Demon Rescuer

She ran to Jasper and kissed him.

He closed the door behind him.

Her hands fell to her side.

And then pain exploded in every cell of her body.

* * * * *

Her mouth was dry. Gravel dug into her hands and knees.

"Hello Lia."

She lifted her head, finding herself on the rooftop. What the hell had just happened?

She looked upwards and froze.

Oh. Great.

Jon.

Only...changed.

Jon had clearly enhanced himself with his demonic powers, because when she knew him, he was not 7' tall, and definitely not muscular, didn't have long blond hair, not to mention those monstrous pair of white wings. Wearing a perfectly tailored white suit, he looked like an angelic pornographic fantasy, except for the snarl of anger that contorted his handsome face.

Jasper's voice growled behind her. "You could have killed her with that teleportation spell."

"But I didn't. And she will watch as you die. Lia...You are mine, always and forever. Did you forget that? I never did."

She staggered upward, aiming the gun at him. "Jon, I am not your property. I was never yours and I will never belong to anyone."

"You are wrong Lia. Not even your new boyfriend can stop me."

Jasper was suddenly between her and Jon. A red glow emanated from his body, as a growl, resonating with demonic power erupted.

"Just watch me."

Before her eyes, Jasper doubled in size as black feathered wings unfurled from his back. Black and red armor, shaped like the Roman gladiators of old manifested in a shimmer. In his right hand, was a shield, in his left a sword. A black helmet obscured his features, save for the glow of his eyes.

Jasper's voice vibrated with darkness. "Run Lia."

Jon snarled as similar silver and gold armor appeared on him.

They leapt into the sky. Thunder boomed as the two demons fought, sword clanging against shield. The smell of smoke and cinders filled the air.

Lia tried to move, only to find her feet anchored to the ground. She looked up to see a mass of feathers and swords. She couldn't tell who was winning. Drops of blood fell on her face.

She tried to move, grabbing a leg and pulling with all her strength, but she remained stuck all the same.

More blood fell to her feet. She looked up again, to see the two demons, swords outstretched, flying directly at each other as if they were in a jousting tournament.

The resulting clash blinded and deafened her.

Lia rubbed her eyes, trying to see even as she kept pulling at her legs.

Something crunched and smashed into the rooftop, shaking her free. She blinked frantically.

Jon's armor had disappeared. His white suit was filthy, matted with blood, with more blood streaming down his face. His left wing was crumpled. The point of the black demon's sword was inches away from Jon's throat.

A bizarre laughter erupted from Jon.

Something flew at her.

Before Lia even blinked, the black armored demon was in front of her.

And then, it was Jasper, as he had been, with his mandarin collared leather coat, falling to the ground.

Lia ran to him.

There was look of surprise on Jasper's face as he fell.

A crude short black knife was embedded in Jasper's chest, in his heart.

His eyes met Lia's, just before he closed them.

Lia screamed, and grabbed his hand.

Emptiness.

"Jasper!" She cupped his face with her hands, his stubble rough against her palm.

"I'm -- I'm sorry." He breathed. Blood trickled out of his mouth. Random words poured into her mind, body, mind, soul, love.

Oh my god. I love him.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She tried to shake him. "You will not die Jasper. I forbid it!"

But Jasper had already gone still.

She turned to the laughing figure.

"You monster!"

She gritted her teeth and fired until her gun was empty.

But the bullets only passed through the angel.

He smiled, looking radiant and angelic as ever. He stretched his hand out to her, exerting his power. A lasso of control looped her mind. "You don't really mean that, my love. Come here, and bring me my knife."

Almost as if in a trance, Lia turned and yanked the knife out of Jasper's chest.

Engraved on the obsidian blade was the sign of Quetzalcoatl

She stood up and walked slowly toward him, grasping the slick blood covered knife.

She stood before Jon.

He smiled, revealing fangs as the pupils disappeared from his eyes. He grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled him toward her, as his remaining whole wing began to wrap around her.

Lia gritted her teeth.

And plunged the knife into Jon's chest with a shout.

Light washed through her. It flowed around her, holding, hovering, like a wave poised to break.

To her surprise, Lia realized the magic was waiting for a command.

"Grasping the blade, a bearer of blood can give a command and have a demon's will be done."

Her voice was hoarse as she tried to speak. "Return your stolen powers to Jasper Ravinov and begone! Mind, body, and soul, I banish you from this realm forever!"

The wind picked up, swirling around the angel frozen in his embrace as he exploded into multicolored lights.

The lights swirled, surging upward into the sky, and then down into Jasper's body. He opened his eyes as the power slammed into him. The hole in his chest closed up as a silvery light infused his body.

He leapt up, just in time to meet Lia as she ran into his arms. He kissed away the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"Don't cry." He held her close. "I'm here."

The magnitude of emotions overwhelmed her. Her voice quavered. "Are you ok?"

He hugged her fiercely. "I feel amazing. Do you have any idea what you just did?"

"I could not watch you die, Jasper. I couldn't."

He took a deep breath. She could see the faintest outlines of an odd shimmering glow around him. "You also gave me all of his powers, even the ones that weren't mine in the first place."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. But you'll help me find out, right?"

Something in her quavered. She took a deep breath. "I will try."

She kissed him.