1.

Demons have existed for thousands of years. Some lived in harmony with humans and didn't cause any problems. They were able to live normal lives and keep normal jobs. For other demons, it was nearly impossible for them to live harmoniously with humans. Some demons had such hatred for humans that they could not overlook it, and their only desire to live around humans was to change them into a demon.

Of course, those demons were few and far between anymore. Most demons had realized it was more productive to live with humans than to fight against them. The number of demons that hadn't realized that yet was dwindling in the thousands. That might seem like a lot, but when you're talking about a simple thousand out of the seven billion occupying the world, then it didn't seem so bad.

Luciana Torres was among the demons that lived with the humans. She actually worked with them too. She was, for lack of a better term, and assassin. She found the demons that were causing a threat to human society and got rid of them any way she saw fit. Luciana was one of the best.

She was around five foot four with curly brown hair that extended down to the middle of her back. Her dark green eyes were always watchful, but she could melt a man where he stood with one look if she so chose to do so. Her skin was a very light tanned color. Her mother was of the Spanish ethnicity. Her father was another story.

Luciana didn't know her father. He was, of course, a demon. After Luciana's conception, her father took off never to be heard from again. Her mother had told her that he wasn't a very nice man, but could be very persuasive which was why she was ever with him in the first place.

The demon assassin was a lot like her father apparently. She had a temper that would flare at the drop of a hat. It was the demon in her. She was a specific type of demon. The technical term was Jiishi Imbra. This just meant she was like a cat. When she was in her demon form, Luciana's eyes turned a frightening shade of purple, her fingers extended into claws, she grew a tail and cat ears, and she had amazing balance, speed, and technique. Luciana was a force to be reckoned with. Her balance, speed, and technique didn't go away when she was in her human form, but she didn't have claws, ears and a tail, which helped her when she was interacting with humans.

Though Luciana was strong, independent young woman, her mother didn't agree. Her mother, Sarah, had kicked Luciana out of the house when she was only fifteen years old. That was the time when Luciana was trying to get a hold of her demonic gifts, so her temper was slightly out of control. Once Luciana was gone, she didn't speak with her mother again. She'd heard she was now remarried, but that was the extent of the knowledge Luciana had knew of her Mother.

It had been ten years since Luciana had spoken to her mother. Though in the technical sense, Luciana was twenty five years in age, she would never look it. All demons stopped aging between the ages of eighteen and twenty one. Unless someone ended her life, Luciana would live for all eternity.

Luciana was currently at work in her office. She sat at her desk filing her nails. No new cases had come in, so she had the day to relax. She was grateful for the break. Her demon hunting had hardly ever taken a break since she began working in this field, though she was always ready. She wore her daily uniform, which consisted of dark skinny jeans, black sneakers, and a black V-neck t-shirt. She wore this as her uniform, so she wouldn't stand out. She had her brown curls pulled back into a pony tail and her makeup was done to perfection as usual. Luciana had to admit—she was bored.

She got on her computer and checked her email. When there was nothing new except a twenty percent off coupon from Kohl's, she closed the window down and played solitaire for a while. She checked the clock. It was a little past three. She figured nothing new was coming in today, so she shut down her computer, grabbed her purse, stepped out of her office, locked it behind her and waltzed out of the building. Luciana hopped into her beautiful lime green Camaro—paid for with money earned from her lovely job—and drove to her small apartment down town.

Her Camaro looked amazing driving home in the sunlight, and she couldn't think of how much better her life could get. She made excellent money, she was very good at her job, she wasn't married, and she didn't have kids. Her life was fabulous. Luciana pulled into a shaded spot in her parking lot and got out of the car, locking it on her way to the front door. She said hello to Larry the desk clerk in the lobby, and hopped up the stairs to the third floor where her apartment was—3B.

Once in her apartment, Luciana took a shower and dressed in her pajamas which consisted of a silk nightgown that came halfway down her thigh. She ordered Chinese food and sat on her cushy couch to watch old reruns of Friends.

There was a knock on the door about a half an hour later and Lucian went to the door to get her Chinese food. She enjoyed the look on the delivery guy's face when he saw her in her nightgown. His eyes got huge and they strayed down her body automatically. He even started to sweat a little. She tried not to laugh as she paid him and tipped him handsomely before shutting the door.

Luciana was about to dig into her dinner when there was another knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone else, so she got her gun out before she answered the door. Yes, it would be easier to change into her demon form, but if the person behind the door wasn't a threat, then she didn't want to scare them. A gun would be faster anyway.

She opened the door slowly with the gun visible and let out a slight growl when she saw who it was. It was Scott Abraham—her boss. He was with a tall dark haired man who looked as serious as she always did when she was on a case. Luciana sighed and put her gun away after letting them in.

"What the hell do you want Scott? Didn't you notice I wasn't in my office? That doesn't mean you get to start making house calls." She snapped. She turned to face him to find him completely checking her out. The man he'd come with hadn't said anything and he was only watching her with cautious eyes. If he was checking her out, then he hid it very well.

"Why don't you take a picture? It will last longer." She hissed. She liked Scott, but she wasn't okay with him looking at her like a creeper.

"I think I might actually do that. If I had known you dressed so…sexy at home, I would have started making house calls a long time ago." Scott purred. Scott was a five foot nothing greasy haired, beady eyed weirdo. He never hit on his employees at work, and Luciana didn't like him hitting on her at all.

"Shut the hell up and get to the part where you tell me why you're at my house with some stranger I've never met." Luciana sighed. She sat on her couch and folder her legs under her, eyeing the stranger surreptitiously.

He was tall with dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He had muscles everywhere and he looked like he could do some damage. He was a demon, but Luciana didn't know what kind of demon he was.

"Right, sorry. This is Morgan Owens. He's a Fira Imbra which means he controls water and fire. He's here because I'm assigning him to be your partner until further notice." Scott said quickly. Morgan didn't look surprise, but Luciana sat up straight and glared at Scott.

"Over my dead body." She spat, her eyes turning their lethal purple color. Morgan just waited. He didn't want to get involved yet. He preferred not to piss off his partner until absolutely necessary.

"Lucy, be reasonable." Scott pleaded. Luciana shot out of her seat so fast, she was in front of Scott with her hands gripping the front of his shirt before anyone had time to react.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. That. My name is Luciana, and that is what you will refer to me as. I do not need a partner, nor do I want one. He will just get in my way, and I'll probably end up killing him anyway." She growled. Her eyes looked absolutely terrifying. Scott was afraid for his life. Morgan decided now was a good time to step in.

"Listen Luciana, I don't want this any more than you do, but you're the only one without a partner in the division. Scott has no choice but to pair me up with you. I assure you; I will be an asset and will not get in your way." Morgan said, sounding reasonable. Luciana sighed and pushed Scott away from her. He stumbled over his own feet and fell to the floor. She looked at Morgan and hissed slightly.

"You're damn right you won't get in my way. I don't need, nor do I want a partner. I'm the best damn assassin in this whole goddamn division and I've been doing it all by myself for years. I don't need your help." Luciana said quietly. She was scary quiet. She was not happy, and he eyes had not returned to their normal green color.

"Luciana, humor me. I'm not suggesting you need a partner. I just don't have anywhere else to put him right now. Just let him tag along for a while until we figure something else out." Scott begged. Luciana rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but if he gets in my way once, I will absolutely not hesitate to kill him." She said darkly. Morgan smiled slightly.

"I concur." He smirked at Luciana.