Succubus (The Executioners Book 1) (Sample)

Chapter 2

The jarring of the bus woke Christian from his slumber.

Blinking several times, he groggily focused on his surroundings. He was sitting in the back of the bus, a habit that he had picked up during his third mission, in which he had been almost killed by a vampire who'd sneaked onto a bus with him. From his position, he could see several people of different ethnic and cultural groups. America had always been considered a melting pot, where many different nationalities and religious groups converged. He wondered what these people would think if they knew that America, and the world at large, had more than just different types of humans living among them.

God only knows what kind of chaos that would unleash. Best not to think about it.

Christian looked out the window at the world passing by. He noticed that the bus was on Center and Temple Street. This was where he got off.

After yanking on a small cord dangling over his head, Christian stood up as the bus rolled to a stop. He carefully shifted his sheaths to make sure they were at least partially concealed by his cloak―he got enough looks for just the cloak―and exited the bus.

The sights and scents of the city pervaded his senses as he ambled down the street. Crowds of people shared the sidewalk with him—the woman gripping her child's hand as she tried to keep him from running off, the old man who walked with a stooped back and used a cane, the mass of blue-collar workers getting on and off buses and walking out of subway stations. The congestion of the walkways was second only to the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the roads.

The city was far too busy for his tastes. The people of Los Angeles had no concept of relaxation, and the city reflected the state of its people.

By the Almighty, I wish this place at least had a nice park where I could sit down and read one of my light novels.

He arrived at the main headquarters of the Executioners' California Division. The building, like most buildings belonging to the Catholic Church, was reminiscent of a cathedral. It towered over him, nothing like the skyscrapers surrounding it, but imposing in its own way. Large white bricks gleamed in the sun as if freshly painted, and the many Corinthian columns lining the entrance shone with a brilliant luster. A stained glass window above the entrance depicted the birth of Jesus Christ.

No one would deny that it was a beautiful building, but Christian had always thought it a little too obvious a place for the headquarters to be located.

Entering the building through a single door located in a small alley on the left brought Christian into a modern waiting room. Several chairs lined the outermost wall near the entrance. The white floor tiles sparkled under the overhead lights, and multiple paintings hung from the walls.

In the back of the room equidistant from the north and south walls, a young woman sat behind a desk.

Her long brown hair lay smoothly against her head, and matching brown eyes hid behind a pair of rimless glasses. Her gray business suit flattered her figure, allowing her to look professional while maintaining a womanly appearance. While her outfit lent her a sense of professionalism found in most middle-aged men and women, she was actually two years younger than him.

She looks more like a businesswoman than a member of the Church.

Christian walked up to the desk. The woman hadn't noticed him yet, busy as she was typing on a computer. He waited for several seconds, but when it became clear that she wasn't even paying attention, he coughed into his hand.

"Claire."

The woman looked up from her work. Her eyes widened in surprise, then gave a delighted smile when she realized who was standing before her.