Inception

Honestly, I thought things were as bad as they could get. Between Kenrick Locke making demands and a slew of petitioners wanting me out of town, I had more than enough on my plate. There wasn’t room for anything else. I was soon proven wrong.

Shortly before midnight, I was paid a visit by the least likely of allies—the fallen angel, Yumi. She appeared on my doorstep like it was a normal occurrence.

“What do you want?”

“To speak where the walls have no ears,” she said cryptically and pushed past me.

Part of me wanted to hit her with a bolt of energy, but for once, I listened to the rational voice. It told me to stay calm and hear the female out.

Closing the door behind us, I said, “You have exactly ten minutes before—”

“It’s all a ruse,” Yumi blurted.

“Huh?”

Her dark almond-shaped eyes darted back and forth as if she didn’t trust being in the hall. I got the message and escorted her to the study where I closed the double doors as well.

“Thank you. I’m not sure who to trust these days.”

“What’s going on?”

Yumi’s gaze went over to the bar in the corner. “Maybe a…”

“Help yourself, but if you don’t hurry up and tell me what I need to know, you can get the hell out.”

“Understood.”

I waited impatiently as the fallen angel poured herself a generous portion of Devil’s Mark. She guzzled half of it, clearly not even feeling the burn. Wiping the back of her hand across her mouth, she said, “Sorry. Needed a little liquid courage.”

“The clock is ticking,” I warned.

“And so is the bomb.”

My voice rose a notch. “What bomb?”