PROLOGUE Chicago’s North Side

Snow blowing in through the entrance of this crypt, my death would not be outfoxed by a genie granting a wish. I should know. Wishing for a kiss is the exact thing that brought me here. Three years ago, to this point...to death's door.

There's a bomb hovering before my face.

Its titanium alloy casing is held in place with lowly duct tape. With merciless precision, the blood red numbers of its digital fuse count down the last minute I have left to live. I'd make it a good minute. But even this was denied me.

The forces of evil came back to watch me die.

To watch my vaporization like it was some kind of sporting event. Hidden within its roiling veil of smoke, the jinn smelled of sulfur. Of jealousy. Of death. Its hateful eyes, radiating red from deep within the haze, locked onto my own, savoring my final seconds.

Taking the only revenge I could, I spit in its face.

Like water tossed on hot rocks, steam hissed back at me. Steam that cruelly said his name over and over again. This love, the love of my life I'd lost because of this evil jinn. Yes, wishing for his kiss had conjured this jealous rival into existence. The very wish that made it insane for blood. My blood, and worse.

His blood.

Watching the bomb's crimson numbers dance down to nothing, sweat broke out across my forehead. My heart pounding in my ears I had mere seconds to accept the cold, hard fact a friend one related to me.

Be very careful what you wish for. You might just die getting it.

Then again, hadn't I found out the hard way that some kisses truly are worth dying over? And so here, under the white glare of that truth, it wasn't my demise that was the real tragedy at all. It was his death, his death that was.

Always his death.

With scant seconds left to live, I'd savored how close I'd come to experiencing that magnificent wished for kiss. In my mind's eye, I could see my beloved's face near mine. Could smell his smoky breath as it warmed my lips. Feel the scorch of his fingers, encircling my face in his hands. See how his eyes stayed on mine. Searching, searching to own the heart already given him. So heartbreaking, to lose the kiss that almost was. But now would never be. All of it dying here with me for good.

The jinn read my final thoughts. A horrid cackle, ringing out in triumph. Putting a hand to its mouth, it even blew me a kiss goodbye. And then it escaped to save itself, no footsteps heard on the stairs outside. Floating away on wings of smoke.

Checking the timer, the countdown said I had five seconds to live. Four. Three. Two. When the last red number on the bomb's face slid into position, I heard a click. I heard time stop. Vanishing into a netherworld where wishes end and reality begins, this is what I was left with.

Hell...reigning itself in with a bright white flash off shiny metal.