Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct Research Paper - 1

Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct - Research Paper Example Police chiefs and Sheriffs are responsible for integrity, ethics and morality in the police force. However, they are unable to supervise the juniors effectively necessitating other approaches like training. According to Popa, Naghi and Isopescu (2012), professional ethics is from the Greek words â€Å"Deontos† and â€Å"Logos† meaning, â€Å"What must be done† and â€Å"the science of†. It includes a set of rules and regulations, which all professionals in the government including the police must follow at all times. The objective of the professional code is to ensure professionals respect the rule of law, the natural law and moral rule (Popa, Naghi and Isopescu, 2012). Rule of law dictates what is right and wrong in accordance to the law (Popa, Naghi and Isopescu, 2012). The natural law dictates what is right or wrong naturally and morality dictates what is right or wrong basing on the accepted principles (Popa, Naghi and Isopescu, 2012). Professional ethics and integrity are important to the police for many reasons. One, the police swear to protect the interests of the people in a given jurisdiction when starting their career. In this case, they are indebted to ensure that all people feel safe in their homes businesses and across the jurisdiction (Kadleck, 2003). Second, failure to follow the set rules and laws may lead to injustice even when the police officers have good intentions (Kadleck, 2003). Thirdly, lacks of ethics and professional code of conduct weaken the society (Kadleck, 2003). In this case, when people realize something bad is happening in the society, they do not report because they know the relevant authorities will not address the issue accordingly. For example, when a person breaks the law and instead of police officers arresting and charging the person, they take bribe and free the person. If the society gets to know of such things, they would be sceptical

Case Analysis on Product Design or Process Design Term Paper

Case Analysis on Product Design or Process Design - Term Paper Example In order to understand better product design, this essay, will be looking at the case analysis of product design at the shipper manufacturing company. Company Overview The Shipper Manufacturing Company started in the aerospace business in the 1960s. In the early years, the company developed and produced the Echo weather satellites, which were launched into space. More recently, the Shipper manufacturing company had diversified into three divisions a) the materials division b) electrical products c) advanced products division, located in Faribault, Minnesota. Over the years the advanced products division has not been consistent with sales and profits as a result of this the divisions corporate strategy was changed. The Advanced product division manufactured the company’s specialty products for custom orders such as helicopter blade liners and mine stoppers. To produce these, the APD relies on the Materials Division production of laminate plastic materials. The Electrical Produc ts Division is responsible for producing the circuit boards and other electrical products. The company focuses on providing low volume specialty products to individual short run customers assuring the quality of their products. Strengths According to scholars (Ayres, 1984), in an industrial nation’s economic future may lie in the so called flexible systems of production, technically advanced and skill intensive industries which make customized products. In order to exhibit its strengths the company has to consider criteria’s such as its competitive strengths and its innovative aspects. The Shipper manufacturing company being based in the United States has an advantage to be in the centre of technology with a higher access to information technology systems that could ease its product design without compromising the customer’s demands. It should also respond to individual customer design demands and adapt new products to the unique requests of the customers; this has been something the shipper manufacturing company has done without equal whilst maintaining high quality standards. Weaknesses The manual system used at the Shipper manufacturing company incorporate the human component. Frequently, this human component may lead to a muddle or inefficiency mostly caused by delays in production due to negligence or an operative’s error. In addition a manual system of record keeping is used, these records are not transparent and no backups are available in case of an emergency. Opportunities The Shipper manufacturing company will restrict its market development resources to certain market divisions of growth and to shrewd industries where there is a realistic opportunity and presumption of inhabiting a presiding or strong competitive position Threat In measuring threats, the change in business strategy will require a corresponding change in manufacturing strategy. The business unit is growth oriented with substantial resources directed to new product or new market strategies, making it a medium-to high-risk operation. Recommendation Voice of the customer exercise - The Shipper manufacturing company should hold this exercise to brainstorm and communicate external and internal demands and expectations by customers. In addition the company should ensure that its customers are satisfied. This can be achieved by quality function deployment, define by Akao (1990) as the specific method for ensuring quality thought out at each juncture of product development process. The author claims that the use of quality function

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example for Free

Annotated Bibliography Essay In this report, Hanna Rosin argues that increasing taxes on junk foods may encourage people to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables instead of high-fat, sugary snacks. According to Rosin, researchers have conducted experiments that tested whether people would choose low-priced healthy foods over regular-priced junk foods in vending machines and in high schools. In each experiment, she contends, sales of low-calorie snacks, fruits, and vegetables increased, and sales of unhealthy foods decreased. These experiments, in the author’s opinion, suggest that increasing the cost of junk foods may promote healthy food choices. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. According to Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation (2001), the fast-food industry â€Å"took root alongside that interstate highway system, as a new form of restaurant sprang up beside the off-ramps. † Fast food operators established restaurants in strategic places, targeting busy intersections and commercial hubs. Schlosser said that McDonald’s, the largest fast-food chain in the world, is in fact one of the world’s largest buyers of satellite photography, using it to predict the direction of suburban sprawl. With the apparent â€Å"ubiquitousness† and the intense advertising schemes, Schlosser and other critics have feared that fast food does not only capitalize to attract us in spending our hard-earned money to buy their products, but they also act irresponsibly in failing to adequately inform consumers of the health risks involved in eating fast food. Fox, M. K. , Hamilton, W. and Lin, B. H.(2004). Effects of Food Assistance and Nutrition Programs on Health and Nutrition vol. 3, Literature Review, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Report no. 19-3. Washington: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. In this report, Fox et al. (2004) revealed that the U. S. Congress has recently allowed after-school programs in seven statesDelaware, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvaniato serve suppers as well as snacks to children in areas where more than 50 percent of the children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. With this program, some low-income children may eat three meals and a snack every weekday during the school year from federal food programsa fact that highlights both the growing importance of the federal child nutrition programs for children in low-income families and the need to ensure that the foods these programs serve are consistent with the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Graham, Rob and Kingsley, Sarah Williams. New Study Finds That Food is the Top Product Seen Advertised by Children – Among All Children, Tweens See the Most Food Ads at More than 20 a Day. Kaiser Family Foundation. 28 Mar 2007. 06 Nov 2007. http://www. kff. org/entmedia/entmedia032807nr. cfm. This news report revealed that childhood obesity is related to food advertising target children. Policymakers in Congress, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and agencies such as the Institute of Medicine (IOM) have clamored to have necessary changes in the advertising unhealthy foods. In the report entitled Food for Thought: Television Food Advertising to Children in the United States, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that tweens ages 8-12 see the most food ads on TV, an average of 21 ads a day, or more than 7,600 a year. Teenagers see slightly fewer ads, at 17 a day, for a total of more than 6,000 a year. Of all food ads in the study that target children or teens, 34% are for candy and snacks, 28% are for cereal, and 10% are for fast foods. Four percent are for dairy products and 1% for fruit juices. Alarmingly, of all the 8,854 ads reviewed in their study, there were none for fruits or vegetables targeting children or teens. Schlafly, Phyllis. Fat Kids: Who’s Responsible? Eagleforum, 17 Sept 2003. 06 Nov 2007. http://www. eagleforum.org/column/2003/sept03/03-09-17. shtml. This position by Phyllis Schlafly declared that â€Å"public schools must take a big share of responsibility for the current epidemic of childhood obesity†. Schlafly maintained that rather than contributing to childhood obesity by providing easy access to junk foods and sodas, schools must take action to reduce it. In her opinion, schools exert a powerful influence over what children eat and the amount of time they spend exercising, and could thus be a powerful force in fighting obesity.

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance There have been many theoretical and empirical debates about the relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance. The debate on the relationship between CSP and CFP involves two important issues: direction and causality of the relationship (Preston OBannon, 1997). Based upon the literature review, the relationship between CSP and CFP could be positive, neutral, and negative. Preston and OBannon (1997) have distinguished between the direction of the CSP-FP relationship (positive, negative or neutral) and the causal sequence: does CSP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence FP, does FP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence CSP, or is there a synergistic relationship between the two? They have developed six possible causal and directional hypotheses: social impact hypothesis, slack resources hypothesis, trade-off hypothesis, managerial opportunism hypothesis, positive synergy hypothesis and negative synergy hypothesis. The social impact hypothesis is based on the stakeholder theory which suggests that meeting the needs of various corporate stakeholders will lead to favourable FP (Freeman, 1984). According to this hypothesis, serving the implicit claims of stakeholders enhances a companys reputation in a way that has a positive impact on its FP. Conversely, disappointing these groups of stakeholders may have a negative  ¬Ã‚ nancial impact (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Preston and OBannon (1997) was one of the surveys that used the Fortune reputation index. In particular, this survey assessed CSP according to three variables: (1) rating of community and environmental responsibility, (2) ability to select and retain good people, and (3) quality of products and services. They found that a positive relationship existed between these variables and ROA. Preston, L. E. and D. P. OBannon (1997). The corporate social-financial performance relationship: a typology and analysis, Business and Society ,vol.36, no.4 419-429. The slack resource hypothesis predicts that better FP potentially results in the availability of slack resources that may increase a  ¬Ã‚ rms ability to invest in socially responsible domains such as community and society, employee relations or environment (Waddock and Graves, 1997). One of the essential aspects of CSR and financial performance is the direction of causality. Waddock and Graves (1997) studied the empirical linkage between financial and social performance and found out that CSR was positively associated with prior financial performance. The results were in line with the slack resource theory that supports that the existence of slack resources resulting from better financial performance made companies invest in areas that are related to social domains. The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Waddock and Graves (1997) reported that CSP was positively associated with prior and future CFP. They concluded that these findings indicated that not only does CSP follow CFP but also CSP drives CFP. It is notable that they measured CSP by a constructed index based on five factors related to the stakeholder and three factors with responsiveness to significant external pressure. This index is provided by a rating firm-Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Co., Inc (KLD). Waddock, S.A. and S.B. Graves (1997). The corporate social performance-financial performance link, Strategic Management Journal, vol.18, no.4. 303-319. Waddock Graves (1997) and Dean (1998) put forward two theories to answer the question: slack resource theory and good management theory. Under the slack resource theory, a company should focus on its financial position, allowing it to contribute to the CSP. Conducting good social performance requires funds that might result from the success of fi-nancial performance. According to this theory, financial performance comes first. A good management theory holds that social performance comes first. Based on this theory, a company perceived by its stakeholders as having a good reputation will result in a stronger financial position (through market mechanism). The trade-off hypothesis supposes a negative impact of CSP on FP. This hypothesis deals with the neo classical economists position which holds that socially responsible behavior will net few economic bene ¬Ã‚ ts while its numerous costs will reduce pro ¬Ã‚ ts and shareholder wealth (Waddock and Graves,1997).This hypothesis re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ects the classic Friedman position and is supported by the well-know nearly  ¬Ã‚ nding of Vance (1975) that corporations displaying strong social credentials experience declining stock prices relative to the market average(Preston and OBannon, 1997,p.421). Studies using measures of return based on the stock market also indicate diverse results. Vance (1975) refutes previous research by Moskowitz by extending the time period for analysis from 6 months to 3 years, thereby producing results which contradict Moskowitz and which indicate a negative CSP/CFP relationship. However, Alexander and Buchholz (1978) improved on Vances analysis by evaluating stock market performance of an identical group of stocks on a risk adjusted basis, yielding an inconclusive result. Alexander, G. J., and Rogene A. Buchholz (1978) Corporate social responsibility and stock market performance. Academy of Management Journal, 21 (3): 479-486. Vance, S. C.(1975) Are socially responsible corporations good investment risks? Management Review, 64: 18-24. According to the managerial opportunism hypothesis, corporate managers may pursue their own private objectives to the detriment of both shareholders and other stakeholders ( Weidenbaum and Sheldon, 1987;Williamson, 1967, 1985).In fact, when FP is strong, managers may reduce social expenditures in order to maximize their own short-term private gains. Conversely, when FP weakens, managers may engage in conspicuous social programs in order to offset their disappointing results (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The positive synergy hypothesis supposes that higher levels of CSP lead to an improvement of FP, which offers the possibility of reinvestment in socially responsible actions (Allouche and Laroche, 2005a). Indeed, favourable CSP leads to a surplus of available funds (social impact hypothesis) which is reallocated, in part, to the different stakeholders (slack resources hypothesis). There may then be a simultaneous and interactive positive relation between CSP and FP, forming a virtuous circle (Waddock and Graves, 1997). However, according to the negative synergy hypothesis, higher levels of CSP lead to decreased FP, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments. There may then be a simultaneous and interactive negative relation between CSP and FP, forming a vicious circle. While empirical results concerning the nature of the relationship between CSP and FP continue to be mixed, the largest number of investigations found a positive relationship. This tendency towards the positivism of the CSP-FP link is supported by subsequent Meta analysis (Allouche and Laroche, 2005b; Orlitzky et al., 2003; Wu, 2006). Another study was conducted by Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45 (2003) who found a strong correlation between corporate financial performance and corporate social/environmental performance. This relationship is more strongly pronounced for theaccounting based measures of performance than the market-based measures of performance (Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45, 2003). Another vein of research focused on the causal relationship between CSP and FP. For instance, using traditional statistical techniques, Waddock and Graves (1997) and Hillman and Keim (2001)  ¬Ã‚ nd a positive synergistic relationship between CSP and FP showing the existence of a virtuous circle between the two constructs .McGuire et al.(1988)  ¬Ã‚ nd that lagged FP measures lead to improved current CSP measures, but the latter does not affect FP. In a more recent study, Nelling and Webb (2006) examine the causal relationship between CSP and FP by introducing a new econometric technique, the Granger causality approach. Their  ¬Ã‚ ndings suggest that, using ordinary least square (OLS) regression models, CSP and FP are related. In disagreement with prior empirical research, they  ¬Ã‚ nd a lower relationship between CSP and FP when employing a time series  ¬Ã‚ xed effects approach. The same result is found when introducing Granger causality models. Furthermore, by focusing on individual measures of CSP, they  ¬Ã‚ nd causality running from stock market performance to CSP ratings regarding employees relationships. In addition to those large-scale American empirical studies, Mahoney and Roberts (2007) have examined the relationship between CSP and FP in the Canadian context. This study has examined the relationship between these constructs using the CSID measure of CSP.1 Contrary to Waddock and Graves (1997), Mahoney and Roberts (2007) found no signi ¬Ã‚ cant relationship between a composite measure of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP and FP. However, using a one-year lag, their  ¬Ã‚ ndings indicate as igni ¬Ã‚ cant positive relationship between individual measures of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP regarding environmental and international activities and FP. This study has examined only one direction of causality: from CSP to FP. The latest study of corporate social and financial performance was done by Mahoney and Roberts (2007). They performed empirical analyses on a large-sample of publicly held Canadian companies. Based on tests utilizing four years of panel data they found no significant relationship between a composite measure of companies social and financial performance. However, they found significant relationships between individual measures of companies social performance regarding environmental and international activities and financial performance. Mahoney, L., Roberts, R.W., 2007. Corporate social performance, and financial performance and institutional ownership in Canadian firms. Accounting Forum 31, 233- 253. Rim Makni, Claude Francoeur Franà §ois Bellavance (2009). Causality Between Corporate Social Performance and Financial Performance: Evidence From Canadian Firms. Journal of Business Ethics 89 (3). This study assesses the causal relationship between corporate social performance (CSP) and financial performance (FP). We perform our empirical analyses on a sample of 179 publicly held Canadian firms and use the measures of CSP provided by Canadian Social Investment Database for the years 2004 and 2005. Using the Granger causality approach, we find no significant relationship between a composite measure of a firms CSP and FP, except for market returns. However, using individual measures of CSP, we find a robust significant negative impact of the environmental dimension of CSP and three measures of FP, namely return on assets, return on equity, and market returns. This latter finding is consistent, at least in the short run, with the trade-off hypothesis and, in part, with the negative synergy hypothesis which states that socially responsible firms experience lower profits and reduced shareholder wealth, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments

The Role of Media on Middle Eastern Conflicts Essay example -- News Co

The Role of Media on Middle Eastern Conflicts 'By now, all of us realize that there is a high powered media campaign aimed at promoting the war on Iraq and shaping the views of the American people, relying on media-savvy political strategy to sell the administration's priorities and policies' 'Systematic sources of bias in TV coverage of international affairs not only distort information, but can also restrict citizens' awareness and options, and thereby produce more social control. The focus here is on the way TV news formats can limit, constrain, and distort information about terrorism.' The relationships between countries in the Middle East and with the West have never been ones of peace or tranquility, and in recent years these relationships seem to be headed in a downward spiral. Currently, there has been an increasingly intense clash between the citizens of all societies that is largely a reaction against what is perceived through the news media about the other society. While the general public goes about watching their favorite nightly news broadcasts, they are unaware that the very knowledge they hope will educate them about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the War in Iraq, is actually one of the primary factors leading to the strain between our two differing societies. This is largely the result of the way news coverage is produced and presented in the United States, the Middle East, and around the world. In the United States, there are many facets that determine how news about the Middle East is produced and presented. Ultimately, these news reports deter mine how the American people view Middle East societies and unfortunately, how they view people of Middle Eastern ethnicity within the United States.... ...s without the possibility of individual bias, people around the world cannot attain an accurate depiction and thus a truly educated understanding of world affairs. This lack of knowledge leads to a host of consequences, one of which is the violence that comes from those naà ¯ve to that which is different. As well, an increased sense of apathy toward government policies and our administrative leaders has enveloped our country because a majority of the American public is aware of the faulty nature of our media system. As a result of the multitude of structural problems that plague the media system, which include all of the examples presented here, people?s perceptions about the conflicts in the Middle East, both the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war in Iraq, are skewed and are an inherent cause of the continued clashes resulting from misconceptions about others.

Religious Confusion in Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya Essay

Religious Confusion in Bless Me, Ultima Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening. In Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya, challenges standard religion and brings in differnet ideas through the perspective of a young and confused boy. At the end of his struggle to understand, the boy reaches the peace of mind he was seeking. Antonio, the young boy, wants answers to the questions that have been nagging at him since he was introduced to religious ideology. He does not understand why Ultima, a close elderly friend and a healer, can save his dying uncle from the curses of evil while the priest from El Puerto with his holy water and the power of God can not lift the curse from him. He wonders whether God really exists or if the â€Å"Cico's† story of the golden carp is true. Bless Me, Ultima, is a compelling story that deals with Antonio's family, beliefs, and dreams. Throughout the book Antonio is introduced to many new ideas. The first is the experiences he has with Ultima. Ultima is a healer who learned her techniques from an old wise man on the prairie. She is sometimes called a witch. This confuses Antonio because in his heart he knows Ultima represents good and not the evil she is sometimes blamed for. Antonio learns some of the ways of Ultima and begins to understand his surroundings. He knows the name of almost every plant and what medicinal uses each has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next exposure for Antonio is the myth of the golden carp. Antonio...

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 22

Seth wasn't at the bookstore the next day, which I took as a bad sign. It was usually his passive-aggressive reaction to whenever we had a fight. I thought about him a lot while I worked, thinking of that awful blowout. We'd had a lot of uncomfortable talks in our time together, but we'd never had anything like that. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what about it bothered me – aside from the obvious – but I kept feeling like it was a pivotal moment, something that was going to have long-reaching effects. It scared me, and I wanted to fix things. And, of course, there was Nyx to worry about. I was going to find a victim after work, and then Vincent said the angels would come while I was asleep – when Nyx made her move. â€Å"You okay?† I looked up from the stack of checks I was signing in my office. Maddie stood there in a black pencil skirt and fitted white blouse that made her look super amazing. She'd worn her hair down too. â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"What's the occasion?† â€Å"Nothing,† she said, with a shrug. â€Å"Wardrobe overhaul.† She lifted one foot, revealing three-inch black heels. â€Å"Holy shit,† I said. â€Å"You don't do anything in halves.† She beamed, and I noticed something about her that had nothing to do with the new clothes. There was joy in her eyes – a happiness that made her confident and even more radiant. She was a far cry from the bitter woman who'd shown up at the auction. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, not fixating on myself for the first time today. Her grin widened, revealing her phantom dimple. A moment later, she turned more serious. â€Å"I'll tell you later. My news is good. But you†¦what's the matter? You look awful.† Yasmine had said the same thing last night. It really was a sad day when a succubus couldn't stay on top of her game. I shook my head. â€Å"It's†¦complicated.† I offered a weak smile. â€Å"I'll deal with it, don't worry. Now, come on. I'd rather hear something cheerful. Tell me what's going on.† â€Å"Can't. They need me out there. I just came to drop these off.† She set a stack of papers on my desk. They practically melted into the other stacks I already had. My office was so chaotic, it could have been a lair for Nyx in and of itself. â€Å"Come on, the suspense is going to drive me crazy,† I teased. â€Å"Well†¦you think you can give me a lift to the airport tomorrow? I'm going home for Christmas.† â€Å"You taking Doug with you?† â€Å"Nope. He's your holiday gift. But I'll give you the scoop then if you can give me a ride. I'd probably need to leave around five.† â€Å"Five o'clock traffic on the Friday before Christmas. We're going to have a lot of time to talk.† A bit of her normal nervousness reappeared. â€Å"If it's a problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nope. We're closing early anyway. We'll go then.† Maddie left, and I found myself momentarily distracted by whatever her news could be. Whatever it was, it was a good thing. I liked the change it had brought about. That sort of happiness and confidence suited her. My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. I answered and found Seth on the other end. â€Å"Hey,† I said, hoping I sounded cool and confident and not desperate and relieved. â€Å"Hey.† A long pause followed. â€Å"I†¦just†¦wanted to make sure we were on for Christmas.† My heart sank. No: â€Å"I've missed you.† No: â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sure. Wouldn't miss it.† Thinking about Christmas. I experienced a weird sense of d? ¦j? ¤ vu. We'd also been with his brother on Thanksgiving. And like now, we'd also been fighting. There it was again: my life, the endless loop. You aren't learning. You aren't changing. Of course, Seth and I had patched up the other fight. Maybe that kind of resolution would repeat itself too. After all, holidays were supposed to be magic, right? â€Å"Okay,† he told me. â€Å"I'll pick you up.† â€Å"Okay.† Another long pause. â€Å"I'd come by today, but†¦well. The book†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The book. Always the book. Then again, I was busy with chaos deities today. â€Å"Yeah, I know. It's fine.† â€Å"We'll talk on Christmas.† â€Å"Okay.† We hung up. A chill ran through me. There it was again. I had no gift for premonition, but an inner instinct – one that had nothing to do with Nyx's visions of the future – told me there was something big coming. After work, I drove over to Bellevue, Seattle's richest and most pretentious suburb. A city in its own right, Bellevue was pretty much the polar opposite of SeaTac. Hotels, restaurants, and shopping were continually being added to its downtown strip, and the influx of money from Boeing and Microsoft was steadily replacing older, plain buildings with sleeker and more stylish architecture. Bellevue was also home to a guy I knew named Kevin. I'd met him years ago in a bar. There was nothing overly extraordinary about Kevin. He was neither a sinner nor a saint, instead occupying some happy ground in the middle that yielded a decent amount of energy whenever I slept with him. His most notable trait was that he was perpetually available. He worked at home – some Web business, I believed – and never seemed to go out, despite being good-looking and sociable. I didn't question that too much, though, because it suited my purposes whenever I needed quick and easy sex with someone I didn't completely loathe. â€Å"Sandra,† he said happily, opening the door of his condo for me. He had dark brown hair and a closely trimmed, very new beard that I approved of. Dark brown eyes regarded me with amusement. â€Å"Been a while.† My â€Å"Sandra† form had a petite build similar to the one I usually wore. After that, the resemblance ended. My hair was now curly and black, my eyes a blue that looked violet sometimes. Underneath my long black coat, I wore a sleeveless navy blue dress that fit snugly and was far too skimpy for this kind of weather. â€Å"It has been,† I agreed. â€Å"Does that mean you aren't going to let me in?† He smiled and stepped back, grandly waving me inside. â€Å"What, do you think I'm crazy or something? Only an idiot would turn you away.† I followed Kevin down the hall and into his living room. He'd redecorated since the last time I was here, and the change was nice. The furniture and d? ¦cor were now all done in shades of a grayish blue that reminded me of winter twilights. A fireplace crackled on one side of the room, and a large bay window looked out to another set of condos. I draped my coat over a chair and smoothed miniscule wrinkles out of the dress. â€Å"You want something to drink?† he asked, hands in his pockets. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't have much time.† He gave me a rueful smile. â€Å"You never do. You know, sometimes I feel used.† â€Å"Is that a problem?† â€Å"Problem?† he asked with a snort. â€Å"A beautiful woman who wants to have sex with me and no commitments? Hardly a problem.† He took a few steps toward me. â€Å"Use me all you want.† He came closer still, and we met in a kiss. No delay, no preamble. I wrapped my arms around his neck and parted my lips, eager to feel him and taste him. His hands rested on my hips for a moment, then slid upward. He caught my dress's straps and pulled them down, baring my breasts and still kissing me the whole time. Pushing forward, he pressed me against the wall, near the fireplace. I felt its heat against the bare skin of my legs. His hands cupped my breasts, thumbs sliding to my nipples and squeezing them. He varied the intensity, sometimes hard and sometimes gentle. I broke the kiss long enough to incline my head toward the uncovered window behind him. â€Å"The window – â€Å" He crushed his mouth back against mine. Our tongues danced together briefly, and then he pulled back just long enough to say, â€Å"I know.† The tone of his voice told me that he not only knew – he also wanted it that way. I didn't question it. This apparently was the season for exhibitionism. Eventually, he moved his mouth away from mine and trailed kisses down my neck. I tilted my head back and arched the rest of my body toward his. One of his hands continued cupping a breast as he nibbled on its nipple, teeth and tongue stirring it to arousal. His other hand pushed up my skirt, eagerly seeking my panties and what lay within. The ache for his energy and his touch coursed through me. I moaned softly as he moved his lips down my body. Shifting to the floor, he settled on his knees while still keeping me standing against the wall. He pulled the panties down all the way, so they hung around my ankles. Sliding his hands between my thighs, he pulled them apart slightly and then buried his face between them, his stubble tickling me. I was burning and wet, more so than I'd realized, and when his tongue touched my aching clit, I moaned more loudly and felt my knees tremble slightly. I started to tell him that he didn't need to do this, that it was okay if he just wanted to get straight to the main event. But as his tongue gently moved back and forth, building the heat and ecstasy within me, I swallowed my words. The last three guys I'd slept with hadn't made me come, and although this visit was strictly utilitarian and part of the Nyx plan, I suddenly and selfishly wanted to get more than his life energy out of it. Back and forth his tongue moved, speed and intensity continually shifting. As his thoughts began to trickle into me, I could tell that he liked doing that not simply for the sake of novelty, but also because he liked seeing the way I reacted to each slight change. He was one of those men who truly enjoyed making a woman happy. The burning spot he'd brought to life between my legs grew and grew, expanding beyond where his tongue touched, beyond my thighs. Steadily, it spread into my whole body, all the way to my fingertips. I felt like fire in human – or rather, succubus – form and writhed against the wall, against him. My knees buckled as the searing pleasure reached a critical point inside me, and his hands moved down to steady my legs and keep me upright. At last the core within me exploded, the fire turning to pure light, pure bliss. I cried out at the way the orgasm consumed me, at the way his tongue still kept teasing me even in the throes of my climax. Finally, even he couldn't keep me upright. My legs had turned to jelly, and I sank to the floor in front of him. He smiled, genuinely pleased, and leaned forward to kiss me. I could taste me on his lips. â€Å"Come on,† he said, taking my hands and helping me up. He led me over to the window and peeled off the rest of my dress. He eased me onto a high window seat. Removing his own clothes, he murmured, â€Å"I should go find a condom.† My breathing was rapid, my heart pounding away. â€Å"No, I want to feel you – just you.† I took his hand and brought it between my legs, guiding his fingers into me. â€Å"I want you to feel me.† I'd been wet before starting all this and was now doubly so after what he'd just done. His fingers glided easily inside of me, and his eyes widened at what he felt. Indecision played on his face, and then he nodded. If counseling any of my human friends, I would certainly advocate safe sex. It didn't matter for me personally, however, since I couldn't catch anything or get pregnant. Often with victims, I'd talk them out of any sort of protection in order to increase their guilt. With Kevin tonight, I didn't want to bother with condoms simply because I didn't want to waste the time. My urgency and desire were too strong. I wanted him now. I slid my hands down his stomach and felt how hard he was. He wanted me too. I wrapped my fingers around him, stroking and massaging and loving the way he swelled within my hand. Pressing my back against the cold glass, I drew my knees up to me and then spread them wide, feeling rather like a butterfly. The window seat was exactly the perfect height, putting us hip to hip as I led him inside of me. We both gasped at the contact. He pushed in as far as possible, our hips pressed skin to skin. The way he filled me up was exquisite. Shape-shifting meant I could make myself as tight as possible, and I loved how he tested the limits of it. He paused a moment, simply savoring the way our bodies felt together, and then slowly began moving in and out of me, rocking me against the window with each thrust. And with that, his life began pouring into me in earnest. I nearly exhaled with relief. The sensation of that energy filling me up rivaled the feel of his body inside me. I had missed it so much, missed the wonder and joy of that pure, indescribable energy generated by the human soul. Nyx had been stealing a part of me, and I was glad to have it back, if only for this moment. The thoughts coming through with his energy were happy and content ones as he reveled in the pleasure of being with me. A secret, kinky part of him was turned on by hoping that his neighbors across the way might be watching. He hoped they were. He hoped they were jealous. His thrusts grew harder and harder, and he murmured over and over how wonderful I was, how beautiful. Still sensitive from him going down on me, I came twice more, my body melting as the orgasms' spasms shook me. At last, I felt his body tense and saw his expression signal he was about to lose control. I dug my nails into his arms and begged him to come in me. He did, shoving me so hard against the window that I hoped the glass would hold. The peak of his energy hit me with his climax, and as it faded, we both sighed happily. I didn't abandon him quite as quickly as I had Bryce, but I didn't spend time lounging in the afterglow either. I helped him get dressed and made sure he was situated comfortably on the couch before I left. I liked him, after all, and hoped I'd see him again in some other casual situation. His face was languid and content as we made our good-byes. â€Å"You are the most exhausting woman I've ever been with,† he told me, eyelids flickering with fatigue. I couldn't help a smile. Of course I was. Other lovers didn't steal his soul – at least not literally. â€Å"Does that mean you want me to stay away longer next time?† He smiled and yawned. â€Å"No. Absolutely not.† Still smiling, I left and headed back to the city. But as I drove closer to downtown, brimming with energy, my happy feelings faded. I remembered why I'd had to go see him in the first place and what would happen tonight. My body, so achingly hot an hour ago, grew cold. When I arrived back at my apartment, Vincent, Carter, and Yasmine were already waiting for me. None of them commented on my glow. Instead, they launched right into the plan. â€Å"Nyx will probably come trolling around tonight,† Carter explained. â€Å"And when she sees you've got energy again, she'll do her thing.† Yasmine nodded along. â€Å"We can't be here when it happens. Vincent will be around, out in the living room. She won't suspect him of anything; she'll figure he's an ordinary human. But when he senses her feeding off of you, he'll let us know. Then, we'll show up and bind her.† I didn't like the sound of any of that – neither the feeding nor the binding. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"We'll pull her out and trap her,† said Carter. Presumably â€Å"out† meant out of me. Yikes. â€Å"Then we'll take her away, back to her prison,† added Yasmine. Their confidence inspired confidence in me, and I suspected I was being influenced by angelic charisma. But there was no way out of this, not if I wanted to shake my nighttime visitor. â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Let's do this.† The angels left. It was still early evening, so I hung out with Vincent. We played a couple games of cards and watched bad movies. Hanging out with him in such a casual way made it easy to forget he was a nephilim. When midnight loomed, I stood up and stretched. â€Å"I don't think I can sleep,† I remarked. â€Å"It's like trying to go to bed on Christmas Eve. Too jittery to settle down. Except†¦it's not Santa I'm waiting for.† He smiled. â€Å"Well, try. If we need to, we can probably give you a sedative or something, but this whole thing will be more efficient without.† It took a long time – lying in bed for almost two hours – before I fell asleep. It wasn't easy to relax when you were inviting a creature of chaos to come feed off of you. And yet, as I drifted off, I couldn't help a small flicker of eagerness. I'd be dreaming the dream again. And I did. It started from the beginning, like always, running all the way to the part where the little girl fell and my dream-self comforted her. The girl's tears were drying when we both heard the faint sound of a car door closing. My dream-self straightened up. A smile blossomed on her face as she regarded her – my – daughter with the kind of over-exaggerated excitement adults often use with children. â€Å"You hear that?† my dream-self asked. â€Å"Daddy's home.† Mirrored excitement showed on the girl's face as my dream-self stood up, still holding the girl and balancing her on one hip. It was an act of some coordination, considering how small my dream-self was. They walked to the front door and stepped outside onto a porch. It was nighttime, all quiet darkness, save for a small light hanging on the porch. It shone onto a long stretch of unbroken white snow on the lawn and the driveway. All around, more snow fell in a steady stream. I didn't recognize the place, but it certainly wasn't Seattle. That much snow would have sent the city into a panic, putting everyone on Armageddon alert. My dream-self was perfectly at ease, barely noticing the snow. Wherever she was, it was a common occurrence. In the driveway, a car had just pulled up. I felt my dream-self's heart swell with happiness. A man stood behind it, a non-descript dark figure in the faint lighting. He took out a rolling suitcase and slammed the trunk shut. The little girl clasped her hands in excitement, and my dream-self waved a hand in greeting. The man returned the wave as he walked toward the house, and my waking self tried desperately to see his face. It was too dark. I needed him to get closer, just a little closer – I couldn't get any closer because just then, I felt my soul get ripped out of me. I sat up in bed, nearly screaming in agony at the pain coursing through me. All four angels, plus Vincent, ringed the room. The power pulsing around us felt like smoke. I could barely breathe. And there, beside my bed, was Nyx. She looked a lot like Erik's description: an old, emaciated woman. Her skin and hair were white, her dark eyes sunken and inhuman. A tattered, gossamer dress wrapped around her body. She had an almost translucent look, like she wasn't entirely solid, and a sparkling aura shone around her. I couldn't see the forces being wielded, but I felt them distinctly. The angels temporarily had her enclosed in walls of power, but she wasn't bound, not yet. She pushed back against their restraints with considerable power of her own, and I gaped. Any one of those angels dwarfed my own power – yet, their combined force was still an even match for hers. It was a staggering thought, and I couldn't understand why she'd need my energy since she had so much of her own. And actually, she did have some of mine. She'd taken about half before they'd pulled her out of me. Nyx shrieked in rage, still pushing back on them. Then, bit by bit, I could see the balance shift. Her power was fading the more she used it. The angels' was steady. They were weakening her. She realized this and panic showed on her face. Casting frantic eyes over all the angels, she finally rested her gaze on Yasmine. There was still enough of a faint connection between us that I realized what Nyx was going to do. She'd sought out the least powerful of the foursome. Mustering the last of her power, she blasted it toward Yasmine, hoping both to smash the angels' united front and hurt Yasmine enough to cause a distraction. A heartbeat before Nyx unleashed her attack, I saw Vincent's face. He too realized what she was going to do. He moved forward, and I felt his mask drop. The telltale nephilim signature washed over me, and his power filled the room as well. There was a lot of it. He'd held back in the alley. Invisible energy rushed from Nyx toward Yasmine, trying to destroy the angel. But Vincent was there, blocking the attack. It rebounded back on Nyx. She screamed again, her defenses shattering. The other angels seized the opportunity, and bands of light snapped into place around her. A moment later, the light faded, but the restraints were there, even if I could no longer see them. She clawed around her, like a twisted version of a mime in a box, but she was trapped. She couldn't get through the walls they'd locked her in. They'd done it. They'd recaptured Nyx. But none of the angels were paying attention to her. They were all looking at Vincent. â€Å"You,† gasped Joel. He didn't hesitate. He strode toward the nephilim, and I saw Joel's body start to shimmer with light. He was about to transform into his true form, a form of terrible beauty and power. But Yasmine was faster. The slim, dark-haired woman became pure light. She was all the colors of the rainbow and none of them. A sword of flame appeared in her hands. She stepped in front of Vincent – who was screaming at her to stop – and swung toward Joel. The blade hit him, and he screamed. An awful, burning sensation was starting to flood me. Hastily, I shielded my eyes and looked away, realizing what I'd almost done. An angel's true form was an indescribable thing, requiring senses a human – or a human-turned-succubus – didn't possess. Staring at her could cause me major damage. Even being in the same room with her hurt. But I'd seen what I'd needed to before looking away. I'd seen the sword fall. Yasmine had attacked Joel. Nyx had pegged her as the weakest of the four, but Yasmine and Joel must have been incredibly close in power. Catching him by surprise like that tipped the scales. The air in the room swirled, reaching hurricane levels. Power exploded around me, like a sun going supernova. Everything was fire and wind. And screaming. Twin screams: Yasmine's and Joel's. I wrapped my arms around me, burying my face, certain I was going to die. The energy exploding toward me reached a point in which it would surely blow up the building, blow up the world. Stronger and stronger it grew. Suddenly, it all reversed. Power rushed away from my side of the room, back toward the angels. It was like a black hole had formed, sucking everything toward it. Of course, it was only pulling energy, not physical objects, but I nonetheless felt like it was dragging me in too. I clutched the bed's comforter, using it like an anchor to hold me down. Time ceased to have meaning. Ten seconds or ten hours could have passed for all I knew. Finally, the rushing stopped, and everything went still. The atmosphere returned to normal. No more insane power levels. There was only what you would normally expect in a room with three angels, a nephilim, a succubus, and a primordial entity of chaos. The latter had suddenly moved to the backburner of everyone's attention. Yasmine had returned to her â€Å"human† form. It was safe for me. I looked up, expecting Carter and Whitney to swoop in and attack her. But they stood frozen. No trace of Joel remained. He was gone, destroyed. The typhoon of power had marked his death. Yasmine was on her knees, fingers digging into the sides of her face. She sobbed, murmuring words that sounded like frantic prayers. Vincent, like the angels, kept his distance from her. She had just killed Joel. I didn't understand why no one was acting. Why were they just standing there? Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly, a voice hissed beside me, more in my mind than spoken aloud. â€Å"Succubus.† I looked into Nyx's cavernous eyes. Like Vincent and the angels, I'd forgotten about her. She extended her hand toward me, and I cringed. Fortunately, the invisible binds kept her from getting any closer. â€Å"Succubus,† she repeated. â€Å"Touch the walls. Use the last of your power to set me free.† â€Å"What? No!† I was dividing my attention between her and the others. The angelic group still stood motionless. â€Å"Free me, and I'll help you exact your revenge.† â€Å"Revenge? Who are you talking about?† â€Å"The one who sent me to you when I escaped,† she rasped. â€Å"The one who promised you to me.† I had no clue what she meant. â€Å"Like†¦who freed you?† She cast an uneasy look behind her. Time was ticking down on her distraction. â€Å"No, you were promised to me! But I can help you. Help you punish – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said. She was too dangerous. Whatever insane revenge she was talking about wasn't worth what she could do to mortals if she was freed. Her desperation grew. The angels were eventually going to remember her, and we both knew it. â€Å"I will show you the end of the dream!† she cried. â€Å"I'll show you the man. The man in the dream.† My heart stopped. â€Å"He isn't real,† I whispered. â€Å"It was all a lie. You used it to trick me.† â€Å"No! Everything I show is true. Always true.† â€Å"It can't be†¦it's impossible.† I swallowed and felt tears starting to fill my eyes. I wanted it to be true. More than anything. â€Å"That can't ever happen to me.† Nyx beat her hands on her unseen prison walls. â€Å"It's real! It's the future! I've seen it. Touch the walls, and I will show you. I will show you the man in the dream!† I wanted to. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. The man in the dream. The man who could maybe truly make this future happen†¦. My hand moved forward, like it was being controlled by an outside force. Nyx's eyes widened, eager and hungry. All of a sudden, a scream split the air. No, it was more than a scream. When Yasmine had destroyed Joel, that had involved screaming. This was more than that. It was the most horrible noise in the universe, a phenomenon that went beyond mere sound. Much as my eyes couldn't exactly perceive an angel's appearance, my ears couldn't fully comprehend this. My hand dropped from Nyx, and I jerked my gaze to the angels. Yasmine was still on her knees, and flames were starting to consume her. It was no ordinary fire, though. It reminded me of the light of her true form: all colors and none. Carter and Whitney watched, faces unreadable. Vincent also watched. He'd taken a few steps toward me, backing away from the fire. The look on his face was filled with a jumble of emotions, none of them good. I didn't understand what was happening to Yasmine yet, but I knew what would happen to him. â€Å"Get out,† I told him in a low voice. His face was pale, as pale as Nyx's. He looked like he'd aged a hundred years. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't leave her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You have to. They'll destroy you. Or if they don't, someone else will. Someone else in the city will have noticed this. You know I'm right.† His eyes were still on Yasmine. I could no longer see her, though. She was all flame – flame that had turned black. â€Å"Go!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's what she'd want. She did this for you!† Vincent flinched at those words and finally looked at me. The full force of his grief made the held-back tears spill down my cheeks. â€Å"Go. Please,† I begged. Joel had been destroyed. Yasmine looked like she was about to be. I couldn't stand anymore death. He said nothing, but after several seconds, he turned invisible. I felt his aura go. Across the room, the flames were starting to fade. Yasmine was slowly reappearing, completely unscathed. She looked no different, but something about her signature had changed. I felt the same golden light, the impression of saffron and frankincense. But it was edged in something else. It no longer had the sharp, crystalline quality of angelic auras. That was gone, replaced by a dark and smoky feel – a smokiness that had nothing to do with the fire. The flames finally disappeared altogether, and Yasmine still knelt on the floor. Seconds later, another signature joined us, one I knew well. Jerome stood in the room, apparently back from whatever clandestine matters he'd needed to oversee. He looked from face to face, finally focusing on mine. â€Å"Jesus Christ. What have you done now?† I ignored him, unable to tear my gaze from Yasmine. She looked the same, exactly the same. And yet, she wasn't†¦ She'd noticed the change too. She held her arms out in front of her, studying them as though she'd never seen herself before. Horror flooded her features. â€Å"No,† she moaned. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She began sobbing again. Carter finally looked away from her and met Jerome's eyes. â€Å"This is yours now, Charon.† Jerome nodded and stepped toward Yasmine. â€Å"Time to go.† She looked up at him, face glistening with tears. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Her expression said everything. It was a plea, a plea that none of this was real, that maybe – just maybe – Jerome could make it all go away. He shook his head and touched her shoulder. They vanished. The room was quiet, an unnatural quiet that felt almost oppressive. My voice seemed strange and out of place. â€Å"Wh-what happened?† I asked Carter. I noticed now that Whitney was crying. â€Å"Yasmine has fallen,† he said softly. â€Å"She's a demon now.†