Chapter 1

"BaKaito!" Aoko screeched, her voice nearly going supersonic and breaking glass.

Kaito flinched, jerking out of his daydream. "What do you want, Ahoko?" he whined at the Banshee.

The Demon's ghastly white face flushed bright red. She slammed her hands on the table and the other patrons of the café stopped what they were doing to stare fearfully at the irate demon. Kaito wondered idly if they'd call D.E.A.D. No, probably not. "Stop looking out that stupid window and talk to me!"

Kaito rolled his eyes. Of all the people he could be best friends with, it had to be a temperamental Banshee. "Why do you keep shouting!? Geeze, you're so annoying…"

She pouted, much to Kaito's joy. He loved teasing her. "You're so mean… I just wanted to spend some time with you since Sugaru and I are always busy with work."

"Sorry, Aoko," he stuck out his tongue playfully. "And don't mention him!" Kaito whined. "It's bad enough that you're Blood Bound to him, but you had to start dating the bastard, too!"

Blood Bonds were common between Mages and Demons, especially those in law enforcement like Aoko and her father. Normal humans, like him, weren't allowed to know very much about magick secrets, but his dad had been the greatest Mage in the world. Toichi Kuroba had taught his son many things, including how Blood Bonds worked. Through a ritual and an exchange of blood between the Demon and Mage, a psychic link is formed between them. Not only can the two sense the other's emotions, but they are both strengthened in magick and in physical abilities.

Blood Bonds created a little black picture on the skin, like a tattoo. They usually formed after the blood exchange, on the cut the blood had come from. Aoko's was on the back of her hand. Her's was simple—a line bisecting a triangle—but that didn't mean Kaito didn't hate what it represented.

It was the visible sign of his failure. He was the one who should have been Bonded to Aoko. Their fathers had been bound until Toichi's death and had passed the expectation down to their children. Kaito was almost thankful that his dad had died before knowing what a disappointment his son was. Honestly, he had to be the first Kuroba in centuries who couldn't preform magick, who couldn't cast spells or even the smallest hex! He was completely human. What a disgrace. Sure, Kaito had taught himself stage "magic" in an attempt to compensate, but slight-of-hand had nothing on true power sparking at your fingertips.

He failed before he could even try. His best friend was Blood Bound to an ass who hated Kaito, his extended family refused to acknowledge his existence, and he couldn't even work at the Demonic Entrapment and Apprehension Department like his father had.

Not that he really wanted too. Who thought of that name!?

Aoko sniffed. "Aoko thinks Kaito is just jealous of Sugaru."

"Why the hell would I be jealous of that arrogant, pompous, jackass—"

"Kuroba." Speak of the devil. Sugaru Hakuba stood there intimidatingly while no doubt despising Kaito's very existence. The blond Mage was once again dressed in his traditional Sherlock Holmes outfit, looking ridiculously out of place in the modern café. He stood stiffly with Watson, his Blood-Bonded Thunderbird, perched on his shoulder. Kaito noticed the brand new watch on Hakuba's wrist. It was one of those that counted down to the millisecond, perfect for the anal-retentive detective. "It's…nice to see you again."

Kaito greeted Hakuba far less eloquently. "Hey bastard."

"Kaito! Stop insulting my boyfriend!"

"No, don't worry Aoko," the absolutely infuriating detective smirked at him. "I'm sure Kuroba is just stressed because he has a heist tonight."

Kaito glared. How could one of D.E.A.D.'s best detectives be so stupid!? "I'm not KID."

Kaitou KID was an infamous, internationally-wanted phantom thief. He'd appeared 20 years ago in Paris and spent the next 12 years relieving the rich of their valuables until disappearing. The assumed Mage had reappeared last year. Hakuba had made the ridiculous assumption that just because they shared a name and used stage magic and accused Kaito of being him every time they saw each other, despite the fact that there was less evidence than in a Salem witch trial.

Hakuba narrowed his eyes. "So you wouldn't mind telling me where you were two weeks ago, on Tuesday?"

"Shopping for illegal talismans so I can curse you into oblivion," Kaito snapped.

"And are there any reliable witnesses who could confirm this?"

Kaito rolled his eyes in frustration. "Why are you so obsessed with me being Kaitou KID!? I can't be him. I wasn't even born when he started stealing!"

"It's called succession. Someone you know obviously was the first KID, most likely your father since his dead and KID's disappearance coincide—"

Kaito grabbed the front of Hakuba's costume and pulled him close. "Don't you ever bad talk my father again," he hissed, satisfaction curling in his gut from seeing Hakuba's stoic mask broken from shock. "I may not kill you but I can sure as hell make your life miserable, Aoko's boyfriend or no. And don't forget it." Kaito dropped him and hid his fury behind his poker face.

"Sugaru, what have I told you about this!" Aoko bared her fangs at him, her long, white hair floating up from the static electricity her anger was creating. "Kaito's not that stupid thief, so stop bringing it up!"

Smiling because Aoko was taking his side for once, Kaito snapped his fingers and pulled a peach-colored rose out of his sleeve with a puff of pink smoke as a distraction. He offered it to Aoko with a wink. "Thank you, oh brave knight, for protecting my virtue. Please accept this token of my appreciation."

Aoko giggled and accepted the flower. "I thank thee, fair princess, and—" Suddenly, both Aoko's and Hakuba's phones trilled loudly. They answered simultaneously, and from the sudden look of seriousness on Aoko's face, Kaito felt that their little meet up was cut short.

"I'm sorry, Kaito, work just came up," she whispered, her hand over the receiver. "We have to go, there's a Ghoul gone rogue near 8th street. He's trashing the butcher's shop."

"No, no, it's fine," Kaito said and sipped his triple mocha frappe with strawberry whip cream. The straw slurped noisily, accenting the awkwardness Kaito was trying to hide with his poker face. "Go save us humans from evil, Miss Nakamori."

She smiled and suddenly Kaito didn't feel so bad anymore. "Thanks, Kaito."

As Aoko and Hakuba left for what would no doubt be a difficult battle, Kaito sighed. "Left with the bill again," he said, more out of habit than anything else. Demons couldn't eat human food. It made them extremely sick, with lots of puking and gross bodily fluids. They drank blood until recently. Now, they drink synthetic blood or coconut milk, which hospitals can also substitute for a blood transfusion.

While Kaito was paying for his coffee, a shiver ran down his spine. Someone was watching him—and not the nice, "what a cute guy" kind of watching. He glanced in the mirror above the register and locked eyes with her.

She seemed normal. She was supposed to be normal. She looked about his age—17—with straight, red hair. But her eyes…her eyes were blood red. Kaito had only seen red eyes on a Demon before, all Demons had red eyes, but she looked so human. Demon's usually had some very obvious non-human characteristic besides the red irises—Banshees, like Aoko, had pure white skin and hair, Wraiths had black eye-whites and razor sharp claws, Incubi were extremely beautiful, but couldn't hide the curling horns on their heads or their long, pointed ears. But she…just looked human.

Everything in him screamed "Flee, predator!" Kaito's breath caught in his throat and his heart sped up, trying to jump out of his chest. The woman eyed him through the mirror, obviously amused, and then she smirked, revealing a mouth full of fangs. His heart skipped a beat. She made a move to get up…

Kaito threw his money on the counter and ran.