Devils and Angels

Prologue

"What you do...helping people. I've heard so many stories. But why?" She looked at his dark figure, standing in the shadows by the door. He turned around. She began trying to guess where his eyes were. He was now looking at her, and she always tried to make eye contact. Whose face was behind that mask?

"There are lots of people that need saving. And, I guess I just got fed up with all of the bad people in this city," he said. His voice was gentle, and a bit familiar. Not too gentle, for he was still harsh enough when he needed to be, but gentle enough to mean that he was also a man who cared deeply about everyone else. He was the kind of guy that would give up his life for a stranger in a heartbeat.

"You saved my life back there," she said. "And you don't even know me." She took a step forward, then another. "Well, it wasn't exactly hard with them as kidnappers, but, yeah."

He gave a light chuckle. "I do know some about you, Claire."

"Oh, really?" Claire said. "So you heard them say my name. What else do you know about me?"

She was close enough to see him smile.

The familiarity was too great, and she could hold herself back from asking no longer. "Do I know you? I mean, from somewhere else. Without the whole black mask thing," Claire said.

His clips closed over his teeth, but he was still smiling. More like a smirk, then. "I suppose so."

They were inches apart. That's when she noticed something that she hadn't noticed before, through all of the action. It was his mask. There were no eyeholes.

Confused, Claire placed a hand on his cheek. For a second, he twitched, but then he stayed still. He was going to allow for her to continue.

Claire slipped her fingers under the fabric, inching the mask over his head. And then it was in her fist, and she was staring into the eyes of her hero. His eyes were of no use to him, yet they were filled with caring, compassion, and love.

She gasped. "Matt?"