wouldn’t hear the end of it for weeks. But I knew the ribbing wouldn’t bother him, that he’d probably secretly enjoy it. I got off the train at Suburban Station and walked to my office near Liberty Place. It was a beautiful March day, sunny and warm and full of promise. I was feeling damn good about myself for once. 37 / 226
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
My office building houses two mid-sized accounting firms, a private investigator, and me. We make for an interesting assortment. I don’t keep what you would call regular office hours because I travel so much. But whenever I’m in town, I try to spend a little time there, catching up with the paperwork. You wouldn’t believe the paperwork that goes with being an exorcist. I have to document every exorcism and file a report with the US Exorcism Board, our governing body.
I hadn’t even finished booting up my computer when someone knocked on my office door.
“Come in,” I called, not fully paying attention yet. I was trying to will my computer to hurry up and get booted. It was past time I upgrade to a new one, but it was such a hassle I kept procrastinating. My computer was still chugging away when I finally gave up and turned to the doorway. I froze in surprise when I saw Adam White standing there. Adam is the head of Special Forces, the branch of the police department that deals with rogue demons. Coincidentally, he’s also a demon himself. There are lots of people—including me—who think this is a case of the fox guarding the henhouse. But in some ways, it’s very practical. Adam can take on another demon in hand-to-hand combat and win. That’s not something you can say about us mere mortals.
When he saw he had my attention, he smiled and took a seat in front of my desk, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He’s quite a treat to the eyes, and he knows it. About six-two and a little over two hundred pounds, all of it sculpted muscle. Short, dark hair that’s almost black, and bedroom eyes that remind me of hot caramel.
Of course, I don’t know why he’s so proud of his appearance. It’s not him that looks so good, it’s his host.
The Spirit Society favors the good-looking to host the Higher Powers, as they call demons. Higher Powers my ass! Demons call themselves demons. They say they predate the Bible by a long way, and that their name for themselves has been corrupted by humans. But the Society has decided
“demon” is some kind of ethnic slur. I can’t tell you how many times my mom washed my mouth out with soap for calling them “demons.”
Naturally, since Adam is a demon, I dislike him on principle. He knows that, so I was surprised to see him in my office.
“What can I do for you, Adam?” I asked, sounding wary even to my own 38 / 226
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
ears.One corner of his mouth lifted into a hint of a grin at my tone, but it dropped quickly. I realized belatedly that he wasn’t a happy camper at the moment. There was a hint of a frown line between his brows, and I might almost have called the look in his eyes “haunted.”
He took a deep breath, as though bracing himself, then held his head up and met my eyes. “I need you to perform an exorcism.”
My jaw dropped, and I was at a loss for words. A rarity for me, let me tell you.
He didn’t seem to need me to say anything just yet. “Did you hear about the attack by God’s Wrath this weekend?”
God’s Wrath is one of the many anti-demon hate groups. Some of them try to battle the Minions of Satan—as they call demons—in the courts, trying to have the Spirit Society outlawed once more. God’s Wrath is more on the militant side. One of their specialties is arson, burning demons and their hosts alive in the Cleansing Fire of God. Yes, when they talk, everything sounds like it has capital letters.
I’d been too self-involved this weekend to read the paper or watch the news, so I didn’t
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
My office building houses two mid-sized accounting firms, a private investigator, and me. We make for an interesting assortment. I don’t keep what you would call regular office hours because I travel so much. But whenever I’m in town, I try to spend a little time there, catching up with the paperwork. You wouldn’t believe the paperwork that goes with being an exorcist. I have to document every exorcism and file a report with the US Exorcism Board, our governing body.
I hadn’t even finished booting up my computer when someone knocked on my office door.
“Come in,” I called, not fully paying attention yet. I was trying to will my computer to hurry up and get booted. It was past time I upgrade to a new one, but it was such a hassle I kept procrastinating. My computer was still chugging away when I finally gave up and turned to the doorway. I froze in surprise when I saw Adam White standing there. Adam is the head of Special Forces, the branch of the police department that deals with rogue demons. Coincidentally, he’s also a demon himself. There are lots of people—including me—who think this is a case of the fox guarding the henhouse. But in some ways, it’s very practical. Adam can take on another demon in hand-to-hand combat and win. That’s not something you can say about us mere mortals.
When he saw he had my attention, he smiled and took a seat in front of my desk, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He’s quite a treat to the eyes, and he knows it. About six-two and a little over two hundred pounds, all of it sculpted muscle. Short, dark hair that’s almost black, and bedroom eyes that remind me of hot caramel.
Of course, I don’t know why he’s so proud of his appearance. It’s not him that looks so good, it’s his host.
The Spirit Society favors the good-looking to host the Higher Powers, as they call demons. Higher Powers my ass! Demons call themselves demons. They say they predate the Bible by a long way, and that their name for themselves has been corrupted by humans. But the Society has decided
“demon” is some kind of ethnic slur. I can’t tell you how many times my mom washed my mouth out with soap for calling them “demons.”
Naturally, since Adam is a demon, I dislike him on principle. He knows that, so I was surprised to see him in my office.
“What can I do for you, Adam?” I asked, sounding wary even to my own 38 / 226
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
ears.One corner of his mouth lifted into a hint of a grin at my tone, but it dropped quickly. I realized belatedly that he wasn’t a happy camper at the moment. There was a hint of a frown line between his brows, and I might almost have called the look in his eyes “haunted.”
He took a deep breath, as though bracing himself, then held his head up and met my eyes. “I need you to perform an exorcism.”
My jaw dropped, and I was at a loss for words. A rarity for me, let me tell you.
He didn’t seem to need me to say anything just yet. “Did you hear about the attack by God’s Wrath this weekend?”
God’s Wrath is one of the many anti-demon hate groups. Some of them try to battle the Minions of Satan—as they call demons—in the courts, trying to have the Spirit Society outlawed once more. God’s Wrath is more on the militant side. One of their specialties is arson, burning demons and their hosts alive in the Cleansing Fire of God. Yes, when they talk, everything sounds like it has capital letters.
I’d been too self-involved this weekend to read the paper or watch the news, so I didn’t
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