CHAPTER ONE

BY LOYCE

The dull white walls of St. Catherine's Cathedral were awash with a kaleidoscope of red and blue flashing lights. The bells in the tower had just finished ringing the midnight hour; ushering in the start of a new day. Puddles littered the streets, the only lasting reminders to the brief downpour only hours before.

Tires rolled across the wet street, coming to a stop at the police barricade. The power windows of the SUV whined in protest as they were lowered. Pulling her credentials away from her neck, she flashed them at the officer, who gave them a through glance over before waving her through. Pulling up on the curb of the sidewalk, she threw the vehicle into park. Hilde rubbed her throbbing temples as she stared at the gothic style Cathedral through the tinted windows.

"It's going to be another long night."

As she climbed out of the SUV, she was greeted by some of New Orleans finest boys in blue. They nodded their heads, tipped their hats, or gave her the usual monotone grunt. Even in this day and age, men still had problems with a woman in charge. Ignoring them, she went about her work. The heels of her shoes clicked along the concrete as she moved to the back of the SUV. Sighing, Hilde opened the back hatch and retrieved her heavy utility box. The sound of soft footfalls squeaking across the damp road caused her to cast a quick glance over her shoulder and into the gray eyes of one of the other members of NOPD's CSI unit.

The beginnings of a smile played at the corner of her lips. "Hey, Murphy."

"Hey, boss. I didn't know you were on duty tonight."

Hilde blew a stray lock of her dark hair out of her face. "Neither did I." She made a motion to her outfit. "I hardly think this is appropriate attire for investigating a murder scene."

Murphy chuckled and raked his eyes up and down her figure. Most of her hair had been pulled back into clips, glitter dusted across the dark locks. Her make-up was faint but enhanced her already pixie-like features. The black dress hung off her shoulders from dainty spaghetti straps, and hugged the soft curves of her body. He couldn't help himself as he gave her a wolf-whistle. "Hot date?"

"Well it would have been if our guy hadn't decided to strike again." Her tone stressed the seriousness of the situation. For the past month, she had been cleaning up the crime scenes of one particular serial killer. At midnight on the past four Saturdays, they had been called different churches in New Orleans to make the same gruesome discovery. Shaking her head, Hilde cleared her thoughts of the images of the previous murders that threatened to bubble up in her mind. Now wasn't the time to think about them; she had a job to do.

With an embellished gesture, Murphy pointed toward the main entrance of the Cathedral. "After you." Rolling her eyes, Hilde pushed past him and began climbing the marble stairs. The heavy wooden doors were propped open; guarded by a couple of uniformed officers whose eyes followed Hilde and Murphy as they passed them. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior. Against the back wall to her left, one lone pray candle had been lit in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Beside her Murphy made the sign of the cross.

Just like all the other victims, she was laying across the table on the altar. One of stage lights had been turned on so it shone down on her naked body; almost like a heavenly light. The scene was something out of a gothic horror movie.

Hilde continued to make her way down the main aisle, ducking under the yellow tape that had been put up; signaling the perimeter of the crime scene. Dumping her equipment onto one of the front pews, she reached into the box and pulled out her spare cell phone and began calling the rest of her team.

"Where do you want me, boss?" Murphy asked as he pulled up beside her. "I figured you'd be taking point on this case."

Hanging up the phone, she addressed him. "Jake'll be here in 5 minutes. I'm putting him on Evidence detail with me. I called Alec and he'll be here as soon as he's finished with another scene. He's the best sketch artist on our team, I don't know why he was assigned to some stupid thing when I need him here." Hilde reached into the box and pulled out a couple rolls of film. "I want you on photo. I need shots from very angle possible. Go nuts and shoot up as many rolls as possible." Murphy gave her a mock salute as he stepped over to his equipment and began prepping his camera.

She pulled out a pair of plastic gloves, yanking them onto her hands; the snapping sound of the plastic echoing through out the spacious building. For caution, she picked up another set and stuffed them behind the spaghetti strap of her dress.

For going a church voice, she spoke in a normal tone that was peaked with irritation. "Who was the first one on the scene?"

A young officer stepped forward; his face tinted a slight shade of green. "I...I was the first one to respond to the call."

"Since you've arrived, has anyone been in contact with the victim, touched or moved anything from the area?"

"No." The officer swallowed deeply. "I followed the priest in here and he pointed to her..."

She didn't like dealing with inexperience. Narrowing her blue eyes, Hilde sighed. "I need to you track down the priest that made the initial call and anyone else who may have contaminated the scene."

As if she were in her own home, she trudged up the few stairs, gaining some incredulous looks from the law enforcement agents on the scene. Not one of them dared to step foot on the altar; but being an atheist, none of the surroundings bothered her. All of the reasons she has stayed away from church came bursting to the top of her mind. Every one of them was power hungry and lead by greed, feeding off the weak and asking them to give their hard earned cash in the collection tray weekly for the sake of God. Though she couldn't quite believe the irony that was displayed in front of her.

The naked young woman looked like a sacrificial lamb. Her dull green eyes stared at the crucifix hanging from the rafters above her. The way she had been positioned resembled the same posture that Christ displayed, hanging from the cross. Her arms flung out to the sides, while her legs were slightly bent, one foot on top of the other. Wavy blond hair spread out against the pure white cloth she was laid upon, creating a halo around her. And wound around her neck was a black beaded rosary. Parts of the chain had dug so deeply into her neck that the skin had been broken open, allowing drops of blood to crust along her neck and murder weapon. Bending down, she looked around the table for some sign of the young woman's clothing, but it was missing. But Hilde knew she was just like the rest; she was a hooker.

Hilde moved around the altar, labeling anything that could be counted as a possible piece of evidence. Everything from, shoe prints in the thin layer of dust to possible areas for fingerprints were all marked with a yellow numbered flags. Stepping back from everything, she looked around her and began jotting down some quick notes on her pad, taking all the evidence into account before making her initial narrative. Behind her, Murphy was beginning to photograph the scene, following the normal order of taking shots of their victim first before photographing the surroundings. The bright light from the flash seemed to bounce around inside the Cathedral. Murphy stopped taking pictures when he noticed Hilde pacing back and forth across the front of the altar. "What's going on inside that head of yours boss?"

"You know it's not a good sign when she starts pacing like that."

Looking away from Hilde, Murphy noticed the other two members of the team walking down the aisle. "Jake. Alec. Glad to see you could both join us."

The rest of their conversation faded into the back ground as Hilde focused on the task at hand. Closing her eyes as she paced, she tried to visually put together the piece of the puzzle that lay scattered throughout the church. Whoever they were dealing with was good. The crime scenes were nearly clean of all evidence by the time she got to them. His MO never changed; never faltered. Irritation rose in her. One day this guy would leave a piece of himself behind, and she would be the one to find it and break the case open. She was so lost in thought that she jumped when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Hey there gorgeous."

Turning on her heel, Hilde glared at Jake McAllister as he set his equipment box down on the altar. "God Damnit, Jake! Don't scare me like that!"

"I would ask you to please refrain from using His name in vain while in his house."

Hilde spun around to find the owner of the low masculine voice standing at the bottom of the altar. The black pants he wore seemed to cling to well shaped legs. His upper arm muscles strained against the white fabric of his T-shirt. He wasn't a bulky person; he remained her of a panther she had seen in the Audubon Zoo, sleek and powerful. A long chestnut braid was slung over his shoulder, the tip of the braid lying right above his hips. In a careless motion, he pushed it back with his hand, allowing its thick weight to fall against his back. Through a mass of messy bangs, narrowed violet colored eyes raked over her.

Hilde felt the breath leave her body when his stunning eyes finally locked onto hers. The air between them sparked, setting off alarms inside of her head. There was something familiar about the man glaring at her. She couldn't put her finger on it; but the mere sight of him sent chills up her spine. Whether or not the chills were the good or bad kind, she couldn't determine. Unable to help herself, her tongue darted out of her mouth moistening her dry lips. The feeling that passed between them was pleasurable and a small sigh escaped from the back of her throat. As she started down the stairs toward him, she couldn't help but feel she was forgetting something important; something that seemed just beyond her reach. With a gentle shake of her head, all her thoughts were pushed aside and she focused back on her job.

"My name's Hilde Schbeiker. I'm with the New Orleans CSI unit." She made a move to extend her hand but remember the plastic glove. Tucking her right hand into her left, she questioned. "And you would be?"

"Duo Maxwell." He replied, making a small bow with his head; offering no further information.

She was just about to push more information out of him, when an overweight balding man stepped up beside him. Unlike Duo, he wore the complete black outfit accustomed for priests to wear. The white priest's collar nearly blended in with his pale skin, and it was coated with a thin sheen of sweat. He cleared his throat. "I'm Father Thomas. I see you've already met Mr. Maxwell, who is staying with us while in his last semester of Seminary."

Though she kept her outward appearance calm and collected, she was mentally smacking herself for having impure thoughts about a soon-to-be man of the cloth. Her cheeks heated under a blush when she noticed the muscles in his upper arms flex. Calm down the hormones, Hilde girl. It's not like he's the only man in New Orleans. But still, what is it about him?

"Father Thomas, were you the first one on the scene?"

"That I was. Dreadful sight. I was hoping that this wouldn't happen to our church, but..." The older man paused and glanced over Hilde's shoulder to the victim still lying on the altar. "Poor soul. But she's with God now."

She couldn't help herself from scoffing at his remark. The huffing noise drew a scrutinizing look from Duo. "I take it you received a phone call as well?"

Father Thomas nodded. "Right before midnight the phone rang. I picked it up on the second ring and was greeted to the whispered mocking voice of a young child saying the demons had come to St. Catherine's. I woke Duo and we came to investigate. Once we saw her lying there, I went back to the house and called the police while Duo stood sentry outside the building."

Hilde sighed. "And let me guess. You check the locks and arm the security alarm on the doors before you leave every night." She watched as the priest confirmed her suspicions with the movement of his head. Even though she knew the answer, she still had to ask the next question. "Did you know the victim?"

"Her name is Sylvia Noventa." Duo answered as he turned and began to stalk away.

"Mr. Maxwell, I need you to be fingerprinted before you are allowed to leave the crime scene." She called after him. Her voice bounced off the cold stonewalls surrounding them. Lowering her voice, she also addressed the priest in front of her. "You too, Father Thomas."

To her amusement, she watched as red splotches of anger rose appeared on his face. He sputtered a response. "I don't like what you're implying, Ms. Schbeiker."

"I'm not implying anything, Father. I'm just following procedures. You and Mr. Maxwell will need to be fingerprinted in order for us to identify your prints from any others that we collect."

Duo walked back over to the priest and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Come now, Father. Ms. Schbeiker is just doing her job." Leading the father toward the waiting police officer, Duo looked back over his shoulder toward her. Hilde left her body jolt under the pressure of his stare.

"Something about his eyes..."

"What do you mean, boss?"

Hilde glanced up and looked at Murphy who was standing beside her. "It's nothing. He just has the most unusual eyes I've ever seen and yet..." She paused as she watched him as he ran his fingertips over the inkpad and then placing them on the paper. "Come on, Murphy. Let's find out if we've been left anything to work with this time." Spinning on her heels, she head back up the stairs with Murphy close behind her.

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

"I still don't see what is *so* special about these two mortals, Gabriel."

Relena leaned farther over the edge of the sliver pool of water and touched her finger against the surface, causing the image to scatter and disappear. Her wings shifted as she moved away from the 'looking glass' and turned to face Gabriel, her beautiful face marred by a frown. He watched as she tucked a few wayward strands of her honey colored hair behind her ear. Her aquamarine eyes stared deep into his soul, looking for the answers to all of her questions.

"Sit down, Relena." He commanded as he motioned to the chair sitting beside him. "It's time I told you everything." His eyes followed her as she made her way across the distance between them. She was the perfect choice. Relena possessed poise, grace and a clear head on her shoulders.

"Nearly three thousand years ago, before you were even created, an incident took place that forever changed both heaven and hell. A young angel and demon fell in love. Both the angel and the demon were punished for their transgression, and banished to the mortal realm. Over the years, they've lived many lives. It's fate that they meet up now when the very foundations of heaven and hell threaten to crumble around us."

Tilting her head to the side, Relena's eyes grew puzzled. "I don't understand."

Gabriel pushed out of his chair and began to pace the length of the floor. "After the two were banished, different factions of angels and demons began to voice their outrage over the incident. Rebellions broke out shortly after the council's decision and have continued for the last few thousand years. Some believe that the love of the angel and the demon could have been the starting block to building the bridge between heaven and hell, bringing total balance. While other's feared the idea of blurring the lines between the two realms, fearing that one side will over power the other side. And other's..."

"What about the others?"

Gabriel looked at his charge. Her eyes were wide and her delicate hands were pushed up against her throat, trying to hold in the shock and surprise. Running his hands through his blond hair, he replied. "And they are a few that want to destroy both heaven and hell."

Silence followed the small gasp that Relena had given upon hearing his words. She pushed out of her chair and rushed over to Gabriel's side. Reaching out, Relena placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. His larger hand covered hers and squeezed it back. Gabriel led her back to the 'looking glass'. Closing his eyes, he passed his hands over the still surface. Ripples started at the middle of the water and spread out to the edges of the pool, an image appearing in the wake of the tiny waves.

The young raven haired woman moved efficiently around the altar, collecting the bags of evidence left scattered all over the place. She had removed her shoes and padded across the marble floor, never stopping to pay her homage as she crossed the path of the crucifix time after time. Nearby, the young braided man eyes never faltered as he continued to watch her move about the Cathedral, making the sign of the cross for her.

Gabriel's golden eyes narrowed. Irony had dabbled her small hands in the way things had played out for the both of them in this lifetime. An ex-angel had forsaken God, while a former demon embraced him. He could deal with her becoming a non-believer, but the mere thought of that ex-servant of the Devil dressed in priests clothing sat like a heavy weight in his stomach.

Relena pointed towards the image. "Then those two mortals are the reborn spirits of the angel and the demon that were banished from our realm all those years ago?" She watched as her mentor nodded. "Then if those two were to fall in love as mortals, it would be equivalent to the story the Greeks created about Pandora and her box?"

"Exactly. No good can come from the situation as it stands. Those two mortals can not come together."

"Then what must be done, Gabriel?"

He took her chin in his hand and turned her face toward him. "They have to be destroyed."

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

Hilde tossed her keys onto the table as she slammed her door shut behind her. Turning the lock and securing the safety latch, she moved deeper into the dimly lit apartment. Isis, her black cat, greeted her halfway across the floor, rubbing up against her legs as she trudged toward the kitchen. Her fingers flicked the light switch on and the bright lights cause her blink a few times. At her feet, Isis meowed.

"I understand you're hungry, my dear."

Reaching into the fridge, she pulled out the carton of milk and smelled it before pouring it into a saucer and placing it on the ground for the cat. As Isis, began to drink her fill, Hilde ran her hands along the cat's spin, causing her to arch her back and purr in delight. She chuckled as she moved toward the blinking light on her answering machine. With a quick hit of the button, the message broke the silence surrounding her.

"Hilde, it's Noah. Look, I don't know how to say this to you, but...I can't believe I'm going to do this on your machine. This is the second date in one week you've had to cancel. We can't do this anymore...or at least I can't. You're too wrapped up in your work to worry about someone else in your life. What I'm trying to say is that we're..."

She punched the stop button and deleted the message. It wasn't like it was anything new to her. Relationships never lasted very long; though she had hoped that Noah had been the one she was searching for. The image of stunning violet eyes assaulted her. Sighing in disgust, Hilde kicked off her shoes and headed down the hallway to her bedroom.

The moonlight was spilling across her bed, lighting the way for her. Reaching under her dress, she pulled off the sheer pantyhose and threw them over her vanity chair. Her fingers wrapped around the zipper and pulled it down. Breathing easier after being confined in the tight dress, she pushed the tiny straps off her shoulders, causing the black fabric to pool at her feet. Hilde stepped out of the dress and moved over to the window. Undoing the latches, she pushed the window up, allowing the muggy air wash over her naked body. She hung her head and began to pull out the tiny clips that had been placed in her hair.

Nothing. That's all they had come up with at the crime scene. Somehow the press had gotten hold of the information and on the way home from the station, she had been subjected to listening to the reports of a serial killer loose in the city and how the police had no leads on who was committing the acts. It was cases like this that took their toll on her; the cases that never went solved. And so far the only thing they had to fall back on was speculation, but even then, it didn't explain everything, except the fact that someone had a strange vendetta against either the church or hookers. Hilde looked up at the full moon, and again her mind flashed to a picture of Duo Maxwell.

She'd never see the future priest again, but that wouldn't stop her from having erotic fantasies about that long hair and gorgeous body of his. Hilde spun around and brushed her fingers through her dark hair. Isis crept into the room, hopped onto the bed and meowed at her.

"Yes, sweetie. Your owner needs to get laid."

As she climbed across the satin sheets of her bed, Hilde couldn't help but think that this was only the beginning of things to come.