Preface

The last thing Jasper had seen before he was born was God looking down at him, with a warm smiling face. The only thing he remembered Him ever saying to him was, You will do great things, my son. And then there was darkness. But Jasper never forgot. He never forgot that he was an angel.

Chapter One

Jasper had been pursuing the creature for what seemed like an eternity. Really, though, it had only been a few short minutes. And then Jasper had entered into the only hell hed ever knownhigh school. Just because youre an angel doesnt mean you cant get a proper education. Jasper looked around, wondering where heit, more likewas. His one and only target and hed lost him! Valentine would be furious He was just about to turn around when he caught something in his sight. Dark brown hair, almost black. Bingo, he thought. The evil little bastard hed been following turned into a corridor, and Jasper turned in the hallway after him. Then Jasper saw something dreadful.

The dark-haired demon was going up to a red-headed girl and grabbed her delicate, pale throat with his hands and squeezed. Jasper gave an inward shriek, and heard Valentines chastising voice in his head. Shouldve done a better job of that, eh, J? He just couldnt get away from Valentine even when he wasnt there. Perfect! he thought sarcastically, and then pounced on the demon. The demon growled as he was grappled to the ground, and the red-head hed been holding shrieked. Her lips were slightly bruised. What the fuck? the demon yelled in a very normal-sounding, wholesomely male-teenager-like voice. But Jasper knewknew what he really was. What are you doing? the girl shrieked at Jasper. God, we were only making out. What the hell is your problem? Wait, what? Well, that explained why her lips were bruisedshe was kissing a demon.

Oh, my God, Im such an idiot. The demon turned on Jasper then, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, and then hauled him up to his feet. The demon wheeled his hand back, and was about to punch Jasper head-on in the face when a voice called out. Eli! What the hell are you doing? a small, bell-like voice rang out. Definitely a female voice. The demon turned then, looking at the girl who had called out to him. Jasper, too, turned, and saw a girl with long, dark raven-hair and a sour expression cast to this Eli personer, demon. This assholethe demon said, slightly shaking Jasper for emphasisdecided to tackle me for kissing someone. Oh, Eli, you are so good at making friends, the girl quipped. Seriously. You should be class president. Youre just so darn popular with the ladies and the guys, apparently, she gestured to Jasper. It took him a minute to realize she was joking, because he was too busy kicking himself for being so stupidhe wasnt choking her, he was

shoving his tongue down her throat, duh!to notice. Fuck off, Ester, nobody asked you, Eli hissed out through his teeth. Oh, shut it, Ester told him. She then looked at Jasper and continued, Have you ever wondered if maybe the poor kid tripped and accidently knocked into you? Huh? Eli flickered his eyes towards Jasper, who was too busy wondering why he hadnt thought of that excuse to notice the demon, then turned to Ester again. Ester was now leaning against the lockers and tapping her foot. Im wait-ing! she said in a sing-song voice, and examined her nails with false fascination. Eli turned back to Jasper, and let go of his collar. Sorry, he said, though not truly meaning it. He was just putting on a show for this Ester girl. The bell rang then, and Eli and the redheaded girl took that opportunity to walk away. Ester, however, stayed behind. Youre new, arent you? she asked. Jasper nodded.

Good luck, she said, turning her head towards him. Her eyes were very grey, like the sky before a storm. Youll need it; sometimes, I swear to God, this place is like Hell. If only you knew how ironic that was, Jasper thought. He said nothing.

What did you get off of him? Eli asked her in the parking lot, watching as the new kid descended the steps of the high school with what seemed like elegance. There had been something about Eli kissing that human that had set this new person offEli wanted to know if this pathetic waste of air was a threat. Imagine that, Eli thought. Grace in modern society; who knew? Her voice brought him out of his thoughts; her voice was so beautiful. I think he knows what you are, Ester told him. But Im not sure if he knows what I am. What is he? Lycanthrope? Oh, please dont tell me hes a vampire. Theyre so annoying.

No, neither, I think, Ester sounded distressed; Eli didnt like it when Ester was distressed. No, I dont know what he isbut I know what he isnt. And whats that? Human.

How did it go? Valentine asked, looking up from his cheese sandwich as Jasper entered through the kitchen door, which led out to the yard. How do you think it went? Jasper countered, adding as much sarcasm in his voice as humanly and angelically possible. Well, you dont have to be mean about it, Valentine said. Remind me, again, why I have to be the one to go to school? Jasper wondered aloud. Youre sixteen, just like meyou can go to school just as much as I can. Because, Valentine began, then paused, in a mock-thinking pose. Hm, well, I cant seem to think of any reason right now, but when I find a good one, Ill let you know.

He smiled; Jasper gave him the finger. Valentine laughed as Jasper padded up the stairs, shouting up, Thats not very angelic of you! Worst. Day. Ever. And even worse? Jasper knew thered be plenty more where that came from.

Jasper had had his share of heartache. His parents didnt give a damn about him, and were too busy putting their time and money into drugs and alcohol to care, and kicked him out of the house when he was fourteen. He had wondered why God had put him into this situation; ever since Jasper was little, he had known he was an angel. It was like knowing how to breathe, or how to thinkbeing an angel, to him, was just, well, life. It was his breath, it was his thought. It was him. Thats when hed met Valentine. Valentine was also fourteen, almost fifteen, and had stumbled upon Jasper when hed been

sitting on a bus-stop bench and wondering what to do. When an angel encounters another like themselves, for the first time, its like theyre being drawn towards one another. At first, Jasper thought that Valentine was just your average neighborhood angel, and decided to accept Valentines offer to buy him a nice hot meal. And then, as it turned out, they were brothers. Not in the biological sense, but in the mental, angelic-like sense. The brotherhood bond that is made through friendship and not blood. Jasper had been living as Valentines roommate ever since. Now, two years later, they finally had their first mission from the Council together. Track down Lucifer, and when they found him and zeroed him out from the other demons in the town, call for the Council. The Devil had escaped the depths of Hell; their mission was to put him back.

I still dont understand why I cant tell her, Eli said, pacing the length of his study at the clans mansion. He wore a blood-red dinner jacket and charcoal pants, his hair sticking this way and that. He ran his hand through it again, feeling troubled. Eli had never kept a secret from his sister that was this great. Benjamin looked at him, seeming disgusted. You do not answer to your twin! he shouted, slamming a pale fist against Elis desk. Eli did not even flinch. Your twin is suppose to answer to you! Benji said. Are you so spineless? Eli reared then, black demonblood seeping from his teeth; his eyes had grown to their true shade of maroon. I. Am. Not. SPINELESS! Benji actually drew back; he actually looked frightened. I am the head of this clan and if you wish to stay here a moment longer you will not call me spineless, Eli hissed the words through his teeth, his fangs absorbing the demonblood back to where it came fromin a heart as black as his blood.

Benji blinked, his eyes turning a translucent firelight tint of blood, then said again, She must not know. Eli looked at him then, his eyes changing back to what their color used to be. When he was still human, that is.