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CHAPTER 1

Evangeline Hollis watched with clenched jaw as a kappa demon served yakisoba--Japanese pan- fried noodles--to her uessed that the ratio of e County Buddhist Church’s annual Obon Festival was about fifty-fifty

After threewith the Mark of Cain and her new "job" as celestial bounty hunter, Eve was resigned to the reality of Infernalsmortals However, she was still surprised by the number of transplanted Japanese demons who had come out to play at the festival There seemed to be an inordinate amount of them present

"You want so out the plate Miyoko had lived a mostly quintessential American life in the United States for thirty years She was a naturalized citizen, a converted Baptist, and her husband, Darrel Hollis, was a good ol’ boy from Alabama But she appreciated her roots and hters

Eve shook her head "I want yakidango"

"Me, too It’s over there" Miyoko set off, leading the way

The festival was contained within the gated parking lot of the teymnasium To the left, the teed to hold a variety of food and gaura tower overlooking a space that would later showcase Bon Odori dancers Children cooldfish to stuffed animals Adults hovered over displays of trinkets and homemade desserts

The Southern California weather was perfect, as usual A balrees with plenty of sunshine and very few clouds Adjusting her sunglasses, Eve relished the kiss of the sun on her skin and breathed in the scents of her favorite foods

Then a foul stench wafted by on the afternoon breeze, assaulting her nose and ruining her raresoul; it was un flesh and fresh shit, and it a the Mark of Cain--couldn’t s out the source

Her searching gaze halted on a lovely Asian wo across the aisle from her A yukionna--a Japanese snow demon Eve noted the Infernal’s white kimono with its delicate sukura embroidery and the detail on her cheekbone that resen was the demon’s rank and it was invisible to mortals Like the Mark of Cain on Eve’s arnia All Infernals had the they were and what their rank in Hell’s hierarchy was

Contrary to what ians believed, the Mark of the Beast wasn’t so to be feared as the start of the Apocalypse; it was a caste system that had been in place for centuries

Eve’s le, then burn A call to arms

Now? she asked with a mental query, exasperation clear in her dry tone She was a Mark, one of thousands of "sinners" around the world who’d been drafted into service exter demons for God She was expected to kill at the drop of a hat, but her mother ith her and they were at a house of worship

Sorry, babe Reed Abel sounded anything but You’re in the wrong place at the right time Her nuing that tune all week, she retorted I’ a deirl neededdemons Why am I always closest?

Because you ‘re a disaster net?

And you’re a riot

Reed--aka Abel of biblical fael He was a handler, a position that roup of Marks It was a lot like skip tracing The seven earthbound archangels acted as bail bondsmen Reed was a dispatcher Eve was a bounty hunter It was a well-oiled system for most Marks, but to say she was a squeaky wheel would be an understateht? he asked

After that wisecrack, cocky bastard?

I’ll cook

She followed heran eye on her quarry If I’m still alive, sure

In the back of her rowl his disapproval Alec was her mentor Once known as Cain of Infael She and Alec had a history together, starting ten years ago when she’d given hiel had stripped hi other than God, but Alec held on to her anyway

What means more? he had asked her When someone wants you because he can’t help it? Because of hormones or some chemical reaction in the brain? Or when he wants you because he chooses to want you? Because he makes the conscious decision to want you?