The Forbidden Tenshi

The princess of Albion, the star of hope that's what everybody calls her. But she missed the plain old Esther or sister Esther, specially the way his voice used to make it sound. In all this years she had waited for him to return but nothing, after two years of not knowing about him she gave up.

But then some one came looking for her, she remembered that night carefully. How that woman came into the palace and told her to use the lost technology hidden in the ghetto, she worked hard to get every single methusela out of there. Now she was standing in front of a very old computer with an amazingly big monitor which displayed valuable information for her and for her plans of what she had decided to become, nobody else knew of this just her and that woman.

Eva had come to her by the orders of Cardinal Sforza to protect her but instead Esther had send her to look for Abel, after all her code name as member of the AX was "Seeker" and oddly enough her first assignment in AX was to find Hugh, which she did in less than month. The problem was she couldn't find Abel although she found the count of Memphis Ion Fortuna, Abel hasn't with him.

She came back that night, after leading the count back to the empire, with the information that would actually get them to find Abel or Cain, information that the Empress Augusta Vradica herself entrusted to her.

To awaken the power that had created the Crusnik was something rather difficult and even though the Empress never though they could do it; they where finally getting close to it. After that they would destroy it for good, but for now it was very important to get it to work. There was no other way to defeat Cain but to get new Crusnik and the Empress wouldn't put herself in danger but Abel needed help and that was the reason why she had given Eva that information.

But she never thought for one second that the princess would put herself in the test program along with Eva.

She was almost falling asleep in front of the main computer when she heard a noise.

"Your majesty should get back to the palace, they once noticed your absence and they went crazy, Virgil almost got the entire city to look for you" it was Eva coming to change turns, for almost three years they had done this.

"You are right, but please Sister Eva call me Esther" as she turned around she always felt a little bit weird, and that was because she always called Eva "Sister" but she would always wear the priest's robes. She always said that the habit for the woman members of AX was not of her liking. She was in deed quite an interesting woman.

"Tomorrow we will begin the tests on me, if everything goes fine then ill start the test on you…" replied Eva

"Very well, but what about the methusela blood exactly ¿how is that supposed to work?"

"You'll see it tomorrow, you better be ready its going to be quite a scary show, remember if anything goes wrong you are to destroy this place ok?"

"Yes I know, so then I take my leave." And with that Esther left the room, yes tomorrow would be the beginning of the end.

Esther kept listening to the clicking of the rail road going under the train she was riding, that sound would usually put her to sleep but this time it was completely different. She had a terrible headache, she was awfully hungry and not to mention her insatiable need for sweets.

And even if she fell asleep all she could have in her mind was the flashbacks of that day one month ago, yes that day… the day she had finally become what Abel at all cost would have tried to stop.

She remembered the horrible pain that she went through as her body was being filled with the nanomachines, it had been horribly painful and for one second she though of backing out but, it was too late and then the changes, all the strange and terrifying changes started to appear, the hunger for blood but not just any blood but the blood of Methuselah, she had to feed five times on only Methuselah blood before she could actually control the thirst

She knew by now why Abel considered his Crusnik form the mark of his sins, and she also knew that Abel would never love her now but it didn't matter it was for the better of him and the rest of the world.

The train finally came to a stop and she got off as fast as she could to get to a restaurant and eat, Eva had told her that in order to keep the nanomachines working fine and well, without the need of blood, she would have to eat more than usual and that her levels of glucose needed to be extremely high. This explained to her why Abel always drank his tea with 13 spoons of sugar, yes now she understood many things and it made her happy to know all this but did Abel actually know all this or did he just assumed it was part of his personality.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, miss?" asked the waiter picking up her dessert plate.

"No I think, I've already ate to much can you just get me the bill please?"

"Very well, I'll be back in a minute"

While she waited, she kept remembering her last conversation with Eva.

Flash Back

"Well then, its done, it seems we have adjusted to the nanomachines just fine."

"So it seems, and now what are we supposed to do? Should we look for Abel?"

"First we must destroy this place ¿are you ready to test your abilities?"

"Very well let's do this… nanomachine crusnik 06 release at 40% restrictions confirmed" Esther felt the rushing of the nanomachines as she gave the order out through the air, yes the energy was being released little by little as she started to feel the fangs and the claws and also the wings growing out of her body.

End of flash back

Vatican City Rome, Cardinal Sforza's office.

"… That is my report"

"I'm glad to hear that princess Esther is no longer hiding in her palace, is it good for her to go out and visit different places, very well Eva you must now rest for a while before I send you out to your new duties" and with that the conversation between Eva and Catherina-sama was done. She was about to leave when somebody opened the door. And with a loud thud Eva and the stranger fell to the floor.

"Abel-kun!" yelled Catherina-sama when she got a clear view of the one that was in the floor.

"I'm sorry, I guess I entered in a bit of a rush right?" said the white haired man as he helped Eva to get up.

"Why must you always be so clumsy Abel-kun?"

As Cardinal Sforza and the priest started talking all Eva could do was worry and wonder. "How is it that this man which I looked for so long is here? And what is Esther going to do now? I'm not going to be able to catch up to her now how am I supposed to tell her that he finally returned, she all ready left to Barcelona; its been a month since we parted… damn it" Eva's thoughts where interrupted by Cardinal Sforza's voice.

"…Eva, were you listening to me?"

"I'm sorry but no, my mind started wondering about… can you please repeat what you were saying?"

"Since father Nightroad arrived just in time, you won't be able to rest; I'm sending both of you to a special mission in Barcelona"

"I'm pleased to meet you Eva-san I've heard quite a lot about you, I hope our mission gets me to know you better" as Abel said this Eva was in a word surprised at how things were turning out but she had no other choice but to play along.

" I must say I feel the same way, I've heard so much about you that I am quite pleased to finally know you"

"Well then I hope you two get along just fine, now let me tell you what is going on. I'm sending Eva with you Abel because Gunslinger is busy right now and she has been taught by Tres so she should be fine to help you out on this one"

"But why not wait for Tres..." asked Eva when she realized this would take longer than she expected it.

"This matter is urgent it really needs to be taken care of as soon as possible…"

"You make me worry Catherina-sama, why is it so urgent?" asked Abel

"Well… I didn't want to make you worry to much but you'll find out anyway, there is a serial murderer in Barcelona the odd thing about this is that the murders are not made inside the human community… its is the vampire population that is being attacked and in a very particular way that only Abel can understand"

She did not need to say more, both of them understood what was happening and the first to worry more about it was amazingly Eva.

"We shall take our leave tonight then… your excellence, father Nightroad I'll go get ready for our trip." She didn't even give them the time to say a thing, but Catherina-sama always thought she was a strange woman so she didn't mind it.

On the other side Eva just couldn't get through the idea of Esther killing for food so there had to be another reasonable explanation and she had to figure a way to get father nightroad away from Esther's crusnik form.

In another place in the Vatican city Abel was getting ready for the trip, it was sad that as soon as he got back he had to go on a mission. He wished it wasn't this way but then, this woman might just tell him the things he wanted to know, things about Esther.

"Murderer you monster… just what, what are you…." These words kept going on and on in her mind, but she did it for the sake of the human girls that where being used in that bar, she couldn't help it, she just couldn't control her self. She had been waiting for Eva so long in that town and she had seen so many horrible things she just had to do it. But in the other hand, she had crossed the line Eva told her not to cross, to drink blood from a vampire, and besides it hadn't been only one but she had become a serial murderer of vampires, just the ones she considerer murderers too but that didn't justify what she was doing at all. How many had she drunk from? At least 10 she guessed, but she was on to something big and couldn't help it, for every one of those she had killed where related to the Rosen Creuz order in someway. Yes even on her own she would find Cain before he could hurt Abel again and she felt the power in her small and delicate body start to build up step by step. She wouldn't stop now.

In another place of Barcelona, Abel and Eva had just arrived to their hotel. It was awkward enough for Eva to notice that it was the first time she headed out for a mission in company of one from the AX, and to make it worst they had to stay in the same room.

Abel noticed Eva's worried face and so he set out to make her feel a bit more relaxed.

"Eva-san you mustn't worry about being in the same room as me, I shall leave the room when you need and well its separated beds so…"

"Arigatou Father Nightroad but rather than worried about that I'm worried about our mission"

"It will be just fine, daijobu"

"Yes I wish you were right" she kept thinking but something told her it wouldn't be so.

Later that same night they set out to investigate in the bar where most of the murderers took place… and then She felt it, yes she was there hiding in some corner but she was there. Eva could feel Esther's presence but did father Nightroad felt it too? It seemed not, but why? Did something change in the crusnik program?

They headed to the bartender to whom Abel was going to start questioning.

"Good evening we would like to know if you could provide us with some information" Said Abel taking seat in front of the guy while Eva just kept looking around the place.

"You must drink something before I let you know anything"

"Very well then can you give me some tea with milk and 13 teaspoons of sugar in it please?"

"What, 13 teaspoons of sugar?"

"Yes you see I'm addicted to sweets and…." He was interrupted by the bartender

"Well then, I guess she is not the only weirdo around here"

When Eva heard that she turned pale, she was frightened by how close they were and in such dangerous circumstances.

"She? Who might you be talking about?"

"They call her the fire of justice, she came here one night and to tell you the truth this bar wasn't as peaceful as you see it now, oh no at that time this place was under the power of a very powerful vampire order, but that night she attacked one of them vampires cause he was abusing a girl a very young lady that barely survived that night, why if it wasn't for that vampire eater this place would still be the most horrible bar in Barcelona"

"They? Who gave her that name?"

"The women the vampires used as whores and food, you see this side of Barcelona isn't exactly protected so many vampires that get tired of the new peace and all of that stuff come here to do as they want well at least they used to."

"Tell me a bit more about her, how does she look like?"

"Well I didn't get to see her face that one time she came and asked for the same thing as you did, but she was like and average girl you wouldn't even imagine that someone with such a delicate body complex would hold such power."

"Mmm that doesn't sound like Seth-chan "though Abel to himself

"Father Nightroad we should head else were to look for this mysterious person" Eva was getting seriously nervous at the thought of both of them going to their Crusnik forms if anything happened.

"I guess you are right Eva-san since I bet that our delicate assassin hasn't come here right?" he asked looking at the bartender

"She came here last week but she only came to take a look around and then left." answered the man.

"Well then let's head of to the streets and see if we can find anything" they started walking out of the place but suddenly… the bartender looked to the far right corner of the bar and noticed that the woman he was just talking about was sitting there all the time.

"Hey… Father… wait… wait" screamed the bartender trying to catch his attention but it was too late he was already gone, but just as he turned around to look at the woman again he found himself almost face to face with her.

"Listen you… I'm a very nice person but do not get me wrong if you give away any more info to that priest I'll get rid of you, you get it?"

"Ye… yes ma'm I… I get it…. I'm sorry for …"started to say the man all scared because of the sudden attack from her.

"Shut up already…" and as she finished her sentence at the door of the bar two voices were heard.

"Seriously Father we had to come back just so you could drink the tea you asked for?" And as they were entering the bar Abel answered.

"But I really wanted that tea and…" he couldn't finish his sentence because he saw the bartender being grabbed by the neck in a very aggressive way, Abel immediately took out his gun "Let go of that man now, who ever might you be"

Everything stood still for a while, Eva couldn't believe it, Esther was attacking a man, and she was in her Crusnik form. The Blue glow in her eyes made her notice that

"It is rather foolish from you Father that you think you can actually stop me with a hopeless gun" answered the woman as she was letting go of the bartender.

"I guess then, you must be the one behind the vampire murders around here"

"Your guessing is right, but you must know by now that you will not stop me easily"

"Show your face then, you must be a coward to not let your victims see you"

She kept her face hidden under a hood and all that Abel could see was the blue glow of her eyes. All of the sudden and with out a warning Esther moved and in a second she was standing right in front of the priest. She knocked the gun down and kept her face close to Abel's although he still couldn't see her face.

"I'm no coward, I just did what needed to be done…" after that she closed the gap between them and kissed him with a quick peck on his lips "see you later Abel Nightroad" Abel was left frozen there, after the kiss, and Esther left the bar but Eva went after her.

A Few blocks away Eva called her crusnik powers so she could catch up to Esther.

"Esther, wait" she called but Esther seemed to no want to listen, so Eva ran as fast as she could and jumped behind her finally catching her.

"Let go of me… let g…" but she was cut off by a slap on her cheek

"Quit it already, its me"

"05, I waited for you so long"

"Why are you calling me by my crusnik number?"

"It's the nanomachines I… I haven't been able to change back in two weeks… Eva… 05 help me… please" and with that she fainted shutting down the nanomachines and finally letting her get back to her normal state.

"That explains her behaviour, now what? I can't go back to father Nightroad how am I going to explain this?"

Abel stood still until the bartender shook him… "Hey Father, are you alright? Hey come on get down to earth already"

"I… I'm sorry, where did my partner go?" said Abel finally getting over the shock

"She left, she got out of here running after the other girl, the one who kissed you, hope you don't get in trouble cause of a kiss" said the bartender joking

"No, you got it wrong, that couldn't be a kiss…. No way…" he started saying but his cheeks were blushing and the bartender couldn't help laughing.

Back at the hotel Abel couldn't help but worry, he couldn't understand what just happened what he had just felt the rush of power around that person… and where had Eva-san gone, he couldn't find her and with all his confusion he just decided to go back to the hotel room.

The only thing he fully understood was that there was a new crusnik, but how? What was this supposed to mean? And what was he going to do when they finally caught this crusnik? Was Cain behind this, no he couldn't after all why would he make a new crusnik and one that killed methusela? All this just screwed all his plans, all he wanted to do was see Esther and with this mission it just complicated things, he got up from the bed and walked to the window to look outside letting his thoughts fill his mind.

In another hotel of Barcelona, Esther woke up with a horrible headache, she couldn't quite remember what happened but she was relieved to see that Eva was there in the room although she seemed a bit angry.

"Eva… what happened? When did you get here?" she asked as she got up from the bed

"I was hoping you would tell me what happened, but it seems you have memory problems; you don't remember what happened just an hour ago?"

"Mmmm not really, I remember you slapped me, and well couple of methuselah killings I did, but Eva I did it for a good reason they.. they were…" she cut off by Eva

"Yes I know why you did it the problem is that you crossed the line and for some reason you couldn't turn back from the crusnik until just now, and you called me by my crusnik number as if it were the nanomachines talking, further more I think we are connected in some kinda level I knew you were in that bar the moment I entered…" Eva started talking almost to herself while Esther just listened to all her theories but then something came across Esther´s mind; her lips had come in contact with someone.

"Eva…" she interrupted "is it me or did I kiss someone? I have this feeling, I don't remember but somehow I know I kissed someone, did you see or was it before you found me?"

"Mmmm I guess that's why some people say the body has its own memory, yes you did kiss someone but I´m not sure if I should tell you, which reminds me that this is getting more messed up than I imagined, look I need to go now I'm supposed to be on a mission with another one of the AX and if don't get back now he may find you"

"He? Who exactly are you talking about? Who came with you and what is this mission about? Eva please don't leave me I have tons to tell you…." But just as she was starting to drag on her pleading she was cut off by Eva

"Esther you are my mission I'm supposed to capture the one behind the murders, and seriously you don't want to know more just keep it down for a while ok?"

"But I can't not now I'm sure I have info about that man's whereabouts"

"Esther you can't keep this up, something went wrong with you and if you use your crusnik form I'm not sure you will change back, just let me think of something I'll come back for you tomorrow night first let me talk to my partner"

"If its Leon he will help us but if you came with Tres it will be impossible talking to him, rather if it's Hugh he may have already left you alone… "

"No Esther it's none of them and for your own good you mustn't know yet…"

"Eva, why are you acting so mysteriously? You don't usually act this way…"

"Please just let me go, rest for now and keep yourself safe please?"

"Alright, alright…. I'll stay here just promise you will come back tomorrow please?"

"I promise" and with that Eva took off.

As she neared the hotel where she was staying with Father Nightroad, her mind kept coming up with explanations about what was going on but something in her heart just kept her telling to tell the truth... "Ugh since when did I become such a weakling about someone else feelings" Then when she was about to head inside the hotel she noticed someone near the windows, as if to confirm what she had to do Father Nightroad was there.

"Here goes nothing" she told herself deciding to tell Father Nightroad everything in order to make this easier and faster.

He was distracted the moment the heard the door of the room, he had been waiting for his partner but most of his thoughts had been focused in the woman he loved and how every time he tried to get back to her something drew them apart. The moment he saw his partners face reality struck him, he wasn't on vacation he was here because of a new crusnik that apparently had gotten away from Sister Eva.

"Eva-san are you alright?"

"Father Nightroad you are awake? I'm fine you don't need to worry about me…"

"Well I couldn't sleep knowing you went after that mysterious woman; I hope you were able to find something about her"

"Actually Father, I know everything about what is going on here but I'm not sure how to explain or where to begin with…"

"Well I'm all ears" and so Eva began explaining the whole story to Father nightroad as she told him every detail he was caught in some mixed feelings not knowing whether to ask details or just let her finish what she had to say.

It was starting to dawn and Esther woke up in her hotel room feeling dizzy and also starving, she called room service and ordered hot cakes and her usual thirteen sugar milk tea. After having filled her body with sweets she was decided to go and take a walk in the city, after all she hadn't been under the sunlight for quite a while now. She thought that maybe while she was out she could try and remember what happened yesterday. She reached a near park that seemed sort of peaceful; she found an empty bench and sat there trying to relax. Just as she was getting her mind blank, she heard a loud scream coming from an alley. Ignoring Eva´s warning she called out her crusnik, the next thing that happened only Esther's Crusnik form had a record of it.