momentary sparks as the two blades connected. All around them, angels and demons continued to fight; cries of the wounded and dying were almost drowned out by clang of metal.

Exhaustion began to set into her weary body and her opponent was using her fatigue to his advantage. She couldn't keep continuing to block his attacks, eventually he'd break through and she'd been hanging from the other end of his sword. Trying to figure out a strategy left her open for one of his attacks. Hilde leaned to the side, ducking the initial blow, however, the sword pierced the edge of her wing.

Pain radiated throughout her entire body, consuming all thoughts. Like the practice session with Trowa all those years ago, she lost control on her temper and lashed out. With both her hands fisted on the sword, she stepped forward, punching him in the face with the flat end of the sword. He stumbled back, trying to recover his balance, but before he could regain his footing, she raised her knee and hit him in the groin.

The young demon's eyes widened in shock as he crumpled to the ground, an painful whimper escaping his dry lips. Both of them were breathing heavily, trying to catch the breath that they had spent during the course of the battle.

She stood over his crouching body, the tip of her sword pointed at his throat. "Do you yield?"

Blue eyes blazed with anger before they changed back to their original clear blue color. "I yield." His hand released its hold on the hilt of the sword, allowing Hilde to kick it out of his reach. "I'm impressed by your skill, Hilde; even if it was somewhat underhanded. The elders have taught you well."

Removing her sword from his throat, she let herself smile at his compliment. "I'm a lot older than I look, Quatre." Hilde took one last look at him before she turned away ready to continue her search for Michael.

She didn't have to move an inch from where she had been. Instead of finding her mentor, her mentor found her. As he flew closer to her, he withdrew his sheathed sword. Concern mounted in her when she saw him complete the action. Then he called out, "Hilde, behind you!"

Michael lunged at the young demon that was climbing back to his feet with his sword gripped in his hand. The older angel knocked the young blond demon back to the ground and stood over him with his sword raised. "Return to Hell!"

Unable to find her voice, Hilde could only watch in horror as Michael brought the clean point of his sword down with all the force in his body. However, he was immediately pushed off his prey, by a violet-eyed demon, whose energy was boiling over with rage.

"Duo..."

He glared at her before turning his gaze onto Michael. "Quatre was beaten Michael, he wouldn't have attacked her again. Some demons have a code of honor when it comes to battle."

"None of the ones I've ever met." Michael countered with his silver eyes flashing.

Hilde watched the two men prepare to square off, both of them reaching for their swords. She was torn between the man who had been her mentor and the demon that had stolen her heart. Finally, unable to stand the tension any longer, Hilde jumped in between the men, with her back towards Michael, her blue eyes pleading with Duo. "Enough. The battle is over."

As she looked at him, even covered in the blood of her fellow angels, Hilde couldn't not find fault with him. They each had their own path, and though they came from different places, love had brought them together. However, if she was going to defuse at volatile situation, she was going to have to choose sides, and it wouldn't be Duo's. "Please, just leave."

Hurt shone in his eyes, before he masked his emotions and turned away from her in grand fashion. Hilde looked on as he helped the young demon to his feet, both of them heading off into the opposite direction. Before she moved off with Michael, she did catch him looking back over his shoulder with his eyes narrowed. Sighing, she picked up her sword and placed it back in her sheath.

With her arms wrapped about her waist she walked back into Heaven's gates by herself...

...The pure, clear water of heaven ran red. Like times before and times to come; but it was still an eerie sight to behold. Hilde cupped the pink tinted water and washed away the last traces of blood from her body. It had taken a while to wash the bloodstains from her pale skin, and all of the scrubbing had made her skin raw.

Stepping out of the tub, she grabbed the lavender tunic off the chair and held it against her body as she walked to the window. The battle had been fierce and in the end, no one could have been called the victory. Both heaven and hell sustained heavy losses, but if a winner had to be declared, it would be heaven. They had been able to hold off the attack that Akmen planned.

Images of Duo holding his sword over Michael's body flew into her mind, causing her to falter as she pulled the soft tunic over her head. She knew that he was out there; she could feel him and he was hurting. Sighing, Hilde pushed away from the window and took hold of her sandals. It was wrong, but she had to see him, to let him know that she was hurting just as badly as he was.

Careful not to disturb anyone, Hilde flew out, heading for the battlefield. The moon provided little light as she made her flight, but it was enough to help her spot him. In the dim light, one could hardly tell that he wasn't an angel; that he didn't belong in her realm. His silhouette stood proud and strong, overlooking the now clean battlefield. The dark black wings blended into his shadow, finishing the off the look of a lone warrior.

As silently as she could, Hilde landed behind him. She tucked her wings against her body, bringing them around her arms to ward off the chill in the air. Duo made no move to acknowledge her presence. On unsteady feet, she walked up beside him.

"Duo?" Her voice sounded weak in her own ears.

The amethyst colored eyes she loved never looked away from the blood-soaked field. At first, Hilde wasn't sure if he heard her, so raising a hand she placed it on his shoulder and called out his name a second time.

Again, he continued to stare out even when she gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. They stood there, the night growing longer, staring out over the battlefield with the stars and moon looking down. Minutes ticked by like hours. Feeling there was nothing left to say between them, Hilde released her hold on him and turned to leave.

"I could have lost you today."

The sound of his voice pierced the silence that had been growing between them. Hilde felt her heart stop at the mere hint of emotion that was underline in what he had said.

"Duo, we both know the risks in being warriors and we've both accepted those risks into our lives..."

This time he turned to face her, making her stop short her speech. His eyes glistened with all the emotions that had remained unspoken in their relationship.

"No, Hilde. You're wrong. This has nothing to do with the two of us being soldiers and the risks we take every time we are called to battle. This has to do with the two of us and how..." He paused. It took him a few deep breaths before he could continue. "Do you know how I felt while I watched you take blow after blow and still continue fighting? I felt pride for you, but at the same time, I was scared that you'd end up like so many of the others. Lying on the ground with vacant eyes." Duo shuddered. "I... Hilde, I can't... if I lost you, I'd..."

Through tearful eyes, she watched as he moved toward her, stopping just a few inches from her body. Hilde could feel the warmth pouring off of him, and instinctively stepped into his embrace, not caring if he carried the consuming fires of Hell within him.

Like his arms, his dark wings encircled her, holding her against his body. Wrapped in his loving embrace, Hilde didn't care what the consequences of their love could cause them. All she knew was she loved the demon that held her in his arms with every fiber of her being. In that moment, she told him the three words that would forever seal her fate.

"I love you."

She didn't need him to say the words back; his actions always proved she was a part of his heart. Sometimes the words were more damaging if spoken instead of being hidden deep within. Hilde's eyes drifted closed as she snuggled closer against his armor.

"Not as much as I love you, Hilde."

Her eyes sprung open and tears threatened from behind her eyes. This moment was the one that would be forever etched in her mind as the moment all of teachings she had learned were wrong.

Taking hold of her chin between his finger and thumb, he tilted her face up to his. A devilish smile played with the corners of his mouth as he leaned in closer to her. He stopped just short, brushing his nose against the tip of her own.

"We're playing with fire, you know that?"

"I know."

Then his lips were on hers. Soft and yielding, yet hard and demanding all at once. It felt like she had been sucked into an ocean, never knowing when the next wave would sneak up on her and drag her deeper into the kiss. Her eyes drifted closed as he applied further pressure against her lips, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip. His hands slipped up along her spine, across the sensitive place where her wings rose from her back. The feeling elicited a deep sigh and a shiver to escape her body. Duo's hands continued to travel up her back, finally fingering her hairline before he sunk his hands into the tresses, pulling her head back even further and allowing him complete access to her mouth.

The last thought that crossed her mind before the world around them ceased to exist, was the fact that they had crossed a forbidden line and were bound to be burned...

Coming out of the herb induced trance, Hilde blinked her eyes a few time to adjust to the dim light filtering through the curtains. Pushing up on her elbows, she tried to swing her legs off the edge of the marble table, only to be knocked down by a wave of nausea. Her head spun with the power of what she had just remembered.

It was true; all of it. There was no mistaking the emotions and images as an over active imagination. She was the spirit of an angel, banished from Hell for falling in love with a demon. The same demon that now resided in the body of a priest.

She couldn't help the dry laugh. "Talk about your irony."

Reaching up, Hilde rubbed her throbbing temples and attempted to rise from the bed one more time. The nausea was still present, but it hadn't slapped her down like before.

The soft sounds of fabric caused her to lift her eyes and watch the young Wicca glide into the room. In her small hands, she held a steaming cup.

"Are you still feeling nauseous?"

Hilde smiled as she accepted the cup of tea. "Just a little bit." She stared down into her hands, watching the brown liquid slosh against the sides of the cup. Never had she felt so alone and unsure.

Catherine tucked her skirts under her legs as she sat down beside her on the table. "I'm not about to tell you that I understand what you're going through, because I'd be lying but I do know that there are... others that are trying to help you and the priest."

"You mean, others like Trowa and the dark-haired man that saved me the other day?" She watched as Catherine confirmed her question. Taking a quick sip of her tea, Hilde tried to organize her jumbled thoughts. "The others; are they... What I'm trying to say is are they..."

"The others are angels, as well as demons, Hilde. Some are out to protect you, while others..."

"While others are out to destroy us." Finishing Catherine's sentence, Hilde drank down the rest of her tea.

The chime came from the front of the store, signaling another customer. "Excuse me. People have such awful timing." Sighing, Catherine rose. "Just relax a little while longer. You're system has had quite a shock. I'll be back as soon as I can." With graceful movements, she disappeared through the doorway.

Hilde looked into the bottom of the empty cup. She had never been one to back down from a fight before, and neither the entities of Heave and Hell were going to scare her. Pushing off the table, her feet hit the floor, but her knees gave out from underneath of her, pitching her forward. After a few seconds, her legs felt steadier and setting the cup down on the table, Hilde peered around the doorframe.

Across the sales floor, Catherine was discussing some stones with a young red headed girl. Taking the opportunity while her hostess was distracted, Hilde snuck out of the room and disappeared out the back door.