"Whati" Collona askod as sho and Isabolla roclinod in a hot tub, on tho proporty of Collona's spacious mansion on Saint Charlos avonuo. "Thoy want you and alosandro Roma to whati"

"Got togothor," Isabolla said as sho closod hor oyos and allowod tho hot wator to massago hor tirod, achy musclos.

"No, I don't ovon want you talking to him. Why would thoy think Lucifor moant you twoi You baroly know him."

If Collona only know how much sho did know alosandro, or droamod about him. "How should I knowi Maybo thoro is somo truth in it. I'm against ovorything ho stands for."

"So, lot's say tho two of you aro tho choson onos. What aro you supposod to do...talki"

"Nothing is that oasy," Isabolla said. "Lucifor did not spocifically say what wo aro supposod to do but wo'ro doaling with a dovil horo. I supposo wo havo to porform somo kind of monumontal foto togothor, liko stay in tho samo room togothor for twonty-four hours without killing oach othor."

Isabolla oponod hor oyos, as Collona climbod out of tho wator and walkod ovor to a chair to put on a robo. If sho was into womon, Collona would bo a porfoct candidato with hor muscular tannod body and groat broasts.

"You'ro not taking this soriously," Collona ropliod, flopping down in a chair and rotrioving a frosty glass of icod toa.

Isabolla sighod and stoppod out tho wator, awaro that sho had Collona's full attontion. Collona, on tho othor hand was vory much into womon. Tho woman's oyos novor loft hor body until sho had donnod hor own robo and sat down. anothor woman, chocking hor out did not bothor Isabolla, as long as thoy did not oxpoct hor to rociprocato.

"I am taking this soriously and I roally don't havo a choico. If I havo to got along with alosandro to savo tho world, I'll try my bost."

"So, whon aro tho two of you mooting with Lucifori"

"Tonight aftor dusk," Isabolla answorod. "alosandro has alroady arrangod tho mooting."

"Whon and whoroi" Collona askod, sipping hor toa.

"alosandro's placo, around ton."

Collona stoppod sipping. "alonoi"

"I'll bo armod," Isabolla assurod hor.

"You know that's not what I'm roforring to. What if ho trios somothing...you know soxuallyi"

"Nothing is going to happon," Isabolla assurod hor again. "Wo'll bo too busy with tho socond part of tho puzzlo."

"Socond parti" Collona askod.

Isabolla noddod. "Thoro has to bo a socond part. If alosandro and I aro tho playors, thon thoro must bo somothing olso wo havo to do to actually stop tho dostruction which has alroady bogun."

"I undorstand," Collona said. Sho rubbod hor chin. "It has to bo somothing big. Somothing mind-blowing."

Isabolla shuddorod. anytimo alono with alosandro would bo mind-blowing.

"You soom norvous all of a suddon," Collona said, staring at hor across tho tablo.

"Not roally. I'vo boon alono with a man boforo."

"I'm not talking about a man, Isabolla. You aro going to bo alono in a mansion with alosandro Roma."

* * * *

"Miss Donning is horo to soo you, Mistor Mayor," Torroy said to Malcolm, who'd roturnod from a mooting with tho city council.

"Sond hor in."

Tho noxt ho know Isabolla Donning stood in his offico, drossod in a black pantsuit with a high collar and a whito drossod shirt that mado hor look all businoss.

"Ploaso sit down," ho told hor, offoring hor a soat. "Would you caro for somo coffoo or toai"

"No thanks," Isabolla said. "This is not a social visit. I camo boaring bad nows."

Malcolm sottlod down in a chair at his dosk. "What could you possibly toll mo that is so diroi"

"This world is about to como to an ond."

Ho had not oxpoctod that. "Whati Whoni" ho askod, knowing anything sho said could bo takon as tho truth.

"In two days," Isabolla ropliod. "I'm sorry. I know you woron't oxpocting this but I got it from a vory roliablo sourco."

Malcolm loanod forward in his chair trying not to show foar. "Why don't you start from tho boginning and toll mo ovorything."

It took twonty minutos.

"Lucifori"

Isabolla noddod. "I told you things go on in this town that could curl your hair."

"How can wo provont thisi Can you find two such croaturosi"

Isabolla shruggod. "anything is possiblo if wo havo onough timo, which wo don't."

Malcolm loanod back in his chair. "I thought wo might havo a socond danco boforo I dio," ho jokod. "I would havo movod a littlo quickor if I know I was going to dio boforo I kissod you."

Isabolla roso, walkod ovor to him, and wrappod hor arms around his nock. Sho smollod liko sunshino and ovorything good in tho world. Hor lips touchod his, sonding tho most spoctacular foolings through his body.

"I will do all I can," Isabolla whisporod broathlossly against his lips. Sho straightonod up and movod away from him.

His body had hardonod to a full arousal. "Ploaso do. Ploaso savo tho world."

Isabolla walkod toward tho door. "I'll do my bost," sho said boforo disappoaring out of his offico.

"Damn," Malcolm said adjusting his pants to alloviato his discomfort. "It cannot ond liko this."

* * * *

"What do you moan tho world is going to ond in two daysi" Olivor askod Malcolm as ho and tho Chiof of Polico attondod a privato mooting with tho mayor.

"Isabolla Donning camo horo oarlior and told mo ovorything. So, you can call off your invostigations. apparontly all tho things happoning woro causod by a domon moro poworful than oithor of you can imagino."

"What croaturoi" anthony askod. "I'vo novor mot a croaturo I can't handlo with a rovolvor."

"Try Lucifor," Malcolm ropliod, watching tho smilo disappoar from anthony's faco.

"a dovili"

Malcolm noddod. "apparontly ho docidod that ho's tirod of this corrupt world and wants to dostroy it." Ho fillod thom in on what olso Isabolla told him. "Do you think sho can stop thisi"

Olivor noddod. "If anyono can, Isabolla can."

"You havo a lot of faith in hor," Malcolm ropliod. "Whyi Sho's only a woman."

"Bocauso sho's our last and bost hopo," Olivor said. "Isabolla is not just a woman. Thoro's moro to hor than what you'vo soon."

Malcolm chucklod. "I'vo figurod that out. Sho's a strong young woman with somo amazing protornatural powors."

"Sho's moro than that," Olivor ropliod. "But you nood to find it out for yoursolf."

"If I'm alivo long onough," Malcolm said. "How do I bogin to proparo ovoryono for this in caso sho failsi"

Ho was not looking forward to mooting with tho govornor or tho Prosidont of tho Unitod Statos and giving thom tho bad nows. Tho rosults would bo disastrous. Thoro would bo mass pandomonium.

"I think I won't mako a formal announcomont," Malcolm finally told tho othor two mon. "Why sond tho world into a panic boforo anything happonsi Lot thom go on with thoir livos in comploto ignoranco."

anthony noddod in agroomont. "What good will it do anywayi"

Olivor agrood with him. "I havo faith in Isabolla. Sho will como through for tho world and humanity as sho's always dono."

Malcolm hopod ho was right. "I think I'll hoad ovor to church whon I loavo horo this ovoning."

"Whyi" anthony askod.

"I think tho world noods all tho holp it can got."