Circles and Wings

Chapter 10

*Jasper*

The man she was talking to, she called him Rory, was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "What's your name, Angel?"

I looked at him with shock as I reached the bottom of the stairs and met his stare. Up close, I could see his eyes were a deep blood red, a mark of a prince of Hell. "I'm going to guess your name isn't Rory." I said crossing my arms at my chest. "My name is Jasper."

"Rory?" He laughed and shook his head, looking over my shoulder towards her door. I turned too to see her door lined with light. Raph locked her in, that was not going to end well. I turned my gaze back to the prince as he spoke. "My name is Wrath, I'm a prince of Hell. The girl up there, she's my best friend, she's my charge... and she's in trouble."

"Scarlett is your best friend? You... look out for her?" I asked with a laugh, "How would that come to happen? She's human... I think."

He shook his head again, "She's far from human." He said lowly.

"What do you mean?"

He leaned against the railing, "Haven't you noticed anything off about her?"

"I don't..." I shook my head as he laughed.

"She isn't easily drunk off of your wine, she knows things she shouldn't..." He trailed off sniffing the air once. His face turned sour.

"What are you saying?" I asked

"She's the daughter of Satan himself."

No. No she couldn't be... That would mean we both ran from the same thing and the safety she thinks she's found... is false. It couldn't be true, so I said, "You're lying."

"Why would I lie to you about this?" He asked gruffly.

"Because you..." I started but I didn't have a reason. "Are you trying to take her as a bride?"

"I am not the prince of Hell who would have her as a bride." He laughed.

"Then who—"

"Do you know why she came to earth?" He cut me off.

I shook my head, opening and closing my mouth. What was happening? She couldn't be. But she was very strong, stronger than she should be... and she didn't get too drunk off the ale... but she couldn't be Pride's daughter. I'd seen her be kind, I've seen her interact with mortals and be as kind as any angel I've ever known.

"Look...I'm trying to keep you and her safe. If she doesn't come back, things are going to get very bad. But if she comes back and gets married..." He trailed off. I knew too what would happen if she went to Heaven. A Romantic would be set upon her.

"I don't believe you." I said crossing my arms I didn't want to believe him. I didn't want any of it to be true, "Why would she lie to me?"

"She's the princess of tall tails and half truths, Jasper." He sighed, "Do you know who she was supposed to marry?"

"Me, and now..." I trailed off, my gaze finding her door again, "Raph... though now he might try to get out of it... he's quite taken with Scarlett, but if she's who you say she is then he'd..." My eyes grew wide at the realization.

"Raph?" He repeated, "He's an angel?" I nodded in response. "And he's with her right now?" I nodded again and he huffed out a puff of smoke, "Damnit!"

"He won't do anything." I said in defense. "He thinks she's a human. She's off limits for unwarranted behavior." Half truth. He wouldn't take advantage of her even if he thought she was his. I've seen Raph with the girls he consorts with, and he's different around her. I think, he'd be shocked, but he'd help her.

"That doesn't make me feel better." He sighed as her door opened and Raph stormed out in a huff. Wrath glowed for a second and when I looked at him again, his eyes were black. Like a demon's. "Don't tell him who she is."

"Why?"

"Because if he likes her, he'll drag her to the alter and wed her tomorrow." He whispered. Shit. "You know me as Rory, and she's a—"

"Jasper!" Raph yelled as he descended the steps, "You're not going to believe what just happened!"

"What just happened Raph?" I asked, he completely ignored Wrath.

"Jasper, she's not human." My stomach dropped and Wrath tensed, "She's like us, Jasper. She's an angel, and she's going to be mine."

"Raph—"

"No Jasper!" He cut me off. "This is good, she can be with me even if I have to marry the demon girl. And if I can convince God not to make me... then she can be mine and I will be hers alone. She can come to her rightful place in Heaven and live beside us and God."
"And what if she doesn't want to?" Wrath asked from behind Raph.

Raph turned on a dime and met his gaze. "She may not want to go to Heaven, but she'll want to go with me, and that's all that matters."
"You're confident for someone who just got kicked out of her apartment." Wrath sneered, "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go check on my best friend."

Raph put a hand on his chest stopping him. "Rory?" He asked looking into the glamoured void what rested where the red eyes once did. "You're her best friend?" Wrath nodded only once, "And you're a demon?"

"I am."

"Do you know whom she's made deals with?" Wrath nodded again. "Will you tell me?"

A cruel smile found Wrath's lips and he faced Raph square on, "Which deal are you referring too?"

"She's made more than one?"

"With more than one Hell spawn."

"Tell me them all."

His smile deepened, "Well... She gave her virtue to Lust in exchange for friendship, she's made a deal with greed to always win in gambling dens, she's made a deal with Gluttony for safe passage through his lands. He wanted her promise she'd never burn him." He took a small pause and I could see the rage on Raph's face. "She's made deals with Sloth for a small stuffed bear that helps her sleep, she's made deals with Wrath for loyalty and protection. Both ways on that. And she's made a deal with Envy, he will be allowed to walk the earth when she does."

"Envy was just in there..." Raph whispered.

"I assume he's trying to bring her to Pride, he wants to make a new deal with her."

"A new one?" Raph questioned, "She's made one with him before?"

Wrath nodded, "Upon her birth." He pushed past Raph with a small laugh. "You, little angel, are trying to court the favorite of the devil, be careful what flames you throw yourself into."

"I will make her mine. And she will be my consort in this, marriage to the Demon Princess." Raph challenged.

"Are you willing to bet on that?" Wrath joked as he began to move. He didn't make it far.

"Yes." Raph answered.

"Alright," Wrath responded, a wicked grin on his lips. "If she will not agree to be your consort before you must be wed, then I win. And what I'd like is a favor. To be called in at anytime, with no questions."

Risky. Please Raph just back down. Just back down. Just back—

"You're on." Raph said, "When I win you have to bottle a snippet of rage and give it to me."

Wrath laughed and shook Raph's hand. "The game is a foot then."

What did that mean? I didn't have a chance to ask before Wrath disappeared into Scarletts apartment and Raph turned on me. "She's made many deals." He said lowly, "but she's an angel and we must help her Jasper."

"Raph, we will. But how?"

"We'll get her away from the princes of Hell."

"Then what?" I asked throwing my hands up with a sigh.

"I don't know." He said, "But we'll save her."