Freedom

                                    

                                          
Freedom. Absolute freedom. It was a wonderful thing. I stood with my eyes closed feeling my power in the form of wind circling around me. There was no more hiding. No more pretending. I was allowed, for once, to just be, and I loved every minute of it. Power coursed through my veins, pulsated with every beat of my happy heart and it felt glorious.
            "Calm your mind." Azazel stood with me in some open field intent on training me to use and control my powers. "You're too excited, my darling." I could hear the smile in his voice.
            "I'm sorry. I can't help it." I looked at him. "This feeling is just too amazing!"
            "Your powers are converging. You'll have to wrestle with them from time to time. It's best if you can learn how to use them both as soon as possible." 
            I growled. "I can't just stand here. I have to move. I need to do something, destroy something." 
"That's a lot of energy flowing through you right now. It's as if you broke down a dam and needed to find a way to control all that water."
            I lifted my arms and a blaze of fire moved through them like a flamethrower out onto the nearest tree. I laughed maniacally as I watched it burn. Azazel chuckled and then placed his hand on my shoulder stopping the fire. He then turned his attention to the tree. He quieted the flames preventing the others from burning.
            "We mustn't destroy such beauty, my dear," he said.
            "Aw, c'mon Dad," I whined.             "I want to destroy something." I could feel my face contorting into a pout.
            "Oh, my darling child, you'll get your chance soon enough. Don't you worry. First, let's get those witch powers under control."
            "Witch powers? I don't understand? I thought I was trying to control my demon powers."
            "The magic of the witch will help control the powers I gave you. In fact, they're almost necessary for a half-demon with that much power. You need another source to help you control it or the demon will rip you to shreds."
            "Oh." I didn't want to be ripped apart. Not when I just gained so much glorious power. "I'm sorry."
            "There's no need for apologies. You're just excited. It must've been difficult pretending to act so perfect all your life. You even had me fooled. I thought for sure I made a mistake."
            "Very hard. People either knew I was pretending or just thought I was O.C.D. or something." I could feel the rage building inside of me. "I just wanted to be me, but my thoughts were always... just not normal. Bill always told me they weren't normal."
            "They were perfectly normal for your demon half."
            I glanced at him. "Is this what it's always like? Does this feeling, this desire for domination ever go away?"
            "Let's just say it becomes easier to control. The demon always wants more."
            "Is this how you feel?"
            The corner of his lip curled upward into what should've been a smirk, but I could sense something else lurking in that smile.
            "Most of the time, but I've existed for many years without my full power." He paused and seemed almost irritated at the thought of losing them. "And many years before then wielding that power with impunity for there were none who could control me, as if they could ever hope to stop me."
            His hands gripped into fists at his sides and I could feel him connecting to the power inside of me. The strain pulled at my chest and I fell. It was crushing me from the inside out. I gasped and managed to call out to him, my voice setting him free from whatever hold my power had over him.
            "I'm so sorry, my love." He reached down for me but pulled away. "Truly, I didn't mean it."
            I stood. "How could you do that?"
            There were tears forming behind his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I cherish you."
            "Not that, Dad. I meant how. You took control of me. You were ripping it out of me."
            His eyes shifted from mine briefly. "They are technically mine. I will always have control over them."
            "Even when Morgan had them?"
            That sinister smile returned. "I only took what was mine."
            "Can he do the same to me?"
            He reached out and pulled me into him. "He's not strong enough to oppose me." He held me back and ran his hand over my hair. "Enough for today. You're injured."
            It shouldn't have come as a surprise. The witch in me knew he was hiding something. The demon in me wanted him. The attraction towards my own father in that moment told me he still had a massive amount of power cleverly concealed inside of him, but to what end?
            We headed back inside and Azazel left me on the sofa with Morgan before retreating into the kitchen.
            "What have you done now?" Morgan sounded less than amused. "You've pushed her too hard." He touched my shoulder but his hand recoiled from me as if he just touched something hot.
            Azazel ignored his inquiry and was quick to return with a glass of what I assumed to be water. It was clear and fizzy but seemed to be mixed with a white powder.
            "What is it?' I asked.
            "It'll make you feel better, sweet girl," Azazel replied.
            I was reluctant to take it.
            "Do you distrust me, my sweet?"
            What could I do? I could feel the fear shivering up in me, and from my brief experience with my demonic powers, I knew both Morgan and Azazel felt my fear too.
            "It will help," said Azazel. "I promise."
            They both watched me intently like a pack of hungry wolves waiting until I was plump enough to eat. I drank it. Tasted sort of like baking soda in water but I finished it.
            "There now," Azazel smiled as he took the empty cup. "Don't you feel better?"
            I nodded.
            "Let's get you to bed then. You should rest. 
            He closed me in that dark room again. I had so many questions and had no idea where to even begin or how I would find the answers. I could ask Rick, but he might still be angry and flood me with his personal medley of 'I told you sos' and 'coulda, shoulda, woulda's.' I was so not in the mood. But at the same time, it's not like I can just look in a book or talk to my brother. 
Azazel's behavior was just plain weird, or maybe completely normal. I've never really seen this side of him before. I still wanted him to be my stepmother. I wanted life to return to normal and to never return at the same time. I wanted to be good again and yet remain almost evil. Azazel had said my powers were merging. Maybe these feelings were a byproduct. Maybe I only felt distrust because it's only natural for my witch power to distrust the demon inside. My father wouldn't hurt me. My brother wouldn't hurt me. They loved me. They wanted me. After convincing myself of this, I drifted off into a deep sleep.