Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Two

I found myself standing in Imperator's office again. Water was beside me; she gasped and looked around. Her skin was somewhat pale and her breathing was heavy, but she seemed to be alright. I pulled her into a hug and Water gasped.

"My sweet droplet... I missed you."

She buried her face in the crook of my neck. "I missed you too, Three."

"I hate to break up the sweet reunion, but I'm going to."

I whipped my head around to see Imperator standing behind her desk. She was in her maiden form, looking young and beautiful. Strangely beautiful. As if it weren't real.

Because it wasn't.

My head was jerked around as Water grabbed my cheeks. She pulled me in towards her and she kissed me with intense passion. She pulled back and leaned towards my ear.

"If you want to win, give me permission," she whispered.

"Permission to do what?" I asked nervously.

"Just do it!"

"Alright! I give you permission!" I hissed softly.

Water took a step back. She smirked.

"Thanks, love."

She blinked and her eyes glowed a bright, terrifying yellow. Two massive dark wings stretched out from Water's back. She smiled at Imperator and her canines were pointed into fangs.

"Sister Imperator, you have been charged with heresy to the Church. Seeing as the current priest has given me permission to perform this trial, tell me: how do you plead?"

Imperator looked calm. But I noticed a tiny twitch in her blank smile. My eyes widened as I realized that Imperator was afraid. She was afraid of Water, a mere demon in her eyes.

"Innocent."

Water tilted her head and glanced over her shoulder to look at me. "Interesting. Last I heard, isolating the priest in a spiritual plane is an act of aggression against the Church. What say you, Three?"

I had no clue what she was talking about, but I knew that Water was planning to do something that would save us.

"I say she's guilty," I spoke in a clear voice.

Water smirked, her fangs poking at her lower lip. "The decision has been made. This is final."

She turned back to Imperator. "The punishment is death. Any last words?"

Imperator's eyes were fierce and fiery. "You cannot kill me. I will only come back to haunt you."

Water laughed. "As if Satan would waste his time reincarnating you! You do realize he considers the Ghouls to be his children, yes? If his daughter and his 'customer'-" she put her fingers up in air quotes, "were to fight, who do you think he would side with?"

Imperator gritted her teeth. But she remained silent, knowing she had been beaten.

"Any last words?" Water asked. She had a look in her eyes that was almost insane, full of malice and rage. But she wasn't shaking; she seemed rather calm. It was almost disturbing.

"Die, you useless scum," Imperator hissed.

Water grinned. "You first."

She lifted her hands and Imperator gasped, clutching at her throat. At first, I couldn't understand what was happening. But then something began to spill out of Imperator's mouth.

Water had filled Imperator's lungs with water.

"Behold my wrath, for I, who was once Azrael, the angel of death, am your end."

That was when it hit me: Water's name wasn't her real name. It was a disguise. And considering she could control water (as it seemed), she was logical in choosing it. But the name Azrael was what scared me. Azrael was the angel of death, just as she had said. And if Water really was Azrael, then that meant she was one of the most powerful beings in existence.

It might have been creepy, but that turned me on.

Imperator fell to her knees, water spilling out of her mouth. She gasped as Water knelt down next to her. Water grabbed Imperator by the front of her hair. The nun choked as her head was forced backward. Water leaned in towards her ear and whispered something that I couldn't hear. Then, she dropped Imperator, who fell limply to the floor, convulsing for a few seconds before falling still.

She turned to face me and blinked. Her eyes returned to their normal shade of brown and her wings folded up behind her back, disappearing from existence.

"Is she... is she gone?" I whispered.

Water nodded. I pulled her into a hug and clung to her as tightly as I could. She was real. She was here.

She was mine.

I pulled back to cup her cheeks with my hands, smiling at her. As she smiled, I noticed that her fangs were gone. She looked the same as I had always known.

"Do you still want me to call you Water, or Azrael?"

She brushed her hair behind her ear. "Water. Azrael is not my name anymore."

I nodded in understanding. But then I frowned.

"What did you say to her?"

Water blushed. "Quod manus mea."

I frowned. "You know my Latin sucks. What does that mean?"

"Hands off of what is mine."

I immediately pulled her close to me and kissed her passionately.

She was here. Now and forever.