Important! Read this! This is in no way whatsoever my story! This is the real 'Nevermore' teaser written by James Patterson. I am posting this so you guys don't have to go out and buy another copy of 'Angel' just to read the teaser! (:

MAX

I don't know whether you've been on a motorcycle or not, but I must say this: if I didn't have wings, and if motorcycles weren't – essentially – extremely cool death traps, I would want to ride on one all the time. It's about the closest thing to flying there is. The wind whipping through your hair, the sense of freedom, the bugs slamming into your face – it's flying, but on the ground, burning gasoline and making a lot of noise. What's not to love?

We didn't go straight home. I put my arms around Dylan's waist, leaned my head against his back, and closed my eyes. He felt warm and solid. For once I didn't have to do anything, just sit there. It was almost scary. I wasn't totally in control of this situation. I felt the motorcycle slow, and then it came to a rolling stop. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Dylan climbed off the motorcycle and held it while I got off. He waved his hand at the view. We were on the coastal highway, with rocky cliffs on one side and the Oregon coast in front of us. The ocean looked gray-blue and choppy, and the air had gotten about fifteen degrees cooler. Seagulls wheeled above the waves, cawing and I wanted to join them.

I moved to the railing, ready to jump off.

"Wait, Max." Dylan's dazzling smile was nowhere in sight. His face was solemn, his eyes a darker shade of teal. "I found this place the other day, when I was out flying," he said. "I feel closer to the clouds here, more than anywhere else. I wanted to share it with you because… I feel closer to – Angel here, too."

My eyes flew to his face, my mouth partly open in shock. Angel. The youngest member of our flock. My littlest bird. I was assaulted with memories: Angel smiling sweetly at Total, her pale blond curls making a halo of fluff around her head. The depth in Angel's eyes when we witnessed disaster, way more knowing than any seven-year-old's should be. The way she'd get into my head, under my skin, inside my heart, always. And then – Angel disappearing in a cloud of smoke. I grimaced, thinking of Paris and the explosion.

"We do not talk about that," I reminded him tightly.

He gave a sad smile and gestured out at the vast ocean, the craggy cliffs in the back of us. No one was around – it was me and Dylan, water and rock and sky. And my bleeding, ripped-open heart.

"You can't pretend she was never born," he said as my eyes narrowed and I pulled out my trusty standby, rage.

I opened my mouth to snap at him, but he went on gently. "You can't pretend she never died."

I actually gasped, drawing away from him in shock, feeling a sharp pain in my chest as if he'd plunged a dagger into me. It'll be okay, Angel had said the last time I saw her. I'll be with you always. But it wasn't okay. She wasn't with us. She never would be again.

"Shut up!" I croaked.

Dylan put his hand on my shoulder, holding me as I tried to spin away. He pulled me to him firmly, cradling me against his hard chest, one hand on the back of my neck, one hand on my back. "We all miss her, Max," he whispered against my hair. "We'll always miss her."

And that was it. A horrible keening sounds filled my ears and it took me several seconds to realize it was coming from me. Then I was clutching Dylan's shirt, pressing my face against him, sobbing uncontrollably. He held me tightly, his cheek against my hair, stroking my back and whispering, "I know. I know. Let it out, Max. There's no one here but me and you. Just let it all out."

I almost never cry. I keep all of my emotions on a supertight leash. Normally, they don't just burst out of me like this, but now that they had, I had sobbed and sobbed, my throat raw, feeling Dylan's shirt get wet beneath my tears.

My baby was gone. After everything we had been through, after love and betrayal and fury and love and forgiveness, she was gone. Forever. She'd sacrificed herself to save thousands, and she would never, ever be back.

And I hadn't let myself believe that, until now.

Alright, chapter one is up! There is only two more chapters left. One of them has a big ass shocker.