Bureau: Corruption – Kim Fielding

Charles Grimes is half human, half… something else. For fifteen years he’s worked for the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, ridding the country of dangerous monsters. When his boss sends him to Kansas to chase a rumor about a captive demon, Charles figures it’s just another assignment. Until he meets Tenrael.

I really liked this! 

Poor Tenrael, he might be a demon but he didn’t deserve the torture and abuse. He’s not really the ravager of innocents, eater of babies kind of demon. All he does is give people bad dreams. Charles is something of an angelic being on his father’s side but he didn’t really confirm it. Whatever he maybe, the moment he saw Tenrael, there was instant attraction. I normally don’t like insta-attraction/insta-lust but maybe we can chalk it up to the cosmic connection between the two. Anyway, It didn’t detract from the story. The romance was sweet with some M/s flavor and I would like think they got their HEA (hope to see them in the next book too). The world-building wasn’t in-depth since it’s a short story but I kind of wished it’s a full-length novel just so I could learn more about the entire AU and occult magic system. The setting was perhaps intentionally vague (it could have been the 1950s since they still wear hats) and gave plausibility to the traveling carnival part. The story was dark but poignant. I didn’t realize Kim Fielding writes dark stories (I read Speechless which was so fluffy) but she had me rooting for Tenrael and Charles from the beginning. Looking forward to the other books of this series!

Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love 

Soundtrack: No One is Innocent
Artist: Sex Pistols
Album: The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle

(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35305623-corruption)