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Jerome looked at Azrael. The boy had a serious expression on his face. Not that this was unusual for Jerome; he often looked serious. Looking at him, Azrael worried about the same thing Soleil did. He was old beyond his years and was too serious as a result. Jerome was looking at the top of Azrael’s desk. He’d used Uber to come to his office at the Bureau of Exorcisms. He’d forbid Azrael from telling Soleil about it, but he still hadn’t told Azrael what was bothering him, despite Azrael’s gentle prodding.
“When I was a kid, well, really young, I think I was about six. I had a dream or at least, I thought it was a dream. It was winter, there was snow on the ground. And at the start of a footpath that led into some trees stood a demon. He was tall, dressed all in white, even his skin was as pale as the snow. He had big horns that came out of his forehead and curled back over the top of his head. He beckoned me forward, but I ran away. I haven’t thought about that dream in a long time. But the night before Mom died, I dreamed of that demon again. He still stood in the snow at the head of the path and he hadn’t changed. It bothered me, but again, I put it out of my mind. It was just a reaction to what was coming; maybe I somehow knew Mom was going to die. I don’t know. Anyway, last night I had the dream for the third time. But it was a little different. He didn’t stand at the head of a footpath this time, and while there was snow again, there were also leaves on the trees and green grass poked through the snow. He didn’t just motion me forward, he called me by name. I knew that he wanted me, wanted me to make him real and that he wanted to possess me for my power, and he wanted to kill Soleil because he couldn’t possess me as long as she was alive. I call him the Snow Demon and I think he’s real. I came to you because you know more about demons than most of the archangels and I didn’t want to call Lucifer. Can you tell me about him and how to stay away from him?”
“It sounds like Azazael. Do you know how Soleil’s brother died?”
“No,” Jerome answered.
“He was lured into becoming possessed by a succubus. She drained as much energy and free will from him as she could. Once he was too weak to resist, Azazael took possession of him. In his weakened state, Azazael managed to displace his soul. The exorcism destroyed both his soul and Azazael’s spirit. Azazael was nicknamed the winter demon, because one of the signs of being possessed by him was that water froze in the presence of the possessed. He was technically a duke, but Uriel and I had considered reclassifying him as a prince before that event. In theory, he’s dead. But if you’ve been dreaming of him, then we have to reconsider that theory. If he were well and truly dead, you wouldn’t dream of him because you never met him, and he has no progeny. Azazael is dangerous, very dangerous. He’s the only demon to ever brute force his way into an angelic exorcist.”
“Soleil’s brother?” Jerome asked.
“No, Uriel.” Azrael said. “When we tried to exorcise him from Nathaniel all those years ago, Azazael moved briefly from Nathaniel to Uriel. All of us working together couldn’t exorcise him. Jophiel had to help us, and it was Jophiel that killed him. Only demon he’s ever killed.”
“I’ve never heard one of you speak his true name,” Jerome said.
“Now I have to wonder if he was really killed or just displaced somewhere between here and the Stygian. If that’s the case, he may be stalking your dreams because he needs your power to return. You’re like Soleil, your magic has a touch of the Stygian in it, and it would make you a good conduit for a demon searching for a way home. We have to tell Soleil.”
“Soleil will get hurt trying to protect me.” Jerome said.
“Have you spent much time with her?” Azrael asked the teen.
“Of course,” Jerome looked at him puzzled.
“The only beings that can hurt Soleil are herself and you. She withstood Beelzebub and read Leviathan’s past. She’s powerful enough to take care of herself. You both have the power of nine archangels behind you.”
“Ten,” Jerome replied.
“Ten?” Azrael said.
“I think if she tried, she could make Leviathan remember his life as Zadkiel. I think Leviathan is every bit as powerful as Zadkiel was when he was alive.”
“Then there’s no reason not to tell her. I don’t think it’s a fluke that you felt Soleil needed to be dead for Azazael to possess you. Do you?”
“No. But I don’t want her to run toward the danger either.”
“Well, it’s Soleil and she has always run toward danger. Even you can’t change that. Especially if she thinks it poses a danger to you.”
“Can she defeat the Winter Demon?” Jerome asked.
“Yes,” Azrael said. “Probably not by herself, but she’ll have you, me, all her other uncles, Raphael, Lucifer, and demon armies.”
“If things get precarious, we can summon Leviathan too.”
“If things get really bad, you can summon Leviathan.” Azrael agreed.
“One powerful prince to battle another,” Jerome gave a short, curt nod.
“Yes, maybe,” Azrael shrugged. “I’ll take you back to the hotel and you can tell her about the Winter Demon.”
Oh My Wizard
Nephilim Narrative #2
The End