A/N: This is a new chapter, but occurs before the next chapter, so I have posted the story chronologically. Please enjoy and review with any feedback you have at all!

I stared at the enlarged photograph in my hand. The strange symbol was burnt into the iris of the latest victim, like all the others before him. There was no denying it, moments before death this child had looked upon the pure form of an angel. An angel had been trying to save this innocent from their fate.

I chewed my lip, itching for answers. Someone upstairs knew what was going on, and they were keeping it to themselves.

If I could just talk to them, I thought, and then shook my head. Heaven, like Hell, was

a closed book. They were notoriously private; there was no way I was even getting an audience with an angel, let alone information from them.

I threw the photo onto the coffee table in frustration. I was getting nowhere fast, and with no new visions I was at a dead end.

Enough was enough. I grabbed my phone and dialled Bastian. He knew something, he'd side stepped every question I'd asked and I was tired of him dodging me.

The ring tone stuttered and clicked, "Hello Garnet."

I shivered involuntarily as his voice greeted me, "Bas, I need to see you."

Silence.

"I can't right now, I'm busy. I have a lunch date."

I suppressed a growl of frustration, "This can't wait Bas."

"Fine," he snapped, "Meet me after, at Greg's coffee house, 3pm."

I pressed the heel of my palm against my forehead, "I can't. My boss wants to see me, about taking me off suspension."

"Then just come to the lunch date. It's at the Hilton, at 1:30pm. Don't be late." He spat at me then hung up.

I stared at my phone, dumbfound. Fighting the ache in my chest his hostile attitude had caused I went and changed. If I was quick I could get my answers and be gone before his date even turned up.

My heels clicked loudly on the pavement as I hurried down the street. I pulled my coat tighter around me and ducked my head from the harsh wind. A sigh of relief escaped me as I stepped inside the grand hotel, the door heater flushing the cold from me. I shook my hair out, running my fingers through it to loosen the knots.

With my head held high I made my way to the restaurant, while nerves shook me inside. The hallway was pristine, bright and clean. The marble floor was polished to perfection and lavish gold lamps gleamed on the walls. I was suddenly very glad I'd worn a smart black pant suit.

My heart beat double time when I caught sight of Bastian sat at the table in a pressed forest green shirt and black slacks, his back to me. The lion colour of his hair shone in the light, curling ever so lightly at the base of his neck.

The memory of running my fingers through those curls made something flutter in my chest. I shoved the thought away, squared my shoulders, and approached him.

His entire frame was tense, his lips pressed against his joined hands, as he leant on the table. A frown adorned his handsome face, marring his features. When I stopped beside him he sat back and looked up at me, his eyes shrewd and cold. I swallowed hard and sat in one of the chairs at the round table.

I pulled my trench coat off and hung it over the chair, adjusting my purple shirt nervously. I swept my long hair from my shoulder and settled my hands on my lap. Then I finally looked up at Bastian.

My lips parted as I tried to figure out what to say and his sharp eyes captured the motion. I fought the blush that threatened to creep up my neck. His stare made me feel naked and exposed.

Then he spoke, "So what was so urgent you couldn't wait?"

And just like that the intimate moment evaporated. My stomach cramped under his cold tone and I suddenly felt stupid for insisting to see him.

"I need your help."

His lips pressed in a hard line, the blood leaching from them, "The missing children."

"Yes," I said, "You need to tell me what you know. And don't tell me you don't know anything, I'm sick of you lying to me."

"Did you ever consider I'm lying because I'm trying to protect you?"

My body flushed hot and cold as anger welled inside me and I straightened my spine, "Did you ever consider that I don't need protecting? It's those children who need protecting. Every time you lie to me you risk one of their lives. Can you live with that on your conscience?"

Air hissed between his teeth as he breathed in. He leaned into me, eyes alight with anger, "You are my only concern. Neither of us can help those children, but I can certainly make sure you don't become their next victim."

Excitement coursed through me, "Who's next victim? You know who's doing this?"

He jaw clicked as he clenched it. He spoke through gritted teeth, "I don't know anything."

"You liar!"

"Damn it, Garnet –"

Just then a woman approached our table. She took in our tense stance with a raised eyebrow. Bastian stood abruptly and I followed suit, confused. The woman smiled at him, revealing a line of perfectly straight, white teeth, framed by ruby lips. She was tall, nearly 5'8, half a head smaller than Bas, whereas as I barely brushed his shoulders. She had a lean, subtly curvy figure, clad in a rich chocolate coloured wrap dress that accentuated every shapely asset. Next to her my petite body looked like a prepubescent child's.

With a start I realised this was Bastian's lunch date.

Worse, she was a demon.

"Bastian Daimonas?" Her smile was far too friendly. She shook his hand, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. The sight of it left a lump in my throat, "My name is Sephera Fiscarato. We spoke on the phone."

Bas's returning smile, genuine in it's delight, made me feel sick, "Yes, I remember. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Suddenly her bright eyes were on mine, intensely intimidating, their deep violet almost glowing, challenging. Something inside me growled in defiance at her play for dominance. My eyes burned with the intensity of holding her gaze, and as I wavered a small knowing smile graced her perfect lips. Tears prickled painfully under my lids and I blinked and look away, the shame of my submission stinging sharply.

"And who is this?" She asked sweetly.

Bastian cleared his throat, "This is Garnet Johnson, my…she's my sister."

The word was like a sledgehammer to my chest, and I struggled to stay standing. I sucked in a painful breath, my eyes catching his. Guilt hung heavy there, before disappearing to be replaced by a cold indifference.

I gritted my teeth and plastered on a smile, "I'm not his sister."

"We were raised in the same house, by the same people."

"But we're not related, in any way." I countered. I hid my shaking fists behind my back.

He frowned at me, "We essentially have the same parents."

I suppressed a snort, "We do not. We were childhood friends, now we just live together." I turned back to Sephera, "Like I said, I'm not his sister."

Her amused expression said she didn't believe me in the slightest, it had that nasty condescending quality that told me exactly what she thought, that I was a nuisance she'd happily get rid of.

"It's a delight to meet you Garnet. A friend of Bastian's is a friend of mine." She offered me her hand, gracefully suspended between us. I gripped it a little too tight, accidently squeezing her slender fingers, while flashing fang as I returned her fake smile.

"Charmed, I'm sure." I replied sweetly.

We all sat, an awkward silence thick in the air, until Sephera placed her perfectly manicured nails on Bastian's arm and leant close to him.

"I must say, we are all very excited. People can't stop talking about your immense success in your abilities. It is rare we receive such a talented incubus who has had no formal training," She gushed excessively, I honestly felt she was over doing it, but Bas seemed to drink it up, "Do tell me, how did you develop your powers so efficiently without a mentor?"

I smirked and looked pointedly at Bastian. His eyes flittered nervously to me but he didn't answer. With smug pride swelling in my chest, I gazed at the succubus in front of me, and told her exactly how his powers developed.

"That would be my doing."

Her face was priceless, the shock and disbelief too strong for her to hide, "We worked together to develop his powers. We were an incredibly successful hunting party."

I held my head high as she regarded me, probably re-estimating her evaluation of me, "Well, that's certainly…unorthodox. I'm sure that must have been very hard for you Bastian." She patted his arm patronizingly. Not that he seemed to mind.

I bit back the urge to slap that hand away, "On the contrary. He seemed to rather enjoy it, if I remember correctly. Bas seems to enjoy lots of things he does with me."

His emerald eyes flashed with a rich heat and he shot me a warning glare. I smiled knowingly and flicked my hair from my neck, baring my throat in a primal invitation. One that would remind him just how much he liked my throat, when he was busy enjoying himself. I was intensely satisfied when he watched my neck in a hungry way, swallowing hard before tearing his eyes away.

I played with my fangs, which had dropped half an inch, as the heat burned between us. Sephera watched it through narrowed eyes, and then her cold calculating persona disappeared behind her lovely little mask.

"Well, I think that's wonderful that you had such a caring family around to help you build on your abilities. It'll certainly make your training later much easier. We must think of your future of course."

I didn't miss her little slip about me being family. She continued on her little rant about Bastian's booming career in Hell. She might have censured herself, but it was pretty evident why she what this meeting was about. With Bastian's 25th birthday looming, she could only be here to begin the transfer process.

The idea of it made my heart race, which sounded like a ticking clock counting down faster and faster.

Four weeks, three days…

The waiter arrived and took our orders. I tapped my foot as I watched the two of them converse with ease. The soft smile he gave her made my heart hurt. I sat there silently, feeling lost and forgotten as they talked. He had been so distant with me recently that seeing him this relaxed and happy hurt.

The waiter appeared with our food and as he served us Bas's hand suddenly rested on my knee, holding it with a gentle pressure to stop my insistent tapping. When I ceased he didn't remove his hand, but instead rested it there, the warmth of it permeating through my trousers to my bare skin. His thumb stroked back and forth along my knee, soothing me. My heartbeat slowed and I breathed deeply.

Bastian didn't so much as glance at me, he continued his conversation without missing a beat, but his hand continued to rest upon my knee under the table, distinctively tender and intimate.

I picked at my salad, and then my phone buzzed in my pocket. Frowning, I pulled it out. An unread message blinked insistently on the screen. From my boss.

Damn.

He had moved the meeting forward, and if I didn't leave now I was going to be late. Then I could kiss goodbye to getting my job back.

I stood, Bastian's hand slipped from my leg, "I'm sorry, I have something of immediate importance to take care of. Please excuse me."

As I shrugged on my coat Bas stood, frowning slightly, "I thought your meeting wasn't until later."

"Not anymore. I've got to go, I'm going to be late." I turned to Sephera and smiled brightly, "It was nice to meet you."

I didn't wait to hear her reply. I grabbed my bag and turned from them, walking as calmly as I could out of the restaurant. The idea of leaving them alone made my stomach roll, but if I was ever going to have a chance of being a field agent and making a difference in this city, especially for kids like the ones missing at the moment, I had to get to this meeting, and I had to show him just how dedicated I was to my job.

I barely noticed the cold as I hurried down the street towards the HQ building. At least it was only a few blocks over from the hotel. As the wind whipped my hair across my face, I pulled me coat tighter around me and walked faster.

"Help!"

I skidded to a stop. The cry of a child reached me, before it was snatched away by the wind. My eyes swept back and forth across the street, searching. Then I saw him, a small skinny boy hidden in the shadow of an ally. His stared at me with wide eyes, and gripped the wall with dirty hands.

Shocked, I rushed towards him, arms outstretched. His bottom lip trembled as he backed into the ally.

"Shh," I crooned, "It's ok, you're safe now."

He stood in the shadow of the building, crying softly, arms reaching towards me.

"Oh, darling, it's going to be alright. Come here."

He stepped into the protective circle of my arms and cried into my chest. I cradled him and rocked him gently, "Shhh, shhh."

He strained towards my ear, his voice so quiet I missed what he said. I asked him to repeat it, and he leant closer still so his lips were pressed against my ear.

"Naughty naughty."

He giggled, in a sick twisted way that made my heart pound. I flushed cold, fear gripping me. His little nails dug into my skin so hard that it drew blood, the scent of it like a stain in the air.

I pulled away from him, to see a mouth full of nasty looking fangs, dripping with spit and cat like slits in his eyes, which glowed like tarnished gold coins. He giggled again, high and manic.

My fangs dropped and I growled, hoping to frighten him, but he snapped his sharp white teeth at me. Teeth that looked suspiciously like the fangs of the crazed Forgotten, mutated and deranged vampires.

I shoved him away and ran for the street, but before I could reach it pain exploded on the back of my head. I fell forward, my face smashing against the concrete.

As my vision faded a dark shape blocked the light from the mouth of the ally, growing larger as I lost consciousness. A hard kick to my head made my vision oddly focused for just a moment, to see pure white eyes, with pitch black pupils, gazing down at me. Eyes that incited a familiar terror that froze my heart. I tried to scream but I couldn't breathe.

Then I fell into oblivion.

A/N: ANY feedback would be amazing! There are loads of people reading this, but I'm only getting 1 or 2 reviews, so please send me any/all feedback! Thank you!