When Zephyrine said "worst luck," she apparently meant that, out of every single person in the city, Mabel had somehow, in some way, managed to stumble into an apparent heir of Death.

The man she had run into was named Colby, and he worked at a rundown bar but had his own personal business in what he referred to as "nighttime accompaniment," as well. He was also an incessant flirt and, while Zephyrine didn't seem to mind, his many come-ons and charming smiles made Mabel uncomfortable.

"So," Colby began as he let them into his apartment, a stupidly attractive smile on his lips, "what could two gorgeous women want with me? You know, besides the obvious, since you already said you weren't interested in that." He threw a wink at Mabel, causing her to take a step backwards.

"We're really not," Zephyrine confirmed, striding past Mabel and into Colby's dimly lit kitchen area. She yanked open the fridge and pulled out a beer. "A real shame, I'm sure, but what can you do?"

"You could stop drinking my beer," Colby shot back, though the amused smirk on his face told Mabel he really didn't mind all that much.

In response, Zephyrine pulled a bag of chips out of the cupboard. "We're here to talk." She stated blandly, popping a chip into her mouth and letting her gaze wander over the tiny apartment.

Colby grinned wickedly, handing Mabel a glass of water and taking another beer for himself before gesturing to the shabby couch in what was probably supposed to be the living room (It was hard to tell with all the empty takeout boxes and bottles).

"Ah, talking; I'd rather do something else with my mouth." Colby's words sent Mabel into a coughing fit, which caused Zephyrine to shoot the man an unimpressed look.

"While I appreciate the innuendos, let's not kill her. I don't want to explain that to her boyfriend."

If anything, Mabel hoped the mention of Aleron would get Colby to stop his advances, but it only seemed to spur him on more, if the spark in his eyes was any indication. "A boyfriend, eh? I can deal with that. Now, what did you ladies want to talk about?"

The way he purred the words made Mabel's face heat up, and she slapped a palm against her forehead. "Oh, my God. How does a person like you even exist?"

The minute the words left her mouth, Mabel regretted them. Colby's entire face lit up with mischievousness, and she felt like a rabbit that had just been given to a hungry fox. "Well, now, I could always give you a demonstration of how that—"

"Nope!" Mabel exclaimed, her voice shrilly, "Please, no, no, no."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Alright, aright. In all seriousness, though, why do you need me?"

Mabel blew out a heavy sigh, eyeing Zephyrine curiously.

How were they supposed to explain this?

***

"I think that probably could have gone better," Mabel mused aloud, staring at Colby's closed apartment door.

Zephyrine shrugged. "Maybe. Let's go. I'm hungry."

Eyeing her incredulously, Mabel waved her hands frantically at the door that had been slammed in their faces not minutes ago. "What? We can't leave! We have to get him to come with us!"

"And he will," Zephyrine stated, examining one of her nails even as she strode down the corridor to the stairwell. "Eventually. There's not much more we can do today, Mabel. Let's go."

Mabel conceded with a sigh, following Zephyrine out of the building and back to her car.

They'd explained to Colby about the existence of the creatures in Hell (Zephyrine had even showed him her tail), his possible role, and how it would help solve the problems that had come up.

Colby had stared at them blankly for five minutes, laughed in their faces, and then thrown them out, telling them to never come back.

All in all, Mabel was heartbroken.

If they couldn't get Colby to Hell, then he couldn't take up the mantle of Death, and Aleron couldn't return to Earth.

"If you sigh one more time, I will throw you out of this vehicle."

Mabel shot Zephyrine a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I'm just . . ." she trailed off, unsure of how to put the soul-crushing feeling into words.

"Heartbroken, depressed, torn up, extremely sad, unhappy; does that about cover it?"

"Yes, I think that about covers it."

"Good. No more sighing. He'll come with us eventually."

***

Eventually, Mabel reminded herself several days later, eventually.

But how long was "eventually?" Would Aleron be alright if it took that long?

Mabel tried to shake the thoughts out of her mind as she collected her purse, phone, and car keys. Rebecca hadn't been able to come to work due to an exam, but Mabel didn't mind staying all day and closing up. Especially not with her ever-shifting 'sister-guards'.

"Done for the night?" Thora asked cheerfully, plucking a carnation out of its vase and smelling it delicately.

Mabel smiled at the youngest of the serpent sisters. "Yep. Take me home and we'll be all set."

Thora shot her a thumbs-up and a wink, replacing the carnation before opening the door for Mabel. "On we go!" she chirped, floating out after Mabel, her tail dragging lightly against the concrete.

No sooner had they settled in the car did Mabel's phone go off, Kellan's designated ringtone upbeat, much like the woman herself.

"Hey, Kellan," Mabel greeted as she started the car, "What's up?"

The sobs from the other end of the line made Mabel tense. "Kellan?" she repeated slowly, trying to keep the panic from her voice, "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"It's—oh, God—it's Lucy, Mabel." She cried through hiccups. "It's Lucy."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Kellan. Breathe. What about Lucy?" Mabel clutched the phone to her ear with two hands, as if it would somehow allow her to comfort her distressed friend.

"She-she's been arr-arrested."

The entire world stopped spinning.

"What?" Mabel choked on the word. "What do you mean?"

Lucy was the police officer. Lucy wouldn't get arrested, because she was the one who did the arresting. So how could Lucy, who had dreamed of being a cop ever since she was old enough to talk, be in jail?

"I can't believe it," Kellan whispered, "I just . . . Mabel, how the heck did this happen? I don-don't know wh-what to do!" her cries became more hysterical, and Mabel shushed her gently.

"Deep breaths, Kell. Deep breaths." The stayed silent for several minutes, the only sound Mabel's slow breaths and Kellan's shaky ones.

When the other woman had calmed, Mabel tried again. "Okay, so Lucy was arrested. Why?"

A muffled sob, then, "She killed someone, Mabel. They took her in and tested her, but they say she's not even on anything. Lucy wouldn't do that, would she?"

The more Mabel thought about it, the more confident she became in her answer. "No," she said sternly. "She wouldn't."

That brought up another question, however. If Lucy wouldn't do it, then how had it happened?

"I don't know what to think," Kellan continued, "I'm-I'm just so confused, and scared, and sad, and Jake's not here right now, and I just . . ." she ended the sentence with a shaky inhale.

Mabel pushed aside her suspicions. "That's okay, Kell. I'll be right over, okay? I'm on my way."

"Okay," Kellan had never sounded so small, and Mabel's fingers tightened against her phone. "Thanks, Mabel."

"No problem."

But it was a problem. The whole entire situation was a problem, and Mabel wasn't sure how she was supposed to fix it.

***

Mabel supposed she shouldn't have been surprised by the glare she received from Colby, or his next words: "What the Hell do you want?"

Pushing her way past him and into his apartment, she spun around, sending him a sharp gaze of her own and crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly. "I want you to reconsider."

Colby scoffed, all fake smiles and charming winks gone from his persona. "Like Hell. I don't know what kind of drugs you're on, but I don't believe that kind of bullshit."

"What will it take to prove it to you? I thought Zephyrine's true form would have been enough." And she truly had—who would argue after seeing a normal looking woman grow a serpent tail and wings?

Colby considered her for a moment. "I suppose I can't just ask you to kill yourself?"

Mabel blinked once. Damn, this guy was surprisingly cruel. "No," she played along, "Aleron wouldn't appreciate that, and then we'd both be dead."

His brows rose curiously. "Actually, I wouldn't mind meeting this so-called 'guardian' of yours."

Of course he would ask for the one thing she couldn't give him. She bit her lip. "You can't exactly meet him right now."

"Oh?" he took a step closer. "Seems suspicious, since you claim he's going to be my 'right-hand man' or whatever that crap you spewed to me was about."

Mabel grimaced, shifting backwards. "Normally, he would, but I told you, remember? Things are a mess, so he can't be here."

"Sure," he agreed, though the tone of his voice implied that he didn't believe a thing she was saying. "Are you sure you're not just interested in something else? I've had girls try weirder things."

"What?" when she realized what he was talking about, Mabel released a stunned laugh. "What?! No! God, no. That's gross."

"If you insist. I'm still not convinced." He took another step, and Mabel held her hand up.

"Don't come any closer." For the first time in such a situation, Mabel's voice was strong.

He raised his hands in surrender, moving away from her. "Okay, okay. Let's try something else: where's your friend?"

Zephyrine materialized next to Mabel, admiring her fingernails. "Right here," she greeted eyeing Colby through her lashes, "It's a pleasure. Really."

Mabel relaxed at Zephyrine's familiar sarcastic tone; Colby took another step back, his eyes wide. "Have you been there the whole time?"

Zephyrine cocked one eyebrow. "Of course. I don't want Aleron to kill me."

"'Aleron' again? Who the Hell is this guy? I don't buy it that he's some demon come to do good."

"I wouldn't call it 'good,' per say." Mabel muttered under her breath, thinking of all the people Aleron had sent on a one-way ride to Hell.

At the same time, Zephyrine did exactly what Mabel had hoped the serpent-woman wouldn't do. "You can meet him."

Colby perked with interest. "Oh? And here Mabel said I couldn't."

Mabel scowled. "Because you can't." She turned to her supposed protector, "Zephyrine! You know he's busy! Besides, I can't summon him without using the mark, and that only works if I'm in actual danger."

"So, let's put you in danger." Zephyrine replied immediately. "Easy."

"No," Mabel protested, "Not easy. Aleron would be pissed if—!"

She was cut off, not by getting thrown against the wall, or stabbed, or something reasonable like that, no.

One second, she was standing in the space between Colby's kitchen and living room, and in the next she was dangling by her ankle out the window, eyes impossibly wide as she stared at the ground six stories below her.

"Zephyrine!" she screeched, "What the Hell?! Put me down!"

"Not yet," Zephyrine called back, before her voice got quieter as she spoke to Colby. "This will only take a second," she told him languidly.

All hope that Colby might do something helpful vanished with his next words. "Take your time," he responded casually. "I don't have anywhere to be."

"Zephyrine!" Mabel tried again, struggling in vain as she felt the blood rushing to her head. "Aleron!" she finally yelped, "Aleron!"

Nothing.

Zephyrine seemed to notice, as well. "This isn't good enough. Mabel, close your eyes."

"What?" Mabel wheezed, trying to wriggle out of Zephyrine's vice grip, "What are you talking about?"

And then Zephyrine let go.