

ASMODEUS

DEMON OF LUST

***

EPISODE

1

SARA

HUMPHREYS

Also by Sara Humphreys

Unleashed

_Untouched_

Undenied (free e-short story)

_Untamed_

_Undone_

Tall, Dark, and Vampire (Read on for a sneak peek)

_Asmodeus, Demon of Lust_ Copyright 2013 by Sara Humphreys

Published by Sara Humphreys

Cover design by Hot Damn Designs

Interior layout: www.formatting4U.com

All rights reserved. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author. Please contact the author a sara@novelromance.net. This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author's imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

For more information on the author and her works, please see www.sarahumphreys.com

Chapter One

Struggling with the skeleton key, Kai swore under her breath as she fought to open the attic door of her grandfather's old colonial house. Her mouth was set in a firm line as she wrestled with the uncooperative lock and reminded herself it was now _her house_. For better or for worse, the enormous place was now _hers._

Kai hadn't ever met her maternal grandfather and if it weren't for an old picture her mom kept she wouldn't even have known what Jacob Kelly looked like. Kai's parents were killed in a car crash a couple of years ago, and not only did the jerkoff skip the funeral, he didn't even call. Not a card, a note, a text. Nothing. Not a Goddamn word.

What a prince.

Then about a month ago, Kai received a call from Ben Flaherty. He claimed to be an attorney in Idaho and said that she was the sole beneficiary of her grandfather's estate. At first she thought it was a joke or a scam or something, like one of those emails from the guy in Kenya who said you inherited a billion dollars. But after learning a few pertinent facts, she realized it wasn't a joke.

Ever since her parents died it was like she'd been traveling under a dark cloud of shitty luck. Kai's little tarot shop in New Hampshire went belly up last year, her boyfriend cheated on her—again.

Needless to say, life was sucking in a big, fat way. The only soul in the world Kai could count on was her Siamese cat, Zephyr, and she was a moody little thing. So, when Mr. Flaherty had laid it all out, the inheritance wasn't easy to turn down.

The property was in Bliss, Idaho with a whopping population of about three hundred people, but when Kai heard that Bliss was located in Magic Valley, that was when she knew it was all going to be okay. She'd always been fascinated with all things mystical and, at a young age, had discovered she had a knack for reading people, or more specifically the auras that surrounded them. Tarot cards helped her get a more in-depth reading but, in most cases, she was able to get a solid bead on people by studying the color of their aura.

When she was little, she called it _the glow_ and only her mother knew what she was talking about because she could see it too. Kai's dad would chuckle when _his girls_ yammered on about auras, inner light and so forth. Kai was relatively certain her father thought it was just a silly game but she and her mom knew better.

While Kai's mother was happy to discuss it in private, she discouraged the idea of sharing their intuitive nature with other people. So when Kai opened the tarot shop, her mom was less than thrilled and worried that Kai might attract the wrong sort of people—the ones without light.

Her mother, Katherine, called them the Dark Ones and warned Kai they would come if Kai wasn't careful about the kind of mystical practices she dabbled in. According to her mother's stories, the Dark Ones were capable of stealing a person's light—essentially they were soul- stealers. Her mother said that a Dark One could suck the soul out of a regular person but that it was even more dangerous for people who saw auras or light the way that Kai did.

Kai shuddered but quickly shook it off. She knew her mother was being overly cautious or perhaps just flat out made up these scary stories to keep her from using her powers too freely.

Kai scoffed as she continued to fight with the lock on the attic door. The idea of a person without an aura was ludicrous because it would mean they didn't have a soul. Kai had never met anyone without light. Some people had auras that were darker or murkier than others, but everyone had a glow of some kind because everyone has a soul. Even animals have auras.

Kai let out a short laugh as she adjusted her grip on the iron key. Right now, she'd give just about anything for one of her mother's lectures on the mystic realm...and one of her hugs. The hole in Kai's heart grew smaller with time but there were moments the sadness and grief would surge and threaten to overwhelm her.

Not today. Today she would reclaim this house in her mother's memory and in honor of the twenty-five loving years her parents had shared. Kai had come out here with the intention of clearing the place out and selling it, but once she set foot on the property, something inside of her, that swirling unsettled energy that constantly battled to be let out...stilled.

With a growl of frustration, Kai swiped sweaty strands of blond hair from her forehead.

"Old man," she muttered through clenched teeth as she tried to force the lock. "This door is as stubborn as you were."

Holding her breath, the key slippery in her sweaty hands, Kai leaned her shoulder against the white painted door and in one final effort, the lock gave way with a satisfying _thunk_. Kai let out a sound of relief and gave Zephyr a thumbs up, while, in typical feline fashion she sat in the hallway giving Kai a bored look.

"Well, you could at least give me a small meow or something." Kai said between heavy breaths. "I almost had a stroke trying to get this door open."

Zephyr let out a short mewling sound and promptly began licking her front paw, clearly unimpressed.

"Nice." Kai laughed as she wiped sweat from her brow and tightened her ponytail. "Some help you are. It's just the two of us out here in the middle of nowhere so you better behave yourself or I might let the coyotes get you."

Zephyr meowed loudly and flounced over, rubbing her furred body up against Kai's bare calf.

"Oh, I'm just kidding." Kai scratched the cat's head and brushed the layer of cat hair off her skin as Zephyr trotted down the hall. "Shit, you are shedding like crazy. I can't blame you. It's hotter than Hades in here but something tells me it will feel downright balmy compared to the attic."

As if answering her prayers, a cool breeze from the open window at the end of the hallway wafted over her, providing momentary relief. Kai closed her eyes and reveled in the breeze but as soon as she tugged the attic door open she got a face full of thick, stale humid air.

Kai flipped the light switch on the wall as she tried not to breathe in the stifling air. To her great relief, the bulb dangling at the top of the steps still worked, so at least she wouldn't be stumbling around in the dark. Steeling herself, Kai climbed the creaky wooden steps with a combination of excitement and trepidation.

On one hand, she loved the idea of investigating what hidden treasures might be up there, but on the other, was the irrational fear that the bogeyman was in a dark corner waiting for her.

As Kai gripped the weathered railing, she coughed as dusty air filled her lungs, and reminded herself that the Dark Ones weren't hiding in attic corners. Darkness, true evil, lived in the hidden parts of people's hearts and minds, and that was more terrifying than any bogeyman.

As one Converse-clad foot hit the landing she looked around in awe. The attic was a cavernous space that ran the entire width of the house and it was filled with years worth of stuff. Dust-filled rays of sunlight streamed in from two oval windows, one at either end of the room, and Kai let out an exhausted sigh as she walked around the box-littered floor.

"We've got our work cut out for us," Kai murmured.

Zephyr rubbed against her leg again before trotting off and disappearing into the sea of clutter.

"If you find any mice, please don't behead them and drop them at my feet." Kai stepped over an old steamer trunk. "It's gross and I'm already convinced of your bad-ass ninja like fighting skills. I don't need anymore proof."

Making her way through what looked like a path amid the clutter, Kai opened both windows, which made the space bearable. Between the open windows and the door at the bottom of the steps, a gentle breeze now flowed through the musty room.

Kai glanced over and saw Zephyr lying on top of a box in front of one of the windows, settling in for yet another nap.

"Your mouse hunting skills are rivaled only by your ability to sleep but I guess that's why they call them cat naps," she laughed. "Don't mind me. I'm just jealous. But as soon as I get through this mess, I'm taking a nap of my own."

Several hours later, Kai had managed to dig through almost every box and pile in the stuffy attic. Most of it was comprised of old clothes, blankets, books and records. There didn't appear to be anything of any real value monetarily or emotionally, and it became abundantly clear she was going to need to have all of it hauled away. Little of it was even in good enough shape to donate.

She'd hoped that there would be pictures of her mom as a little girl, old photo albums or something, but no such luck. Kai chalked it up to the fact that Jacob, clearly hadn't bothered with sentiment.

Her grandmother had died soon after Kai's mother was born and Jacob was so distraught he removed all images of his wife from the home. Kai shook her head as she stood up and brushed dust from the back of her shorts. "Charming."

A sudden gust of wind rattled the window and slammed it shut with a nerve-shattering crack. The sound had Kai jump about a foot in the air and sent Zephyr running for cover beneath a stack of framed prints that were leaning against the beamed wall.

"Holy crap," she said with a laugh. Kai's hand rested on her chest as her heart thundered rapidly. "That scared the bejezzus out of me."

Kai stepped over a few boxes and went to inspect the window, convinced the glass must have cracked from the force of the blow. To her relief the only thing that had come off was a bunch of old white paint chips that were scattered over the blanket where Zephyr had been sleeping.

"Looks like your bed got dirty," Kai said as she brushed away the flakes of white. She peered over her shoulder at the cat, currently hissing at Kai from her hiding spot. "Don't be pissed at me. I didn't make the wind blow."

Kai turned back and noticed the blanket was covering a small crate. She pulled it off, coughing from a mouth full of dust. Beneath it was a weathered wooden box with faded symbols she couldn't quite make out. The top was nailed shut, which only piqued her curiosity further.

"Leave it to you," she said to Zephyr. "To find the most interesting-looking thing in the whole place. I'm gonna need a crow bar or something to open this one. Come on, girl. Let's get it downstairs."

Kai picked up the box and while it clearly had something inside, it wasn't as heavy as she thought it would be. With Zephyr at her heels, Kai made her way down the steps and breathed a sigh of relief when she hit the much cooler air of the second floor.

Mystery box in hand, Kai trotted down the main staircase, which led to the front entry hall of the old colonial. She passed through the massive formal dining room that looked like it hadn't been used in a century and took her treasure into the sunny country kitchen.

She put the crate on the weathered butcher-block kitchen table, but as she headed for the mudroom, the sound of a car pulling up the driveway caught her attention. With Zephyr at her heels, Kai went to the front hall and peered through the screen door to see a familiar black Lexus pulling to a stop in the semi-circular dirt drive.

Smiling, Kai pushed open the creaky door and stepped out onto the covered porch to greet Mr. Flaherty. She held the door for Zephyr but the petulant feline stuck her tail in the air and went back inside, clearly uninterested in their visitor. Kai brushed her hands off and trotted down the steps to greet her grandfather's attorney.

Ben Flaherty stepped out of the car and looked even more out of place in this rural setting than his car did. His dark suit and crisp white shirt stood out in stark contrast to the rolling green fields and red weathered barn. He was tall, handsome, wealthy and educated. The kind of man she would never in a million years attempt to date because the man was slick from head to toe.

Even his aura was extra bright. Most healthy people had brightly colored auras but his was an almost blinding yellow. She'd never met anyone with an aura that bright other than her own mother. The familiar feel of his aura was probably why she'd felt comfortable with him right off the bat.

His clothes were never wrinkled and so far she'd seen no evidence that he perspired, and at the moment Kai was sweating like a pig.

Mr. Flaherty flashed a big pearly, white grin as he crossed around the front of the car and extended his hand to Kai.

"What brings you all the way out here, Mr. Flaherty?" Kai asked as she shook his well- manicured hand.

"I thought I told you to call me Ben," he said as his aura shifted from yellow to a reddish hue. "Mr. Flaherty was my father."

Kai blushed as his hand held hers a bit longer than a typical handshake.

"Right," Kai said. She dropped her hand and stuck it in the pocket of her shorts. That color change in his aura was a sure fire sign that he was attracted to her and she had to admit, he was cute. "I thought we took care of everything the other day in your office."

"We did," he said as he took off his sunglasses and peered at her with warm brown eyes. "But since you don't know anyone in the area and you're living out here all alone, I thought I'd pop in and check on you. You look like you've been working hard," he said as his eyes wandered over her.

"You could say that," Kai said as she self-consciously brushed off her dusty tank top. "I managed to get through most of the house and today I finally tackled the attic."

"Really?" His gaze flicked to the open attic windows and his eyebrows rose. "In this heat? You're a brave soul, Kai Kelly. Find anything of interest?"

"Not really. Mostly old clothes and stuff." Silence stretched out for a moment as he continued to study her. Feeling awkward, Kai jutted her thumb toward the house and squinted against the setting sun. "Would you like to come in for a glass of lemonade?"

"I'd love to but I have to get back into Gooding for a dinner meeting." Ben glanced at his watch and then locked eyes with Kai. His voice dropped to a softer tone. "I'll do you one better, though. How about if you let me take you out for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Uh, sure," she said with a smile. Kai stuck her hands in the pockets of her shorts and instantly felt even more self-conscious than she did before. She didn't own a single item of clothing that would be appropriate for any restaurant Ben would want to go to.

"Did you have any place in particular in mind because I saw a neat looking place in town and I wanted to try it," she said. "Angels and Outlaws. Have you heard of it?"

"Well, sure." Ben let out a short laugh. "But I was hoping for our first date to be somewhere more fitting of a lady. But I want you to be comfortable. So Angels and Outlaws it is."

First date? Kai swallowed the lump in her throat and wrestled with her conflicting emotions. Ben was hot and rich and she'd be crazy not to go out with him. So why was she feeling hesitant?

"Well," Kai began slowly as she tried not to notice the ripples of red in his aura. "I'm a simple girl and if you tried to take me to one of the fancy places you probably had in mind, I'd use the wrong fork or something. A burger joint is fine with me. How about if we meet there tomorrow night around seven?"

"Sounds good to me," Ben said as a smile cracked his face. He slipped his sunglasses back on and walked back to the driver's side of his car. "I'll see you at seven tomorrow and by the way...something tells me you're anything but a simple girl."

Before Kai could respond Ben was in his car and driving down the driveway. As the cloud of dust settled and his taillights disappeared from view, a smile played at Kai's lips. Maybe Bliss wasn't going to be so boring after all?

Kai made her way back into the house and started rooting around in a box of tools that were in the mudroom adjacent to the kitchen. Crow bar in hand, she came back into the kitchen and found Zephyr sitting on top of the box again.

"What's your story?" Kai asked with narrowed eyes as she pointed the crow bar at her companion. "I'll make you a deal. You can have the box but I get whatever's inside."

Zephyr, seemingly satisfied with the arrangement, hopped off the crate and onto one of the chairs. Her large blue eyes stared intently at the box, her curiosity matching Kai's. That phrase _curiosity killed the cat_ ran through Kai's mind.

"Here goes nothing," she murmured.

Finding the seam along the top, Kai wedged the tip of the crowbar into the crack and with one big push the top popped open. She did the same thing along two other edges, and when she finally pulled the top off, what she found inside left her stunned.

A stack of old black and white photographs sat inside, and the hauntingly familiar face of a young woman stared up at Kai through a pair of large dark eyes. Eyes that were just like hers. With shaking fingers, Kai reached in and pulled out the pile of weathered photographs.

She flipped through the stack one at a time and found that every picture was of the same woman. Based on the fifties style clothing and striking resemblance to both Kai and her mother, Kai could only assume this was her grandmother, Kristine.

All the photos showed a smiling young woman full of life, but it was the last picture that gave her pause.

It was an image of her grandmother with a baby in her arms and Kai was certain it was her mother, when she was an infant. Tears fell freely down Kai's cheeks as she ran one finger over the faded image. Sniffling, she flipped the picture over to see if there was a date and while there was something written, it wasn't what she expected.

My sweet, Katherine. The next Custodian.

"Custodian?" Kai said, confused. Her grandmother was a custodian? "Do we come from some long line of school janitors or something?"

As Kai swiped at her damp cheek with the back of her hand, she spotted a small black bag that had been hidden beneath the photos. She placed the stack of photos on the table and picked up the heavy, worn, cotton bag and felt a lump inside. Kai loosened the drawstring and turned the bag over, emptying the contents into her hand.

A heavy ring made of iron, tumbled into her palm and the metal felt cool against her damp skin. Holding it between her fingers, Kai squinted and went to the light by the kitchen window to try and make out the unusual design on the round face

There were a series of four circles with some kind of lettering evenly spaced between the rings. It was so tiny and worn away by time that she'd need a magnifying glass to get a clue as to what it said. At the center of the smallest circle was what looked like a star and it had some kind of crystal in the middle.

"Why wouldn't Jacob have given this to my mom?" she murmured.

It was beautiful. Not in a traditionally gorgeous and sparkling kind of way but beautiful, none-the-less and it was definitely old. She had no idea just how old but it really didn't matter. This ring obviously belonged to her grandmother and that's what made it valuable.

"Priceless."

Smiling through her tears, Kai slipped the precious ring onto the middle finger of her right hand and found that it fit perfectly. As she held her hand up to inspect her newfound prize, a howling gust of wind ripped through the house and slammed the front door shut.

Kai yelped and spun around to see the pile of pictures blow around the room and flutter to the kitchen floor. Her hands gripped the edge of the counter behind her as she fought to still her racing heartbeat. Zephyr was nowhere to be seen and the only sound was the old cuckoo clock that ticked loudly on the wall.

She squatted down to pick up the scattered photos and as she placed them back on top of the table, her attention was captured by something written on the side of the crate. As her gaze slid over the words, the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. _Custodians of the Light_.

***

The disturbance in the air had been subtle, a quiet rumbling that, at first, Asmodeus mistook for the usual notification of new arrivals. Every day when a new batch of tormented souls arrived, there was a shift in the atmosphere. As one of the seven Princes of Hell and the Demon of Lust, he was responsible for the pathetic individuals who earned their ticket to hell by reveling in lust and desire.

Lust or lusting for someone wasn't evil but when humans allowed themselves to be corrupted by it, that was when the scales tipped to damnation. The souls that landed in his little corner of hell were the worst of the worst. Rapists, murderers, pedophiles. The humans, who in Asmodeus' opinion, gave lust a bad name and he was more than happy to escort them into an eternity of hell and damnation.

But he could do without the paperwork.

Asmodeus had been overseeing tortured souls in Hell for several millennia and he was growing weary of it. He watched mortals, on many occasions, and envied the life, the freedoms they were given. So when they abused that freedom, there was something gratifying about implementing their punishment.

Lucifer, the leader of all demons, granted them a vacation on earth every one hundred years. However, Asmodeus, much to his dismay, wasn't due for another trip for quite some time. Oh, he'd snuck up there a time or two to help his half-mortal son but he didn't stay long enough to truly enjoy it.

While Asmodeus loved trips to the mortal plane he sure as shit didn't want to get a trip to earth like this. As he walked through the tunnels of stone that led to the mortal plane, he let out a beleaguered sigh.

The first disturbance in the air had been nothing compared to the series of bone shattering sonic booms that rocked the Underworld in nauseating succession. The instant it happened, Asmodeus knew what it was. He'd heard and felt that same ear-splitting sound three thousand years before and, until an hour ago, Asmodeus and the rest of the Brotherhood thought the threat had been eliminated.

Apparently not.

The disturbance in Hell meant that someone had found the Ring of Solomon. The ring had the ability to control all demons and if the bearer so desired, it could be used to destroy them as well. King Solomon had almost done exactly that when the guy had put Asmodeus and the rest of the Brotherhood under his complete control. Lucky for them, one hot summer day, Solomon had imbibed far too much wine and his curiosity got the better of him. He asked Asmodeus what demons could do if they had total power over humans. What powers did they truly possess?

Asmodeus promised to show him but said he needed the ring and his freedom in order to properly demonstrate. Solomon, drunk as a skunk, handed the ring to Asmodeus, who then promptly tossed it into the sea, releasing the Brotherhood in the process.

They all thought that was the end of it. Not so much.

Someone had not only found the ring but was wearing it and, whether or not they knew it, this individual quite literally could command Hell. Since none of the demons had been summoned, it was a safe bet that the bearer of the ring had zero idea of the kind of power they had in their hands.

However, not wanting to take any chances, Lucifer chose to send Asmodeus and the rest of the Brotherhood up to earth in search of the ring. As far as Asmodeus was concerned it was like looking for a needle in a haystack and could take a century to find it.

They knew was it was somewhere in North America but since they were unable to pinpoint its location they suspected the mortal wearing the ring possessed some type of unique gift. Given the fact that the ring's whereabouts were somehow cloaked, the wearer must be a unique human being indeed.

Asmodeus slipped on a pair of aviator sunglasses as he strode out the mouth of the cave. Wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and motorcycle boots, he placed his hands on his hips and let out an exasperated sigh as he surveyed the area. Idaho. Of all places, he gets to start his search in Idaho.

There were several direct portals to Hell within the continental United States. Los Angeles, Houston, Las Vegas and New York City just to name a few, but one of them was deep within the caves of the Craters of the Moon. The four hundred-acre lava field was one of the only places on earth that actually resembled the Underworld but it wasn't exactly a bustling metropolis.

Although, given Asmodeus' weakness for the company of women and pleasures of the flesh, he wasn't terribly surprised that he pulled this particular location. Having fewer ladies around meant fewer distractions and he knew that was exactly why Lucifer stuck him way the hell out here.

Great. He gets an extra chance to enjoy the mortal plane and Lucifer puts him in one of the most desolate places in North America.

"What a dick," Asmodeus murmured as he squinted against the light of the setting sun.

_Welcome back to earth,_ Lucifer's voice touched the collective consciousness of the Brotherhood. _Based on various disturbances in the energy fields, I have sent the six of you to the locations the ring is most likely to be. Additionally, there are certain individuals located in these areas that are descended from unique bloodlines and are the most probable candidates to be in possession of the ring._

Something glinting in the distance caught his eye. Asmodueus grinned when he saw the black and chrome motorcycle waiting for him by the edge of the deserted highway.

_I'm not completely cruel_. Lucifer's voice floated around Asmodeus with his usual air of self-importance. _You have each been provided with a mode of transportation and a duffle bag with money and some clothing_. _There is also a paper with the names and locations of the individuals you should be looking for. They're listed in priority order for your convenience._

_You're a real prince,_ Asmodeus interjected. _I'm sure this all looks very convenient from your corner office in Hell._

_Stop whining, Asmodeus._ Lucifer's voice, edged with boredom filled his mind. _You haven't even thanked me for the motorcycle._

Asmodeus stopped dead in his tracks and dug into the pockets of the Levi's he was wearing. His smile broadened as he pulled out the keys to the Harley Davidson and started walking again toward the bike. Lucifer might be a son of a bitch but he had his moments. "Not bad," he murmured. "But you're still a dick."

_Yes, I know._ Arrogance dripped from Lucifer's every word but as the Demon of Pride and leader of the Brotherhood, it was of little surprise. _We have two immediate problems, other than the obvious._ Asmodeus tried to keep his attention on Lucifer, instead of the gorgeous bike. He ran his hands over the smooth curve of the handles as Lucifer's deep, gravelly voice touched the collective minds of the Brotherhood. _Since we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact location of the ring, my concern is that has something to do with whoever is wearing it and you all know how much I loathe not having all the information. Secondly, if you'll recall, the ring cannot be taken from its owner, it has to be given to one of you willingly._

_What if the guy wearing it befalls some kind of horrible accident? Falls off a cliff? Runs into a bullet...or my fist?_ Satan's voice cut into the conversation and Asmodeus smirked as he walked around and appraised the bike. Satan was the Demon of Wrath, loved mayhem and was the biggest troublemaker in the bunch. _Can we take it if he's dead?_

_Yes,_ Lucifer responded. _But you know full well that we can't harm an innocent, so I suppose you'll just have to play that part by ear._

Asmodeus opened the duffle bag that was strapped to the back of the bike and pulled out the paper. He perused the list of names and the one at the top grabbed his attention immediately. Kai Kelly—Bliss, Idaho. His lips tilted as he folded the paper up and stuck it in the back pocket of his jeans. Kai was a woman's name, wasn't it?

_What makes you think it's a guy?_ Asmodeus asked as a grin cracked his face. _Could be a lovely lady and wouldn't that be far more pleasant?_

_Well, shit._ Mammon's irritated tone cut into the conversation. As the Demon of Envy he was always feeling slighted and as though he somehow got the short end of the stick. _If it is a chick and Asmodeus finds her first, he'll spend a month in bed with her before he gets the ring. I don't know what part of the continent you guys got, but I'm stuck in Alaska and I'll bet the ring is nowhere near here. Brother, if it is a broad then do us all a favor and get the ring before you fuck her ._

_Whatever, man._ Belphegor's bored voice interrupted them. _I'm in no rush. I haven't been to earth in a long time. You know all work and no play makes the Demon of Sloth a dull boy._

_Mammon_ , Asmodeus responded playfully, _if I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous._

Screw you.

_No thanks, brother._ Asmosdeus' laugh, deep and loud touched their collective minds. _You're not my type._

_If you're all quite finished._ Lucifer's voice, sharp and curt, cut off any further banter. _You will get the ring by whatever means necessary. However, Mammon raises an interesting point._

A heavy silence hung as they waited for Lucifer to continue.

I'm concerned the six of you may succumb to temptations and find yourselves distracted from your mission. I have sent you there to find the ring and bring it back to the Underworld, not to indulge in your vices. In addition, as demons you won't be able to get within a mile of the ring without alerting the person wearing it. Chances are that the human who has found the ring has no idea the power that it holds— otherwise we'd have been summoned already. However, we can't afford to take risks. In hindsight, having you all down there as full-blooded demons seems unwise.

Asmodeus glanced over his shoulder at the field of black rocks as a feeling of dread crawled up his back. What did he mean...as full-blooded demons?

_In order for you to get anywhere near the bearer, and to assure you stay focused, I am going to make one small adjustment for your current stay_. Lucifer's voice wavered and Asmodeus could tell the son of a bitch was smiling. _It's really for your own good._

Just as Asmodeus was about to ask what he was talking about a burning sensation fired through his body, stealing his breath. The sudden onslaught sent him to his knees as he gasped for air and agonizing pain radiated across his chest. Asmodeus' hands hit the rocks and gravel scraped against his jean-clad knees as he fought a sudden and unfamiliar wave of nausea.

Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed himself off the ground with a grunt and kneeled for a moment as he regained his bearings. He tore the sunglasses from his face, suddenly feeling the uncomfortable effects of the late afternoon sun. Up until seconds ago, the heat had not fazed him in the least. Asmodeus' palms stung and when he lifted his hands, he swore loudly when he saw speckles of blood mixed with dirt.

Demons did not bleed.

_When you find the ring, you will telepath me immediately, and if necessary I will send the rest of the Brotherhood to assist_. Lucifer's voice, calm, cool and detached whispered through Asmodeus' mind. _I'm sure I don't need to remind you how dire the situation is, but to sweeten the pot...whomever finds the ring and brings it back to Hell will earn a three-month vacation on earth._

If their minds had still been connected, Asmodeus would have surely heard the others when Lucifer laid the reward before them. One of the only things that any of them looked forward to was their time on earth, and to get an extra three months would be spectacular.

However, Asmodeus was met with silence. It was an odd sensation, to be disconnected from the rest of the Brotherhood. The pulsing energy of their minds was conspicuously absent and for the first time in several millennia.

_As you get close to the ring_ , Lucifer's voice floated into his mind but sounded far away, _you will feel the pulse of its power but your abilities will be limited. Although, you'll be stronger than most humans, I'm not entirely sure what powers you'll retain. The telekinesis and ability to manipulate heat may or may not remain. It may vary from brother to brother. At least that's what's most likely._

_Likely?_ Asmodeus gritted his teeth as sweat trickled down his back and the pain ebbed across his chest. _You have no idea what you're doing, do you, Lucifer?_

Ignoring him, Lucifer continued.

_I have also left each of you with the ability to telepath me once it's found but not each other. Our collective mental link emanates far too much power and would definitely blow your cover...so to speak. I realize this is less than appealing but it's the only way to protect members of the Brotherhood._ Lucifer's laugh rasped through Asmodeus' mind as his voice faded. _And to ensure you do what you need to do, there's nothing wrong with a little extra incentive. I can't imagine any of you want to stay on earth in this....state._

"You mother fucker," Asmodeus ground out as he stood up and bit back a wave of unfamiliar pain. "What did you do?"

Asmodeus held out his arms and watched as the tattoos that covered the length of his arms and ran across his back...vanished. The intricate design, seven interlocking circles with a five-pointed star at the center, was the mark of the Brotherhood and had branded his flesh for his entire existence.

Until now. Lucifer made them mortal.

Chapter Two

The elderly man's aura was a dull, sickly green and wavered around him in the dingy gas station like smoke but Kai kept a smile on her face. He was definitely ill, most likely cancer of the lungs based on the way he was sucking down his second cigarette in less than fifteen minutes. Kai usually saw that pea green color when someone was sick and as the old fella coughed up a hunk of phlegm, she was relatively certain her mojo was on point.

"I'm new around here," Kai said as she placed a twenty on the counter for the gas she'd just pumped. "Is there anything interesting to see in the area?"

"Yup," he rasped. His pale gray, watery eyes glanced at her briefly as he rang up her purchase on an old fashioned cash register. He adjusted his dirty baseball cap and gave her a toothy grin, which actually brightened up his weathered complexion. "This your first time in Magic Valley, I'd bet. Well, if you're like most folks you'll want to see them caves or take a ride over to Atomic City and see the first nuclear reactor."

"Caves?" Kai smiled as he rang up her purchase slower than molasses in winter, and though she tried to be patient, she was starving and had to get something to eat before she fainted. "Nuclear reactors? Sounds like a lot going on for such a...remote area."

"Yes, ma'am. Magic Valley is full of surprises." He pushed his hat back and wiped the back of his neck with a red bandana. "I'm Clive and I'd bet my bottom dollar you're Jacob Kelly's granddaughter."

Kai stilled and the smile fell from her face as she self-consciously tucked a long lock of blond hair behind her ear. While she was used to seeing inside people, it was unnerving to have someone do it to her.

"Don't go gettin' nervous now." Clive waved one hand and sat on a stool behind the counter. "There are only two hundred and seventy five people livin' in Bliss." He shrugged and laughed through a smoker's cough. "Folks are bound to notice when someone new comes to town. Besides, Jacob told me you'd be movin' into his place after he passed and, if I didn't know that, I'd sure notice you were drivin' his old Dodge." He jutted a thumb toward the window. "That piece of crap is almost as old as me."

"Y—You knew my grandfather?"

"Course I did." Clive crushed his cigarette out in an ashtray on the counter that was overflowing with ashes and old butts. "He came here for gas for that old beater you're drivin' around."

"You were friends?"

"Ha!" Clive coughed and covered his mouth with the bandana as he laughed up a lung. "Jacob didn't have friends but I 'spose I was as close to a friend as he ever had. Ever since his wife Kristine died, man hardly spoke a word, and then when his daughter left." He let out a sigh and shrugged. "He just wasn't a people person I 'spose."

"Clearly not," Kai said under her breath. She stopped herself from going into a tirade about a man she'd never known and forced a smile. "I didn't know him. Never met him actually."

"I know." Clive nodded and gave her sad smile. "He was a cryptic old bastard. Told me that someday his granddaughter would come and take over his place. Said your grandmother, Kristine, would want that. He wanted your mama to stay but I guess Bliss just isn't for everyone."

"My grandmother." Kai smiled and slipped her wallet back into her satchel. "You knew her?"

"Sure did. Kristine was good friends with my Clara...I lost her last fall." The smile faltered and he adjusted his cap again in an almost soothing gesture as emotion filled his eyes. "Them two gals was like peas and carrots when they were young. After Kristine died, my Clara tried to get Jacob to come to church and the socials but he stayed up in that house most the time. He worked around town as a groundskeeper and back in the day, well, if he wasn't workin' then he was at home with your mama. But when Katherine left, well," he said on a sigh, "That was that."

"Was he a custodian by any chance?" Kai asked as she rubbed the ring with the pad of her thumb as the words from the box drifted into her mind. "Was my grandmother?"

"Nope." Clive lit another cigarette. "Your grandmother didn't work and Jacob, he took care of the grounds at the school and for the town."

"I see," she said as she pushed her hair off her face with a sigh.

"You look exhausted, young lady."

"I'm sure I do," she said with a laugh. "I've spent the past several days cleaning out my grandfather's place but there's about ten tons of junk in the attic that has to get thrown out. Not to mention all the stuff out in the old barn."

"Sounds like too much hard labor for a pretty young thing like yourself." He dug around behind the counter, pulled out a flyer and handed it to her. "This is a local guy who hauls away junk. Give him a call, he'll help you out."

"Thank you, Clive." Kai took the paper and smiled. "I may just do that. The truth is that there's a lot of junk to drag away. Not only that but the grounds of the property need some help."

"You know how those things go." Clive sat on the stool and gave her a big grin. "He did all that stuff for a living so when he got home, probably didn't have a mind for it. Hell, if you were a baker would you come home and bake?"

"Probably not," Kai agreed.

The sudden rumbling of a motorcycle shattered the quiet outside and made Kai jump. She laughed nervously and gave Clive a shy smile as they watched a biker roll slowly down the road and pause for a moment before pulling into the gas station. The late afternoon sun streamed in through the window and Kai squinted against the blinding light.

"Another biker," Clive murmured as he rose from the stool and hitched up his pants. "He's probably headed over to Outlaws and Angels. It's a local biker joint but they make a mean burger. Folks come from all over to check out the place."

"Funny you mention that place. I'm meeting a friend there for dinner, which can't come a moment too soon. I'm starving." Kai's stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in hours. It was in part because she'd been so busy and also because she was nervous about this date with Ben. "I hear their burgers are great, although it's practically the only game in town."

"That would be correct." He winked. "Our little town is made up of the post office, my gas station, a motel and two bars. Not exactly a hot spot," he laughed.

Smiling, Kai glanced back outside at the man on the motorcycle as Clive started to tell her about his favorite item on the menu. But she barely heard him because she was too busy staring at the guy climbing off the motorcycle. She knew Clive was talking but he sounded far away as if the world around her had detached from her somehow.

Wearing mirrored aviators, the man stood and swung his leg over what had to be a Harley Davidson. Mesmerized, she watched as he gassed up his bike. He had to be at least six foot four, with a broad well-muscled back that was covered by a white t-shirt, leaving his perfectly sculpted and tanned arms in plain sight. Faded blue jeans skimmed over his legs and dusty black motorcycle boots kicked up dirt as he put the gas pump back in its place.

It wasn't his strikingly handsome profile that had Kai feeling dizzy and displaced. Kai's heart raced and the ring on her finger felt hot against her skin as she squinted. She blinked because she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing—or more to the point—what she wasn't seeing.

This man, whoever he was, had no aura.

Beware the Dark Ones.

As the words whispered through her mind, the man stilled and turned around slowly until he faced the storefront. Even though he was wearing those mirrored sunglasses, Kai sensed he was looking directly at her.

Sweat broke out over her flesh and her body shook as she watched him stalk across the parking lot toward the door of the smoky shop. Maybe she was wrong and it was a trick of the light or the sun got in her eyes, blinding her and preventing her from seeing his glow.

He _had_ to have an aura. There was no such thing as the Dark Ones.

As he got closer with each step, it became glaringly clear that he was without light. Kai backed up slowly and clutched the strap of the bag draped across her chest as fear and confusion swamped her. It suddenly felt as though it was a thousand degrees and as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. The long sundress she wore seemed to stick to her like a second skin as she started to sweat from head to toe.

The stranger opened the door and the tiny bell above announced his entrance. Kai backed into a rack of chips and froze as she stared at the man through wide frightened eyes.

The door swung shut behind him as he removed his sunglasses and looked at her with the most piercing, pale blue eyes she'd ever seen. Jet-black hair and dark eyebrows framed that intense gaze as he stared at Kai with something akin to awe.

"Well, I'll be a son of a bitch," he breathed. A wide smile cracked the handsome stranger's face as his eyes drifted over her. "Looks like I drew the lucky card after all."

"Kai?" Clive, his voice edged with worry, stood from his stool and leaned over the counter. "Are you okay, girl?"

Kai gaped at the stranger and fought to catch her breath. She wasn't mistaken. It wasn't the sun playing tricks on her and as the reality of the situation settled over her, everything started to spin.

"Kai?" The man's voice, deep and seductive, washed over her. "Well, then I am one lucky devil."

"Y-you're a Dark One," she murmured. As the last word escaped her lips, Kai wavered on her feet and the world went black.

***

Asmodeus had been so completely taken off guard that he almost didn't catch the beautiful blonde as she fainted but, lucky for her, he snapped out of it just in time to grab her before she hit the dirty floor. He scooped her limp body up against his chest effortlessly and the old man waved him toward the back of the store.

"Heat must've gotten to her," the old guy muttered. "Bring her here. I got a cot in the back room, you can set her down."

Asmodeus followed the man through the door and into a small room. Kai moaned softly as he set her down on the cot.

"I'll get a cool cloth for her head." He pointed at Asmodeus. "Just stay right there with Kai but don't try nothin' funny."

Asmodeus nodded, but his attention was fixed firmly on the ring on her right hand—it was the Ring of Solomon. Though it had been almost three millennia since he'd set eyes on it, there was no mistaking it.

Lucifer had been correct. Asmodeus had felt the presence of the ring before he saw it. It was a familiar pull in his gut, drawing him, almost willing him closer.

He sat on the edge of the cot next to Kai and placed her hands on her belly, careful to avoid touching the ring. Asmodeus glanced over his shoulder, looking for the old man but he was still puttering around out in the shop, looking for a cold cloth, no doubt. Asmodeus turned back and glanced at the paper in her hands. He removed it gently and saw it was a flyer advertising a local haul away service.

Kai moaned softly. There was no denying that she was a beautiful specimen of a woman. Long strands of pale blond hair framed an oval-shaped face with high cheekbones, wide set eyes and pink, perfectly shaped lips. Her skin had the glow of summer and her body had soft looking curves in all the right places.

Kai Kelly was born to make men weak.

Lucifer may have taken most of their powers and made all of the Brotherhood mortal, but Asmodeus had seen Kai's energy field the moment he laid eyes on her. She exuded a soft white light that resembled moonlight through the mists and, once he spotted it, there was no mistaking what she was. A regular human, like the old man, didn't exude light like that—at least not one that Asmodeus could see.

Kai Kelly had blood of the Fae running through her veins.

Based on the fact that she was wearing the ring, he had to assume she didn't have any idea that she was part of a Fae bloodline. The Fae Clans—even the ones that were comprised of human-Fae hybrids—were fully aware of the Ring of Solomon and knew all too well of the power it held. If Kai had been vested in one of the Fae clans, then she would never have put on the ring and essentially sound the alarm in Hell. No. If she were connected with other Fae, then he and the rest of the Brotherhood would be at the mercy of a flock of fairies.

Asmodeus frowned. A fairy. Shit. Of all the supernatural creatures that walked the earth, he found the Fae the most difficult to deal with. Their magic was known to be some of the most powerful, even more than the witches and warlocks. Asmodeus had only tangled with one Fae in his time and that guy had been one mean son of a bitch.

"Damn," Asmodeus said under his breath.

Kai moaned again and twitched as though she were having a bad dream. A lock of hair fell across her forehead and without thinking, Asmodeus brushed the strands of gold aside. He didn't want anything to obscure his view of her gorgeous, innocent face. The pads of his fingers brushed over silken flesh and his body tightened immediately in response as a smile played at his lips.

Kai Kelly might be part fairy, he thought as he withdrew his hand, but she was _all woman_. His gaze flicked down to the ring on her delicate hand as he rose from the cot. Whatever magic she possessed was of little consequence when it came to matters of the flesh and desire. In that moment, Asmodeus knew exactly how he would get the ring. He would seduce it out from under her and be back in Hell before the week was out.

"Here's a cold cloth," the old man said as he shuffled in through the door and pushed past Asmodeus. He sat on the edge of the cot next to Kai and placed it on her forehead. "I got a call in to the doc but he ain't answerin' his damn phone. I keep tellin' him he needs a landline but he's only got one of them cellular phones and the signals around here are for shit."

Kai groaned and her hand went to her head as she started to wake up.

"She'll be okay," Asmodeus said with his gaze fixed firmly on the ring. "Like you said, it was probably just the heat."

"How'd you know her name?" The old guy eyed Asmodeus warily over his shoulder. "She's only been in town 'bout a week and I ain't never seen you around here. So how do you know her, anyway?"

"I—heard you call her by her name," Asmodeus said with a shrug.

"What happened?" Kai's voice wavered as she pushed herself up onto her elbows and removed the cloth from her head. "Clive, how did—"

She stopped speaking as soon as she spotted Asmodeus. Her dark, chocolate brown eyes widened as their gazes locked and Kai's body stilled. "You," she breathed.

"This young man caught you before you hit the floor," Clive said. He scooted aside as Kai swung her legs over the edge of the cot and sat up. "Don't move too fast, now. You must have had a touch of heat stroke."

"Right," Kai said as she continued to stare at Asmodeus warily. "That must be what it was."

Her eyes, the richest shade of brown Asmodeus had ever seen, skittered over him like she was searching for something. He remained motionless as she continued her inspection, and he found himself in an unusual position. It wasn't often that Asmodeus felt as though he were the one under the microscope.

"I suppose I should thank you," Kai said to Asmodeus as she handed the washcloth to the old man. "Mister...?"

Asmsodeus paused for a moment. He couldn't give her his real name, so he settled on the name he used whenever he took his vacations on earth.

"Miles," he said with a wide grin. "Aaron Miles."

"Aaron?" Kai said through a short laugh as she rose to her feet with Clive protectively at her side. "It's nice to meet you."

"It is _very_ nice to meet you," he murmured.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Miles." Kai adjusted the satchel she had slung across her body and glanced at him briefly before giving Clive a sweet smile. "Clive, I'm sorry to have caused such a ruckus. I guess I'm not used to the heat out here."

"Don't even give it a second thought," he said with a wave of a wrinkled hand. "You think our summers are tough? Wait until you live through your first winter." His smile faded and he adjusted his hat again. "I gotta tell ya, I don't feel right about you drivin' off without the doc havin' a look at ya."

"I'm fine, Clive." Kai pat him on the arm and glanced briefly at Asmodeus. "Between the heat and needing a bite to eat, I just got a little woozy." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh man, I'm going to be late."

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" Asmodeus asked as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost," he said as he gazed at her intently.

"I'm fine," Kai said sharply as she shot him a narrow-eyed look.

Asmodeus may have caught her mid-faint and kept her from falling on the floor, but he could tell that she didn't trust him. Fae, human or whatever, this woman could sense that Asmodeus was not exactly human and that put him at a disadvantage. Damn. Perhaps seducing Kai Kelly wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

"Okay." Asmodeus threw his hands up in defeat. "Whatever you say, lady."

"I'm sorry," Kai added quickly. "I didn't mean to be so abrupt. I guess I'm just cranky from heat and lack of food."

"Right." Asmodeus nodded as he pulled the wallet out of his back pocket, complete with fake ID and money. "I'll go on record as saying this has been one of my more memorable stops." He removed some cash. "Here's twenty for the gas I pumped earlier."

"Don't be silly," Clive waved him off as he coughed into his bandana. "This one's on me."

"Thank you." Asmodeus slipped the wallet into his back pocket and locked eyes with Kai. "Then I guess I'll be on my way. Ma'am," he said with a nod and turned on his heels.

"Wait," Kai said. Asmodeus paused in the doorway but didn't turn around. "The least I could do is buy you a dinner."

A smile curved his lips and he turned slowly to face her. To his surprise, she had closed the distance and was standing directly behind him.

"So, how about it?" Kai clutched the strap of her leather satchel and squared her shoulders in a challenging stance. Asmodeus' gaze was briefly captured by the ring, before flicking back to those deep, brown eyes. "Let me buy you a beer and a burger over at Angels and Outlaws to make up for fainting _and_ for acting like an ingrate. I'm meeting a friend there for dinner in a few minutes and I insist you join us.."

"Angels and Outlaws?" Asmodeus murmured. "Sounds like my kind of place," "Great." Kai nodded. Asmodeus stepped aside and gestured to the doorway. "After you."

As he started his motorcycle and followed Kai's car down the dusty main road of Bliss, Asmodeus couldn't help but smile. He had not only found the ring but a beautiful woman was wearing it, which would make the task of obtaining the ring far more satisfying. Asmodeus had never bedded a fairy before and there was nothing he enjoyed more than new experiences.

Chapter Three

Kai sat in the booth and tried to concentrate on the laminated menu in her hands instead of on the man sitting across from her, but it was an effort in futility. She'd read the contents of the menu about a dozen times but had not retained a thing.

She glanced at the clock. Seven fifteen and no sign of Ben yet. That was just as well because she still hadn't figured out how to gracefully explain why she had invited another man along on their date.

Kai peered at her new friend over the edge of the menu. Mr. Aaron Miles had no light. Nothing. Nada. Zip. He was a Dark One—and yet wasn't. At least he wasn't what she expected. Based on her mother's stories, she was expecting a drooling, fanged, hunched over ball of evil. Not a super-hot hunk that catches fainting women in gas stations.

Aaron caught her looking at him again and smirked. Kai's face heated with embarrassment just as the waitress came back to their table with the beers they had ordered.

"Two ice-cold Coronas with lime," she said as she slid the bottles onto the scarred wood table. The waitress, probably in her mid-forties, gave Aaron a big smile and tapped her chin with the end of her pen as she inched closer to his side of the table. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat? A hulking fella like you would probably love our Big Devil Burger."

"That sounds right up my alley," he said with a wink. "Thank you, Matilda. I believe I'll take your professional advice and have that to go, if you don't mind."

"How'd you know my name?" Matilda giggled as she jotted his order down.

"Name tag," he said in a conspiratorial whisper.

Kai watched the exchange with genuine awe. The woman was seriously ready to drop her panties, not that Kai could blame her, but the odd part was that Aaron seemed totally unfazed by it. Was he arrogant or genuinely unaware of the effect he was having on poor Matilda?

He flicked his pale blue eyes to hers and winked. Arrogant. Figures. Kai rolled her eyes and put her menu down on the table top as she glanced past him toward the door of the bar looking for any sign of Ben.

"Oh my," Matilda said as one hand flew to her ample cleavage. "You are a charmer, aren't you? Most folks that come into this place don't bother to learn my name."

"Kai?" His voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Do you know what you want?"

The waitress huffed and gave Kai an exasperated look. She was thoroughly annoyed to have to take her attention off Aaron or have his attention taken from her.

"Oh, yes." Kai blinked and shook her head. "Sorry, I should probably wait for my friend to get here. He should be here any minute."

"Well that's fine by me," Matilda said as she tucked the pen behind her ear. "Y'all just give me a holler when you're ready." She turned her attention to Asmodeus. "You want me to put your order in now or do you want to wait?"

"I think I'll hold off until Kai's date gets here. After all, I have to see what kind of man entices my new friend, here." He leaned back in the booth and draped one arm along the back of it as he took a sip of his beer.

"You got it, doll." Matilda sauntered off toward the bar. Kai didn't miss the seductive swing of her hips or the fact that Aaron's gaze was fixed firmly on the waitress' ass.

"Charming," Kai sighed as she picked up her beer. "Well I can clearly see what entices you."

"What?" He asked innocently. "I'm only looking."

"Forget it," Kai said with a laugh as she sipped her beer. "Boys will be boys. So, what do you do aside from ogle waitresses and catch fainting women in gas stations? What's your story, Mr. Miles?"

"Not much to tell," he said with the shrug of one shoulder. "I guess you could say I'm on sabbatical."

"Oh really?" Kai rubbed at the condensation on the beer bottle with her thumb. She was, in spite of her better judgment, thoroughly intrigued by the handsome enigma in front of her. "What exactly are you taking a break from?"

"Guess," he said playfully. Aaron leaned both elbows on the table and leveled a challenging look in her direction. "I dare you."

Kai's stomach fluttered as those intense, light blue eyes locked firmly with hers. Her gaze flickered over his stubble-covered chin and along his tanned, muscular arms, until she came to his large, masculine hands. Long, strong fingers were curled around the glass bottle and in a flash she pictured them curled around her arms...pulling her closer...

She cleared her throat and sat back in the booth, as her body warmed at the thought of his hands wandering over her body. Kai sipped her beer, attempting to cool the sudden and unexpected flare of desire. What in the hell was wrong with her?

Given everything her mother had told her about the Dark Ones, Kai should be running in the other direction—instead, she invited him to dinner. She was inexplicably and undeniably drawn to the stunningly beautiful man in front of her. Mr. Aaron Miles was danger and desire all rolled into one, but above all he was unique...and forbidden.

Kai's eyes locked with his once again and met his challenge.

"Based on your build and the look of your hands, it's clear you're not afraid of hard work. You ride a motorcycle and from what I can tell, you only have one duffle bag, which means you are a man who travels light. You have a weakness for women and it would seem, based on Matilda's reaction, they have a weakness for you."

"Do you?" He asked in a low seductive tone.

Kai's breath caught in her throat as she held his stare. She gripped the bottle tighter as heat crawled up her back but before she could answer him, a familiar voice interrupted the moment.

"I'd like to know the answer to that question as well."

Kai blinked and looked up to see Ben standing at the end of the table wearing a perplexed look on his face as he glanced between the two of them. His aura glowed bright orange as he folded his arms over his chest. He was obviously annoyed and Kai couldn't blame him.

"Like I said, Kai," Ben began in an even tone. "You are anything but simple. You see, a simple woman wouldn't bring another man out on a date."

"Ben!" Kai scrambled out of the booth and stood next to him. She didn't miss the amused look on Aaron's face as she attempted to explain. "I know this looks really strange but I was in Clive's gas station and—and I fainted from the heat. Mr. Miles caught me and I wanted to buy him dinner to say thank you."

"I was just leaving," Asmodeus said as he started to slide out of the booth. "You know what they say, two's company and three's a crowd."

"Don't be silly," Ben said with a wave of his hand. "Please stay. After all, I should thank you, actually. I'm horribly late and if you weren't here, poor Kai would be sitting in this place all by herself." Ben turned to Kai with a contrite look. "I hope you can forgive me for being so late, Kai. I got held up on a call with a persnickety client. I promise I'll be on time for our next date."

"Who says you'll get another one?" Aaron asked with a cocky grin. "You _are_ pretty late."

"I don't think we've bee properly introduced. I'm Kai's _date_ , Ben Flaherty."

Ben stuck his hand out, offering Aaron a handshake and the tension was thick as they stared each other down. A slow grin spread over Aaron's face as he reached over to accept.

Kai was about to interrupt and say something to break the tension. However, as soon as the two men shook hands, Ben's aura sputtered and blinked, like a light about to go out. Her look of concern caught Ben's attention.

"Kai?" Ben said as he looked at Kai with concern. "Something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"No," Kai said quickly. She scooted back into the booth, making room for Ben who sat next to her. "I'm just tired from all the unpacking at the house. I'm amazed that one old man had so much crap."

Another first. The only time she'd ever seen a person's aura blink like that was when someone was dying. She'd seen it in the hospital after the car accident on the night her parents died, and it was not a sight she'd easily forget. But Ben seemed completely unaware of anything out of the ordinary. Strange. Kai hadn't felt any drain or pull on her energy when Aaron had touched her. At least she didn't think so. Of course she had been passed out at the time.

"What old man?" Aaron asked.

"My grandfather," Kai said before taking a sip of her beer. "Although, it feels odd calling him that because I never even met him. Anyway, he died and I'm his next of kin so I inherited his place and the decades-worth of crap inside."

"Still nothing of interest?" Ben asked absently as he flagged down the waitress.

"Actually," Kai said extending her right hand, showing him the ring. "I found this in an old crate with pictures of my grandmother. It's really cool-looking. I've never seen anything like it. Have you?"

Ben leaned forward and took her fingers in his, which were warm and soft. He had the hands of a man who'd never put in a hard day's work in his life. Kai flicked her eyes to Aaron, who was staring at the ring with an intense look on his face. He turned those ice blue eyes to her and leaned back in the booth as he took a long pull of his beer.

Kai's face heated as he blatantly stared at her while Ben looked at the ring. She'd never had anyone focus so totally and completely on her before. Oh, sure, men hit on her sometimes and when she did tarot readings, her customers tuned into her, but this was different. When Aaron looked at her, it was as though he pushed past all of her external layers, the ones the world saw, and he could see _her_.

A shiver ran up her spine and for the first time in her life, Kai felt exposed. Being able to read other people's auras was one thing but having someone look inside her that way was quite another. It was like her soul was naked and laid bare before him...his for the taking.

"Well, this is interesting."

Kai whipped her head toward Ben's voice. "What?" she asked in a panicked voice. "What is?"

"It sure is," Aaron muttered. Kai shot him a look as Ben pulled her closer and squinted as he inspected the ring.

"What's it made of? That looks like an antique." Ben dropped her hand abruptly and waved for the waitress again. "You should have it appraised and insured. I'll have my guy in Gooding take a look at it."

"I guess." Kai shrugged and ran the pad of her fingertip over the face of the ring. "I haven't really thought about the monetary value. It obviously belonged to my grandmother, so that's all that matters to me."

"Did you know your grandmother?" Aaron's deep voice swirled over her seductively. "How can you be sure it was hers?"

"She died when my mother was a baby." Kai self-consciously dropped her hand in her lap, not wanting the ring on display for further inspection. It felt crass to be discussing the monetary value of an item that had such sentimental meaning. "Like I said, I found the ring squirreled away in an old crate in the attic which was filled with pictures of my grandmother. I just assumed it was hers."

"Well, either way," Ben said. He let out a sigh and in an oddly possessive move, draped his arm behind her along the top of the booth. "You should give that to me and let me have my guy take a look at it."

"Maybe," Kai said with a forced smile. Desperately wanting to change the subject, she turned the conversation toward the menu. "So what are you going to have for dinner?"

Matilda came over to take their orders looking pleased as punch that Kai's date had shown up. The three of them ate dinner with Ben dominating most of the evening's conversation, regaling them with various cases he'd been handling. As dinner wound to a close, she realized that Ben hadn't asked her or Aaron a single thing about themselves.

Not that it mattered because she couldn't take her mind or her eyes off Aaron the entire time. He barely said anything during the meal, and yet she found him far more interesting than Ben—and that probably made her nuts. Then again, that was par for the course where her taste in men was concerned.

If she was on a train platform and there were two men, you can bet your bottom dollar that she'd be insanely attracted to the bum with no job or the guy who can't keep it in his pants. That's what her last few boyfriends were like. Jobless cheaters.

So here she was, with two gorgeous men, one a successful lawyer with a blindingly bright aura and the other a drifter on a motorcycle with no light at all. A sane woman—a normal woman—would pick the hot lawyer. But Kai was anything but normal and the sanity part was still up for discussion.

Kai tried to pay for Aaron's portion of the bill but Ben wouldn't hear of it. The three of them walked out to the parking lot and into the warm, summer evening. Kai looked up and let out a sound of awe. The Idaho sky was covered in a blanket of twinkling stars that quite literally took her breath away.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aaron's voice drifted over her left shoulder and the warmth from his body wafted over her bare arm in tantalizing waves. "The amount of beauty on earth never ceases to amaze me."

Kai nodded and looked at him, expecting him to be looking at the sky but he was staring directly at her. She let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding and clutched the strap of her leather satchel closer to her breasts.

"I agree with you one hundred percent," Ben said from her other shoulder, breaking the spell. "You never get stars like this in a big city."

"Right," Kai said. She glanced between the two men and stepped forward before spinning around to face them. "Thank you both for an _interesting_ evening."

"It's getting late. I should head over to the motel and check in," Aaron interjected. "Thanks for dinner and the law lessons, Ben." He turned his attention to Kai. "But most of all, thanks for letting me crash your date tonight."

"Thanks for catching me," Kai said with a short laugh.

She extended her hand to him and watched, as he seemed to be weighing his options. Filled with excitement, uncertainty and some fear, Kai held her breath wondering what would happen when their hands met. Would it hurt? Would he suck away her light? Nothing?

Finally, after what felt like forever, Aaron took her small hand into his much larger one. There was no pain and no sensation of losing energy; in fact the feel of his palm against hers was enticing. His skin was rough, calloused and hot, and had her thinking about how it would feel to have those masculine hands run over her body.

Those thoughts were swiftly set aside when she noticed a soft white light now emanated from Aaron and, for that brief instant when her hand was within his, he had an aura.

More to the point...he had _her_ aura.

"Bye, Aaron," Ben said in a voice edged with irritation. Kai almost forgot he was there.

"Good night," Aaron murmured. He dropped her hand and turned to leave but stopped abruptly. "I almost forgot." He removed a folded paper from his back pocket and handed it to her. It was the flyer that Clive had given her at the gas station. "You dropped this back at Clive's place."

"Thank you." She took the paper from him and smiled. "I've got a ton of stuff that has to get hauled away, so I'm definitely going to need this."

"I'm sure their rates are reasonable," he said with a smile. "But I bet I can do better."

"You want to haul garbage out of my attic and the old barn?" Kai asked incredulously. "Doesn't sound like a very fun sabbatical to me, Mr. Miles."

"I could stand to make a few bucks and you need the help." Aaron glanced from Kai to Ben before walking back to his bike. "I'm happy to help throw out the trash."

Kai watched as he swung his leg over and started up the bike. She didn't know what his story was or what being a Dark One really meant, all she knew was that she didn't want this man riding out of her life. Not yet. In spite of everything her mother had told her ...Kai was compelled to know more about him.

"How does $75 a day plus meals sound to you?" Kai shouted over the rumble of the Harley's engine.

"Kai?" Ben interrupted as he moved closer so only she would hear him. "This guy is a drifter. Do you really think it's a wise idea to hire him to work out there with you? Alone? As an attorney and a friend, I would advise against this particular decision."

Irritation flickered up Kai's spine. She hated being told what to do or being spoken to like she was a child and currently Ben was doing both.

"Like you said, Ben," Kai murmured without taking her eyes off Aaron, "I'm anything but simple."

Kai closed the distance between herself and Aaron and although the engine of the bike was loud, she didn't miss Ben's disapproving rumblings as she walked away. She stopped next to the bike as a blast of heat washed over her, wrapping her dress around her legs.

"So?" Kai arched one eyebrow and her fingers tightened around the flyer. "What do you say?"

He revved the engine and leaned back in the seat of the bike. "I say you're on."

Kai snagged a pen from her bag and jotted the address down on the back of the flyer before handing it back to him. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. Nine o'clock sharp."

Aaron took the paper from her and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans, all the while not taking his piercing blue eyes off hers. He gripped the handlebars and glanced at Ben briefly before looking back at Kai.

"I guess you answered my question from earlier, Kai." Aaron revved the engine and flashed her a cocky grin. "Looks like you have a weakness for me after all."

Before Kai could tell him what an arrogant comment that was, he rode off leaving a trail of dust in his wake. Shaking with a mixture of adrenaline, lust and anger, Kai spun on her heels and toward her car.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Ben asked. He was standing by her car with a concerned look on her face. "You don't even know this guy."

"I know enough," Kai said evenly. "I appreciate your concern but I can handle myself, and besides I really do need the help clearing out the rest of the stuff. With Mr. Miles helping me it will take a lot less time than doing it alone."

"I suppose you're right," Ben said with a smile. He stepped closer, took Kai's hands in his and pulled them to his chest. She felt his heart beating beneath their linked hands and his aura burned from yellow to orange. "I feel like this date of ours didn't exactly get off to a great start."

"Well I did bring another guy along," she said with an awkward laugh. Kai smiled and looked into his eyes, paying close attention to how he made her feel. There was a comfortable, familiar feeling to Ben's spirit. When she looked into his eyes there were no butterflies, no pangs of desire. He was handsome, rich and nice and Kai wasn't the least bit attracted to him. Figures.

She glanced down at their interlocked fingers and sucked in a deep breath. "Ben, I don't think..."

"It's okay." Ben brought her hands to his lips and placed a warm kiss on her knuckles. It was sweet and almost familial in nature, bringing to mind images of a big brother or something. "You don't have to say a word, Kai. I've been an attorney a long time and if there's one thing I can do it's read people." He dropped her hands and stepped back as he reached into his pocket for his keys. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

"Thanks," Kai said. She grabbed the strap of her satchel again and let out a slow breath. "Still friends?"

"Of course." Ben winked. "But I'll keep hoping for more."

Kai watched him walk to his car and guilt tugged at her. Turning someone down was never easy and always made her feel bad, but at least Ben took it well. He was, after all, the only person she really knew out here.

"Hey, Kai," Ben called to her from the open door of his car. "Promise me one thing."

"Sure." Kai shrugged. "What?"

"Be careful with Mr. Miles." He tapped the roof of the car with his fingers. "Like I said, I'm pretty good at reading people and let's just say I couldn't get a clear bead on him."

Kai shivered and crossed her arms over her chest as a warm gust of summer air whipped around her.

"It's fine, Ben. He's only going to be working for me for a couple of days," Kai insisted. Her face heated with embarrassment because Ben read her like an open book. Apparently, she didn't hide her attraction for Aaron as well as she thought she did. "I'm his temporary employer. That's all. Believe me, I don't have the time or inclination to date anyone right now."

He nodded but didn't seem anymore convinced about the denial than she was. Who was she kidding? No one. She fiddled with the ring, seeking comfort from the family heirloom.

"I tell you what, the final copies of the documents from Jacob's estate will be ready in a day or two. How about if I bring them out to you at the house? It would make me feel better to see how you're faring. I'll even bring lunch with me, so you don't have to go to any trouble. Lunch on me." He raised his hands in surrender. "As friends."

"Sounds good," Kai laughed.

Kai waved as Ben drove off, but one name kept running through her mind. Aaron Miles. She drove her confused butt home as fast as possible and as the quiet scenery passed by, her thumb fiddled with the iron band of the ring on her right hand. A million questions swam through her head at once.

Why didn't Aaron have an aura? If he was a Dark One and they were evil, why on earth would he help her? Why did he seem to suck Ben's aura away with one touch and hers, but neither of them were hurt?

Why was she insanely attracted to him when she should be running in the other direction? What the heck was a Custodian of the Light? Did it have to do with seeing auras and why hadn't her mother told her about it?

Above the tsunami of queries, one kept rising up above all the rest. Who the hell was Aaron Miles?

Chapter Four

Asmodeus spent the night in the cheap motel and though he slept off and on, it was far from restful. His thoughts had been consumed, not only by Kai and the ring, but the unexpected arrival of Ben Flaherty.

Asmodeus swore under his breath as he pulled the Harley into the long, winding driveway of Kai's property. Sweat trickled down his back and he squirmed against the unfamiliar sensation. Being mortal was messy, but Lucifer was right to put them all down here as humans. It probably saved his life.

Ben Flaherty was Fae.

The guy was a damn fairy and, based on the strength of his light, Asmodeus would be willing to bet Ben was a pureblood or at the very least, a hybrid in full use of his powers. At first, he thought the mission was going to be over before it started, but Ben hadn't flinched. He likely saw Asmodeus' lack of an aura but if he did, Ben gave no sign of it. Not yet, at least.

When Ben suggested that Kai take off the ring and give it to him for appraisal, Asmodeus had to stop himself from jumping across the table. But Kai had showed zero interest in relinquishing the ring and zero interest in Ben for that matter. Ben, on the other hand, seemed quite interested in Kai but the real question was why? Was he after Kai or the ring? Or both?

Regardless of the answer, Ben Flaherty was going to prove to be a pain in the ass. At the very least, his presence put a wrinkle in Asmodeus' plans but it was more than that.

Asmodeus kept a close eye on Ben through the evening and was less than pleased when Ben put his arm around Kai. He didn't like it one damn bit. Not because he thought Kai was interested in Ben, she clearly wasn't but...well, he didn't have a good reason...it just bugged the shit out of him to see another man attempting to lay some kind of claim on her.

There were two options. Either Ben had no idea who Asmodeus was, or he did and the son of a bitch was biding his time. He was sure about one thing. Ben was Fae and was after that ring as much as Asmodeus was. Given the moves he was putting on Kai, Ben was probably hoping to woo it out from under her too.

Fat fucking chance.

Heat flared up Asmodeus' back and he revved the engine of the Harley as a flock of birds swooped low and into a nearby tree. There was no way he was going to let that damned fairy bastard get close to Kai or the ring. Given the appearance of Ben, Asmodeus knew he was going to have to pick up the pace or risk losing the ring.

If he'd been here in his non-mortal form, Ben would have spotted him immediately and that could have created a shit storm of epic proportions. A fucking fairy free for all. Instead of having dinner with Kai, he would have ended up dodging skin-searing rays of light for the evening.

The Power of the Light was a fairy's strongest weapon and, if wielded properly, it could turn man or demon to dust. Their power was fueled by innocence and rooted in purity. Some say they are an extension of the Hand of God and, based on what he'd seen, he wouldn't doubt it.

If there was any chance Asmodeus was going to have to tangle with the Fae, his powers better come back or Lucifer better give them back. Last night, at the motel, he'd tried to utilize his telekinesis and some basic heat manipulation and neither worked. He was tempted to reach out to Lucifer but given that he still didn't have the ring, he decided to hold off.

Asmodeus smirked as he pulled the bike up by the faded red barn. Fairies in human stories were cute little sprites with wings and magic wands, but Asmodeus knew first hand that they could be as lethal as any demon.

There was nothing more dangerous than a pissed off fairy. "You're late, Mr. Miles." Kai shouted from the porch.

Case in point.

Asmodeus chuckled as he dismounted the bike and tucked the key into the front pocket of his jeans. Kai was leaning against the porch railing and those dark eyes were peering at him over the rim of a cup of coffee. Wearing cut off jean shorts, a bright pink tank top and a pair of Converse sneakers, she looked like a homegrown farm girl. Her long blond hair was swept back in a ponytail and as he strode closer, he saw her face was free of makeup. Kai was naturally beautiful although she seemed completely unaware of it. But perhaps that was one of the reasons he found her so attractive.

"Morning." He stopped at the foot of the porch steps, grinning.

"You're late," she repeated with a smile.

"How do you figure?" Asmodeus asked as he removed his sunglasses and hooked them into the collar of his t-shirt. He casually surveyed the property as he climbed the steps to meet her. "It's just about nine now. Give or take. It's close anyway."

"Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades," Kai said before taking another sip of coffee.

"I see," he said moving closer so there was only a foot or so between them. Asmodeus dropped his voice low and kept his eyes on hers. "Throw a lot of grenades, do you?"

"No," Kai laughed and held his stare. "It was something my dad used to say. Sorry. It's silly." Kai rubbed her thumb along the edge of her coffee mug and he noticed the ring was still on her hand. "I don't know why I'm giving you a hard time. You're not really that late."

"Certainly not as late as your friend was last night."

"True," Kai said with a small smile as her eyes met his. "But this is business and that was..."

"Pleasure?" Asmodeus arched one eyebrow.

Kai stilled and her dark eyes remained firmly fixed with his. She was beautiful and had purity within her that he'd only seen once before. In all his three thousand years only one woman had entranced him and tempted him to relinquish his position in the Brotherhood.

However, when he'd told her who and what was...Vivian had rejected him. Shunned him and cut him out of her life. Asmodeus' brow furrowed as the uncomfortable memories flooded his mind. After that fiasco, he vowed never to expose himself to that kind of ass-kicking again. Not that any of that mattered. He was here to seduce Kai and get the ring. That's it.

A cat let out a loud meow from the doorway, bringing him from his thoughts.

"Be nice," Kai said with a narrow-eyed look toward the Siamese cat. She flicked her gaze to Asmodeus and shrugged. "She's not great with—"

Before Kai could finish her sentence, the cat was rubbing up against Asmodeus' leg and purring like an engine. He leaned down and scooped up the cat, which was more than pleased by the extra attention. Scratching her behind the ears as he cradled her to his chest, Asmodeus locked eyes with Kai, who was visibly stunned.

"I can't believe it." Kai shook her head and looked from Asmodeus to the satisfied feline. "Zephyr doesn't like anyone—especially men—and she _never_ lets anyone pick her up. Not even me sometimes...Looks like all kinds of women have a fondness for you, Mr. Miles. You charm waitresses and cats alike."

"Dogs tend to like me best but every now and then I meet a cat who'll warm up to me." Asmodeus glanced at the purring feline and could only imagine what his Hellhounds would have to say about this particular incident. "Zephyr, huh?" Asmodeus said. "That's derived from the name Zephyrus, the Greek God of Wind. Isn't it?"

"I guess," Kai laughed. "My dad used to read me Babar the Elephant stories when I was little and Zephyr was the name of his monkey."

Asmodeus gave her a skeptical look. "An elephant with a pet monkey?"

"Yes." Kai leaned over and scratched Zephyr. "You know about Greek gods but not Babar? What kind of childhood did you have?"

"It was almost non-existent," he murmured.

Kai smiled at him as she spoke but quickly dropped her hand when her fingertips grazed his amid the feline's fur. Her face reddened and she looked away from him.

"We should probably get started. I'll show you the barn."

Asmodeus placed Zephyr on the ground and smiled as the cat gave him an annoyed look. "Your father was right, by the way," Asmodeus said as he turned his eyes to hers.

"About what, Mr. Miles?"

"Being close only counts in horseshoes and grenades...but I hope you won't start throwing any at me." A smile spread across Asmodeus' face as he watched Kai's cheeks redden further. "I'll be on time tomorrow, honest." He held his hand over his heart and winked. "Ms. Kelly."

"You are too much," Kai said with a chuckle as she rolled her eyes. She pushed herself away from the railing, walked a wide path around him and trotted down the steps toward the barn. "I'm not as easy as the cat. Follow me, Rico Suave," she called over her shoulder.

The woman literally laughed in his face.

Asmodeus, too stunned to say a word, turned around and followed her toward the barn. He shook his head and ran a hand over his hair as though he might be able to soothe his wounded ego. No woman, ever in all his three thousand years, had been unaffected by his flirtations— _ever._

It looked like seducing Kai wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. Damn. He could not remember a time when he ever had to actually _try_ to seduce a woman. As the Demon of Lust...he simply did it.

He watched her as she moved ahead of him and into the barn and a smile cracked his face. Nope. Seducing Kai wasn't going to be easy, but he bet it would be a hell of a lot more fun. If there was one thing Asmodeus enjoyed, it was a challenge and Kai Kelly had just thrown down the proverbial gauntlet.

"So this place is a hot mess," Kai said on a sigh as she walked around the clutter-filled barn. "There are eight stalls and he obviously had horses here at one point or another. Too bad there aren't any here now. I used to love to ride when I was little." A wistful smile played at her lips as she tugged at an old bridle hanging on the wall. "My mom loved horses and taught me how to ride when I was barely three years old."

Asmodeus studied her carefully and noticed that every time Kai spoke of her parents, her light grew brighter. There may be no love lost for her grandfather but the woman clearly loved her parents and missed them. Kai swiped at her eyes, emotions running just under the surface were bubbling over. She turned her back on him obviously not wanting him to see her getting upset.

"What I'd like you to do today is go through all of this and see if there's anything salvageable. Stuff that I could sell, okay? I have a Dumpster being delivered today, in fact I'm surprised it's not here yet."

"You don't want to keep the good stuff?" Asmodeus asked as he opened and closed one of the stall doors. He squatted down and had a look at the hinges, which were in surprisingly good shape. Rising to his feet, he pounded on the beams with his fist. "With a little elbow grease, this place could easily house horses again and be a functioning barn."

"I'm not sure if I'm staying here," Kai said as she picked through a pile of debris. "I'm cleaning this place out so I can sell it...if I want to."

Asmodeus sensed anger and resentment beneath the surface. Not wanting to upset her further, he simply nodded his understanding and perused the rest of the barn. A door along the left side caught his attention. "Where does this lead?" He asked pulling on the handle, only to find it wouldn't open. "It's locked."

"I have no idea," Kai muttered. "More junk, I'm sure. It's probably a storage closet."

"I don't think so." Asmodeus gestured toward the ceiling. "Did you notice that this barn has a flat ceiling and not a vaulted one? There's a second floor."

"Huh?" Kai stopped what she was doing and made a face as she stepped over a box and came over to the door. Standing next to him, she tugged on it but it still didn't open. "You're right. I have a key ring in the house with a bunch of skeleton keys. A couple of them were unmarked so maybe one of them will work. But I wouldn't get too excited about it because, based on the rest of the stuff I've found, it's probably more junk."

Asmodeus leaned against the wall and studied her profile. High cheekbones, a small button nose and full pink lips came together to form a gorgeous face. She reminded him of goddess statues from ancient Greece.

Flawlessly beautiful. "Not everything was junk," he said quietly.

Kai turned to look at him and her eyes widened when he took her fingers in his and lifted her hand.

Her skin was warm and silky soft and her slender hand fit in his with exquisite perfection. Asmodeus ran his thumb over the top of her fingers, careful to avoid touching the ring. He wasn't sure what would happen to him or how it would affect Kai if he did and now certainly wasn't the time to find out.

"You found this," he murmured with a nod toward the ring. "It's most definitely not junk."

Kai's body quivered as he held her hand, but she didn't pull away. Her eyes searched his as he pulled her closer still. Warmth radiated from her small form and her tongue darted out, moistening her lip in a disarmingly seductive way.

"It—it may not even be worth anything," Kai said.

"It's worth something to you, so that's all that matters." He lifted her fingers to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "That makes it priceless."

Silence stretched out between them with only the beat of his own heart thundering in his ears. He stared into her large brown eyes and wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to cover those plump limps with his and dive deep.

But the rumbling sound of an approaching truck quickly put a damper on their stolen moment.

"Th—that's probably the company delivering the Dumpster," Kai said as she tugged her hand from his grip. She jutted a thumb over her shoulder and started walking backward. "I should get out there and tell them how I want it—I mean where I want the Dumpster."

Asmodeus suppressed a grin as Kai stumbled over a rake briefly before regaining her balance. She huffed a strand of hair off her face and leaned the rake against the wall.

"Okay, so I'll let you get started in here." Kai stopped by the open doors of the barn and looked back at Asmodeus. She paused for a moment as though deciding on something. "Lunch is at noon. The kitchen is to the left and if you need the bathroom it's on the first floor behind the staircase."

"Yes, ma'am." He winked. Kai rolled her eyes but he didn't miss the smile as she walked outside.

Asmodeus snagged a pair of old work gloves from one of the cluttered shelves and tugged them on. Kai's beautiful face lingered in his mind and as he started pulling apart various piles, he entertained himself with images of what she would look like spread naked beneath him.

_Asmodeus, I'm assuming I don't have to tell you that you are in close proximity to the ring._ Lucifer's irritated voice shot suddenly into Asmodeus' mind and set his teeth on edge. _There were several disturbances in the energy field of your location, but I am still unable to see exactly where it is. In fact, there are times when I'm having difficulty pinpointing your location as well and I suspect it's when you're closest to the ring._

_I'm not surprised._ Asmodeus chucked a broken wooden wheelbarrow into the Dumpster that had been deposited in the driveway. Stalking back into the barn, he picked up another old, broken piece of gardening equipment. _I'm well aware of its location and I'd bet the reason you can't pinpoint it is because it's in the possession of a Fae._

_The Fae have the ring?_ Lucifer sounded almost panicked and Asmodeus didn't blame him one bit. The Fae Clans would love nothing more than to gain possession of the ring and enslave the Brotherhood.

_No._ Asmodeus said evenly. _Not The Fae...a fae. Kai is a fae-human hybrid, to be specific._

While that is more than a mild annoyance, it's something of a relief. I take it she is not affiliated with any of the Fae Clans?

I don't think she is even aware of her bloodline.

Be that as it may, getting the ring could prove to be more difficult than we anticipated. Even Fae hybrids have a considerable amount of magic.

_Yes._ Asmodeus' mind drifted to Kai and a smile played at his lips.

_If I'm not mistaken, Kai is a woman. Correct?_ Lucifer sounded bored and annoyed. _I'm sure you've bedded her ten times over, so why don't you have the ring?_

Asmodeus didn't respond but growled in frustration as he tossed the mangled piece of metal into the Dumpster.

_Well, well, well._ Lucifer's gritty laughter filled his head, which only served to enrage Asmodeus further. _Is it possible that the Demon of Lust, the one being who rules over all lustful souls, has been unable to seduce a half-breed fairy? Now, this is a first. Wait until the rest of the Brotherhood hears about this. I think Mammon will take the most joy in your difficulties._

_It's not that simple._ Asmodeus snapped, as he dragged more crap to the Dumpster. Sweat covered his skin and dripped into his eyes, which stung like hell. He swore and swiped at them with the back of his hand. _There's another Fae in the area and I believe he's after the ring too._

I suggest you get it before he does.

_Really?_ Asmodeus' tone dripped with sarcasm _. Do you think I want that fairy man getting ahold of the ring? Shit. Being enslaved by the Fae is not my idea of a fun way to spend eternity. Listen, I'll get the fucking ring. Kai doesn't have any clue about what's going on and as far as she's concerned the ring is a family heirloom and nothing more._

Do you think either of them suspects who you are?

_No._ Asmodeus paused inside the doorway of the barn and closed his eyes as a cool breeze blew past. _I think she can see auras because she called me a Dark One right before she fainted. At least that's what I suspect because, as you well know, I don't have an aura._

_A Dark One?_ Lucifer mused _. I haven't heard that expression before. Fae don't typically see auras._

_Yeah, well that's what she said—Dark One._ Asmodeus confirmed. _I'm not sure what the fairy-man suspects, but since he didn't show up at my no-tell motel last night, I'm assuming he thinks I'm just a human. I hope so, because the last thing that I want is a fuckin' flock of fairies swarming me._

I have summoned the rest of the Brotherhood back to the Underworld but perhaps I should send them to help you instead.

_No._ Asmodeus responded more sharply than he intended. _I can handle Kai._

Silence filled Asmodeus' mind and for a moment he thought the connection had been severed but a few moments later Lucifer's voice, laced with suspicion floated back in. _Do I detect a hint of concern for the girl?_

_Don't be ridiculous._ Asmodeus straightened his back and fought to keep the defensive tone from his voice.

_I should hope not._ Lucifer made a sound of disgust. _You remember what happened last time, do you not? You were a real bastard to be around after that Vivian woman refused you._

_Enough._ Asmodeus shot back in anger. He was aggravated enough without reopening old wounds. _I'm gaining Kai's trust and I'll have the ring before the week is out. I don't need any help._

_You have two days._

_This is bullshit._

_Two days_. Lucifer bit back. _With other Fae sniffing around, we cannot risk taking any longer than that. Can you imagine what would happen to us if the Fae were to get hold of that ring?_ Lucifer made a sound of disgust. _We'd be at their beck and call for eternity. Spending the rest of my existence as a slave for the Fae is not appealing in the least_ — _especially the Fae Queen. The woman is infuriating._

_Careful, Lucifer._ Asmodeus pushed back, recalling the brief but combustible tryst between Lucifer and Zemi the Fae Queen. It had been over two millennia since those two had their fling but Lucifer was still stewing over it. _Now you're the one who sounds like he gives a shit._

_Fuck off._

_Touchy aren't we?_

_Well, the thought of enslavement does that to me._ Lucifer continued. _If you have any sign that the Fae are closing in, I will send the Brotherhood with all of their powers fully intact. We will get the ring by any means necessary._

_Kai is an innocent, Lucifer._ Asmodeus' chest tightened as he envisioned Kai being whisked away by the members of the Brotherhood to the Underworld. Picturing her there with the filthiest of souls made him anxious. Asmodeus fought an unfamiliar feeling of fear and kept his response even. Feeling physical pain as a mortal was one thing, but these new and uncomfortable emotions were another. _We cannot harm her. She has to give the ring willingly._

_That's true._ Lucifer's calm, bored tone sent a chill up Asmodeus' spine as he watched Kai trot down the steps with a stack of blankets. She gave him a quick smile before going back into the house, her blond ponytail swishing behind her as she disappeared through the door. In that moment, her innocence to the hidden world around her was all too clear. The overwhelming urge to protect Kai slammed into Asmodeus with brutal force as Lucifer continued.

She either gives it willingly...or... if she's dead we can take it. Asmodeus, you and I know that there are plenty of corrupted souls on earth who can do our bidding. It's one of the loopholes I'm so fond of.

Minions.

Lucifer was referring to the heartless human souls who were destined for Hell upon their death, but while on earth, they could be commanded by any member of the Brotherhood. Asmodeus imagined a series of psychotic, brutal killers coming after Kai and something inside of him snapped. Anger flashed up his back and his fists clenched at his sides at the mere idea of anyone harming her.

_I'll have it in two days_ , Asmodeus said tightly. _If you'll recall, I'm the one who got it away from Solomon in the first place._

_Yes, but as we've discovered, someone else has found it._ Lucifer let out a short laugh. _It's somehow appropriate that you are now responsible for cleaning up this mess._ All humor left his voice. _Two days or I'll take matters into my own hands._

As the mental connection with Lucifer was severed, Asmodeus swore. He had less than forty-eight hours to get the ring before all hell broke loose in Bliss.

Chapter Five

The day went by in a blur with Kai making progress lugging various items out of the attic and into the Dumpster. Zephyr, of course, spent the entire time sleeping on the window seat in the living room, only moving occasionally to adjust her position. From time to time, Kai would catch a glimpse of Aaron as he made his own trips from the barn to the Dumpster and while she did her best not to stare...she failed miserably.

They'd shared lunch in the kitchen and she regaled him with stories about her parents and even told him a few about Babar the Elephant. She noticed that the man offered little information about himself and when she asked him questions, he artfully turned the conversation back to Kai and her family.

Aaron Miles had been on her mind all day or, more specifically, the way she felt when he kissed her hand that morning the barn. While the gesture may have been the same as what Ben had done the previous night, her reaction had been far different. Funny how two men could do the same exact thing and have completely opposite outcomes.

In addition to the fact that Aaron suddenly developed an aura when he touched her, there was _nothing_ brotherly about the way he made her feel. Quite the contrary. In fact, it took some serious self-control to keep from jumping his bones right there in the barn. When Kai looked into those pale blue eyes, something deep inside her stirred and fluttered to life, yawning and stretching as though suddenly awakened.

Kai peeked out the window and stole another look at him. How in the world could a man look even sexier when he was covered in dirt and sweat?

Kai had no idea but Mr. Miles sure fit that bill. The man was pure muscle, bone and sinew and his sweat soaked t-shirt clung to every sculpted curve.

She was equally sweaty and dirty but had a sinking suspicion she didn't look sexy and she certainly didn't feel sexy. A strong breeze blew through the window and the dark, menacing clouds captured her attention. She remembered the weatherman had mentioned something about a storm coming in and, based on the blackening sky, he was right. Kai glanced at her reflection in the gilded mirror in the dining room as she headed toward the kitchen and grimaced.

"Oh my God," she groaned and attempted to wipe dirt smudges off her face. "I'm so gross right now. So _not_ sexy."

Zephyr mewled her agreement and trotted past Kai into the kitchen.

"Oh excuse me," Kai muttered as she followed the cat. "Not all of us spent the day sleeping."

Kai went to the sink to wash some of the dirt and sweat from her hands. She made a sound of disgust when she saw the amount of gunk that stuck to the ring. A sense of guilt pulled at her. She should know better than to have kept the ring on while she worked today.

"Great. I have this thing for one whole day and it's already dirty." Kai pulled on the ring to remove it but it wouldn't budge past her knuckle. "That's weird," she said under her breath.

Kai looked at her hands and frowned, thinking they'd swelled from the heat, but other than being dirty, her fingers appeared normal. Squeezing liquid soap into her palm, she lathered her hands up thoroughly but still the ring would not come off.

She puffed the hair from her face and grabbed the ring again, pulling as hard as she could. Pain shot up her arm and she released her hand with a frustrated growl.

"Shit!"

"I finished up in the barn." Aaron's deep, rich voice filled the room.

Kai let out a yelp of surprise and spun around, sending soapy water flying across the kitchen. He was standing in the doorway with a grin on his dirty, beard-stubble face. His blue eyes stood out beneath inky black eye brows and Kai wondered if it was possible for him to have gotten even better looking in the past couple of hours.

"I hope you don't mind but it looks like it's about to start pouring, so I moved my bike into the barn." He tilted his head and leaned against the doorjamb looking all kinds of sexy. Dirty sexy. "Problem?" His lips lifted at the corners.

Kai knew he was tall but somehow, framed by the kitchen doorway, he suddenly seemed like a giant. Gaping at him like a stunned sheep, it took her a moment to find her voice.

"My ring," she blurted out as she held up a soapy hand and lifted one shoulder. She tugged on it again but still the damn thing wouldn't budge. "I can't seem to get it off. My hands are probably swollen from this heat but it's weird because they look fine." Her face heated as she looked away, knowing she was a mess. "I mean aside from being dirty."

"The ring won't come off?" Aaron's brow knit with concern as he crossed the width of the kitchen and stood in front of her. "That doesn't make any sense," he murmured.

Standing this close to him, Kai got a clear idea of how tall he was. Aaron towered over her, but it wasn't just his height. He was broad and muscular yet there was something else that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He may not have an aura but he sure as shit had energy of some kind. An energy that was unlike any she'd encountered before. She'd sensed it in the barn as well, but now it throbbed through her, like a bass beat in a nightclub.

As he took her hand in his and lifted it so he could have a better look, she felt a vibration emanating from his large frame. Kai probably should have been scared or concerned that he was going to evolve into the soul-sucking creature her mother warned her about and steal her light...but she wasn't.

In fact, Kai was more turned on than she'd ever been in her life.

She swallowed hard as his strong fingers slid along hers in a deliciously sexy way. Their hands tangled together amid slippery, soapy skin and it brought to mind images of the two of them in a bubble bath.

Naked and soapy. God help her. That was all she could think about.

Kai's eyes widened as she watched a subtle glow start to radiate from him as his thumb ran over hers. It was fascinating. No—scratch that. _He_ was fascinating.

She studied the sharp angles of his face and watched as the muscle in his jaw flickered while he slowly and gently turned her hand, looking at the ring from different angles. His body radiated thick waves of heat and Kai's gaze flicked down his neck, over his broad shoulders and along his muscular arms. From beneath the edge of his t-shirt, a long vein bulged beneath tanned skin and ran along his bicep, which she had the insane urge to lick at like a lollipop.

Aaron's hand tightened over hers and he stilled. Only their breathing and the ticking of the cuckoo clock filled the kitchen. Cool wind from the incoming storm blew through the open windows but Kai barely felt it. All she could feel was _him_.

Kai's body quivered as she looked at their intertwined fingers. She could tell he was staring down at her through laser-sharp pools of arctic blue. In an attempt to steady herself, she sucked in a deep breath, but his rich male scent filled her head, heightening her craving for him.

Given the sweat covering the two of them, they should both stink to high heaven but all Kai smelled was sex and desire.

Kai knew that if she looked him in the eye, any self-restraint she had would vanish and, Dark One or not, she would succumb to the lust that had clawed at her since the moment she met him.

She closed her eyes, trying to think of something to say but no words came. Her mind and body were fogged by desire, heavy with need and weak with wanting. As if reading her dirty little mind, he dragged her closer and held her hand against his chest. Jean-clad muscular thighs brushed against her and Kai felt his heartbeat pounding strong and steady beneath the surface. Calling to her, daring her to look at him.

"Kai," he whispered. His voice, compelling and rich, surrounded her like a caress. One arm snaked around her waist, like a band of iron as he held her quaking form tightly against his, which remained solid and steady. Soapy fingers tangled between them and the ring felt hot, almost burning against her skin. "Look at me."

Steeling her courage, Kai opened her eyes and lifted them to meet his. Pale blue eyes looked down at her beneath heavy lids as his hand splayed across her lower back, pulling her closer still. She let out a sound of wonder as the glow around him brightened like a bulb, giving him an unearthly appearance.

As the light grew brighter and the winds howled, Aaron swore under his breath and covered her mouth with his.

On a groan, Kai opened to him as his tongue brushed along her lips, seeking entrance. His kiss was tentative at first, probing gently to see if she was ready but Kai was more than ready. She kissed him back, rasping her tongue along his, and in a flash any restraint he had shown was gone and it swiftly became a frenzy of lips, teeth and tongues.

Kissing her deeply, Asmodeus pulled the elastic out of her hair so that her long locks spilled down her back. He tangled his hands in her hair and tilted her head, allowing him better access, taking the kiss even deeper. One large hand ran down her back and rested on her ass, pressing her against the hard evidence of his desire.

Kai slid her soapy hands up his chest and linked her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, though she knew it would never be close enough. There was something about his energy that filled her up and she knew it would become addictive— _he_ would become addictive. This man with no light was able to stir Kai's soul and ignite passion in her the way no one else ever had.

He tasted like sin, sex, and seduction and...Kai wanted more.

Aaron groaned into her mouth, and the sound of his desire and desperate need for her almost made her come apart. He slipped his hands beneath the edge of her tank top and she sighed as the rough skin of his hands rasped along her lower back. His hot flesh pressed against hers and as they stood there tangled up in each other, the cuckoo clock on the kitchen wall sounded loudly and broke through the haze of lust, bringing Kai back to reality.

What on earth was she doing? Kai was making out like some horny harlot in the middle of the kitchen with a man she didn't even know. Not really. All she knew was that he was a Dark One who kissed like he did it for a living.

Since she still didn't know what being a Dark One really meant, it would probably be a good idea to put on the brakes. Finding a tiny shred of self-control, Kai softened the kiss as her body shuddered against his with unsatisfied desire. She suckled playfully on his lip as she broke the kiss.

"Well, Mr. Miles," she said between heavy breaths.

"You should probably call me Aaron," he murmured as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Right, Aaron." Kai pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "That was not how I was expecting to finish your first day of work."

"I'm still getting paid, right?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"Very funny," Kai said on a laugh. He held her closer as she tossed her head back and let out a sound of frustration. "I don't even know you," she said as she stared at the tin tile ceiling.

"This is us getting to know each other," Aaron murmured as he trailed hot wet butterfly kisses down her throat.

"Mm-hmm." Kai's eyelids fluttered closed and she sank into the seductive sensations as the sound of rain falling on the roof added to the richness of the moment.

She unlinked her fingers from behind his head and splayed her hands over the back of his neck and as the ring grazed his skin...Kai's entire world shifted on its axis.

Aaron cried out in pain, grabbed the back of his neck and shoved her away from him abruptly.

Kai stumbled backward, holding the edge of the counter to keep from falling over, and gaped at Aaron in horror.

The glow he'd had when holding her was gone but that was the least of her problems. It was his eyes. They glowed bright red and shone at her beneath jet-black brows. When he saw the way she was looking at him, Aaron dropped his arms to his sides and squared his shoulders. For a moment, she thought he actually looked apologetic but standing in front of the open window, with the stormy sky behind him, he looked more dangerous than ever before.

Kai's hands covered her mouth and she watched in horrified fascination as a massive tattoo appeared out of nowhere, covering both of his arms. It was fuzzy at first, like static on a television but within seconds a bold, intricate tattoo, black as coal, was emblazoned up those muscular arms, disappearing beneath the t-shirt. Kai shuddered because only moments ago those arms had been wrapped around her.

"What are you?" she said in a trembling voice. Kai backed up slowly, moving around the table, needing to put something more than distance between them. "My mother was right. Stay away from me."

"Kai, wait." Aaron's voice was even deeper than before and his eyes glowed brightly. "I do not want to hurt you. Please, you have to listen to me. The ring you're wearing is not simply some family heirloom. It's the Ring of Solomon and carries more power than you can possibly imagine."

"You're a Dark One," she whispered through quivering lips. Tears stung the back of her eyes as fear threatened to consume her. "You have no light. No aura. B-but your eyes—"

"I know you're frightened but you have to listen to me. As long as you wear the Ring of Solomon you are in grave jeopardy. There are parties who are willing to stop at nothing to retrieve it." His expression was grave but tenderness laced his voice. "I don't want to see you get hurt, Kai. Please, give me the ring."

Nausea swamped Kai and everything started to spin as lust was swiftly replaced by primal fear. She had to get out of here. _Now_. Without thinking, she spun on her heels and ran out of the house as fast as she could. Her heart pounding in her chest, she pushed open the front door and ran down the porch steps into the driving rain.

With rain stinging her face, she slipped in the muddy driveway and fell to her knees, barely feeling the tiny rocks as they cut into her flesh. She scrambled to her feet and stumbled toward the car when she realized she didn't have the keys. They were in the house in her bag. Kai let out a strangled sob, glancing over her shoulder toward the house, but Aaron was nowhere in sight.

She swiped strands of hair from her eyes and squinted against the sheets of rain. Lightning streaked across the sky, lighting up the property and bringing the barn into focus. Weak with fear and shaking with adrenaline, Kai ran into the barn, yanked the door closed and with all her might, pulled the lock down tightly.

Kai spun around and leaned against the barn door. She squeezed her eyes shut and as sobs wracked her fatigued body, a familiar voice floated through the barn.

"He's a demon, you know."

Kai's eyes flew open at the unexpected sound of Ben's voice. She looked frantically around the now spotless barn in search of him. Movement to the left caught her eye and as another crack of thunder and lightning erupted outside...she saw him. Dressed in his impeccable suit, with not a hair out of place, he stepped out of the shadows and moved toward her slowly.

"Ben?" Kai barely recognized the sound of her own voice. It was small, scared and shook with all the fear she was feeling. She looked him up and down and noticed he was dry as a bone. It was pouring outside and he didn't have a drop of rain on him. Her face twisted with confusion as the ring began to burn against her skin. "Wh—what are you doing here?"

"Did you hear what I said?" Ben's voice, calm and even, filled the barn. He continued to move toward her. "His name is not Aaron Miles. It's Asmodeus and he is a demon. I knew there was something different about him when I met him last night because, as I'm sure you noticed, he has no aura. But I wasn't entirely certain of who he was until you touched him with the ring."

"The ring?" Kai said absently. She blinked as the room started to spin and for a moment she worried she'd faint. Digging her fingernails into her palm, Kai struggled to keep herself together.

"Yes." Ben spoke softly as he inched closer. "The ring removed whatever spell he was using to hide his true nature. He was sent here to kill you and take the ring back to the Underworld but you mustn't let him have it, Kai."

"Kai!" Aaron's voice boomed loudly from the other side of the door as he pounded on it. "Let me in," he shouted. "Please, let me explain."

"What are you talking about?" she whispered. "This is crazy."

"You need to come with me." Ben extended his manicured hand as an insincere smile bloomed. Quicker than a snake, he grabbed her by the wrists and yanked her to him. "Or you could just give me the ring and be done with this whole mess."

Ben's mouth hovered dangerously close to hers and though Kai struggled to get away it was no use, his grip was iron clad. He breathed deeply along her neck and made a low growling sound.

"Let me go," she ground out. "Give me the ring," he seethed as his fingers encircled her wrists to the point of pain.

"No!" Kai shouted as she struggled against him. "Ben, please stop. I can't give it to you or anyone. It won't come off."

As bolts of pain whipped up her arms, somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered a self-defense class and the acronym S.I.N.G. which stood for solar plexus, instep, nose and groin. These were the sensitive places on the body to attack when being attacked.

Ben grabbed her hand and tried to pull the ring off. Pain shot up her arm and she screamed in agony, as it felt like her skin was being be torn from the bone. Then, with every survival instinct she had and her last bit of strength, Kai stomped on his instep. He grunted in surprise and leaned forward, just in time to have his balls come in contact with her knee.

As he released her, Kai stumbled backward and a thundering fireball exploded as the door of the barn shattered into splinters of burning wood and smoke. Struggling to catch her breath and with her hand feeling like it had been put through a shredder, Kai looked over to see Aaron or Asmodeus or whoever he was, standing in the doorway, and he was quite literally wrath incarnate.

"You will not lay one hand on her, you fucking fairy." Eyes glowing, muscles straining and with the storm raging behind him, Asmodeus stepped into the barn with his burning gaze fixed on Ben. Kai probably should have been terrified, but to her great surprise she felt nothing but relief. Without taking his eyes off Ben, Asmodeus extended his hand. "Come with me."

"I don't think so, demon," Ben seethed. He raised both hands, uttered a language Kai had never heard and she watched in horror as his aura flashed and a shock wave of yellow light rippled across the room and slammed into Asmodeus.

Kai screamed and watched as Asmodeus was thrown back outside like a ragdoll. Ben ran toward Kai and grabbed her arms. Kai screamed and kicked at him as rage, confusion and outright fury filled her.

Struggling against him, she placed both hands on his chest and let out a primal scream as a gargantuan surge of power shot through her body and into Ben. The force sent him flying across the barn and slammed Ben into the wall, dropping him to the ground in a limp heap.

Shaking and crying, the ring cooling against her skin, Kai leaned against the wall for support as her body tingled with new-found power. She let out a startled cry as Asmodeus appeared suddenly next to her. Before she could say a word, he pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest as she sobbed with terror and confusion.

"I killed him." She kept repeating the muffled words over and over against his chest. "What's happening? Oh my God. I killed Ben."

"He's unconscious, Kai, he's not dead. But we will be if we don't get out of here now." Asmodeus took her head in both hands and kissed her forehead, his lips hot against her skin. He pulled back to look her in the eye. "Come with me and I promise I'll explain everything."

"What happened?" she sputtered. "He—he had fucking laser beams shoot out of his hands. And me—I—"

"Ben is Fae...and so are you." He lifted one shoulder. "Well, half."

"Fae? I'm a fucking fairy?" she said with no humor in her voice. Her brow furrowed as she recalled the words written on the crate. She flicked her eyes to his, her voice was edged with urgency. "The box—the box that I found the ring in. It said Custodians of the Light."

"I've never heard that expression before," he said as a deep line formed between his eyebrows and his voice dropped low. "But I promise we'll find out what it means."

Kai stilled and her eyes wandered over the strange tattoos that covered now covered his arms. "Is it true?" she whispered in a quivering voice as raised her eyes back to meet his. "Are- are you what he said you are?"

"Yes." His mouth set in a tight line and the muscle in his jaw flinched with tension. "But I am not here to harm you and I won't allow anyone else to hurt you either."

Shivering and wet, with his strong, warm arms encircling her, Kai searched his eyes, which were once again the cool, pools of blue and all she saw was concern. She glanced at Ben, still passed out in the corner, and then back to Asmodeus. He may be a demon, or a Dark One, but in the short time she'd known him, he'd done nothing but be kind.

Ben moaned and stirred.

"We have to go." Asmodeus' grip on her tightened and his eyes once again glowed red as he leveled his burning gaze in Ben's direction. "When he wakes up, he's going to summon others."

Kai said nothing but nodded and swiped at her teary eyes. What could she say? Her life had just gone from a little bit odd to completely insane in less than an hour.

"Of course he will." A slightly hysterical laugh bubbled up and she shrugged. Tears stung at her eyes and she wished now, more than ever, that she could speak to her mother. The old familiar ache in her chest, the hole that was there since her parents died, opened and threatened to swallow her up.

She stepped back as Asmodeus got on the Harley. He started the bike and revved the engine, waving for her to join him. She walked over, almost in a trance, wondering if perhaps this was merely a dream and she'd wake up any minute, laughing at her subconscious but as the heat of the engine blew over her wet, bare legs she knew it was all too real. Feeling exhausted, frightened and with few options, Kai swung her leg over and settled in behind him.

"Hold on tight," he said as he pulled out of the barn. "But do me a favor and try not to singe me with the ring. It hurts like hell."

"Aren't you from there?" Kai said with more than a little sarcasm.

Asmodeus smirked at her over his shoulder but said nothing as Kai wrapped her arms around his waist, careful to avoid touching his flesh with the ring. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed her cheek against the broad, muscular expanse of his back and held on for dear life as they rode down the dark, Idaho highway and into an uncertain future.

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The music pounded loudly through the club as it reverberated through Olivia's body. She walked the dance floor, taking note of the various humans writhing with one another amid the pulsating lights. She stuck out like a sore thumb, since she was the only one wearing a black Armani suit, not the leather or spikes of her faithful patrons.

Olivia waved at the regular customers peppered throughout the club and allowed herself a moment of pride. The Coven had become one of the most popular dance clubs for the Goth set in NYC, and she had worked her ass off to make it happen.

She liked it here and had no desire to leave, but the drawback of immortality was that moving on eventually was an annoying necessity—can't stay somewhere for thirty years if you don't age. Although, the prevalent use of Botox among humans certainly helped explain her lack of facial wrinkles.

Olivia scoped out the club and marveled at how far society had come—and yet not.

Humans who loved to dress like vampires, or what they thought vampires looked like, flocked to this place every night as the sun went down. Except Sunday—she closed the joint on Sunday, since the place used to be a church. She figured it was the least she could do. Olivia grinned and shook her head as she watched the humans wooing one another in their _vampire_ garb.

Ironically, most vampires did not dress like horror movie rejects; many adopted the fashion of the era they lived in, but not all did. Vincent, for example, liked the Victorian era so much that he still adorned himself in a top hat and ascot, although she thought it looked ridiculous. Vampires retained their individuality at least.

Imagine if they knew this club was owned and operated by an actual vampire who preferred silk and cashmere to leather and spikes. Olivia had to wear the leather sentry uniform every day for a century and loathed the idea of wrapping herself in it again.

Olivia climbed onto the DJ's platform and gave Sadie a pat on the back. Sadie was one of the best spinners out there, living or undead, and Olivia's oldest, most trusted friend. She was dressed much like the patrons of the club, except Sadie actually _was_ a vamp, and the girl had a serious passion for leather and lace.

I'd be a sad disappointment to them.

"Hey, boss. Feels like a lively crowd tonight." Sadie winked and smiled. "No pun intended."

Sadie was the first vamp she had ever turned. Olivia and Vincent were traveling through a largely unsettled part of Arizona and picked up the distinctly potent scent of blood. The Apache Indians had been attacking settlers at that time, not that Olivia could blame them, and Sadie's family had been among their victims.

Sadie was barely alive when she found her. The faint beat of her heart called to Olivia, and before she even knew what she was doing, she turned her. It was an instinctive need to save her, to help this poor girl who had lost everything, left seemingly alone in the world.

Vincent, of course, was less than pleased, and that was the beginning of the end for them.

Sadie winked and adjusted the headphones around her neck. "You're just a sucker for hard-luck cases. Face it. You would rescue the world if you could."

"Not the _whole_ world," Olivia said dramatically. "Just the ones who really need it." "I sure needed it," Sadie said with a warm smile.

Olivia swallowed the surprising lump in her throat before looking back at the crowd. Sadie had tried to thank her on several occasions, but Olivia never let her get the words out. Deep inside she felt as though she hadn't saved Sadie or the others. Perhaps the vampire hunters of the world were right. What if vamps really were damned to burn in hell for eternity? Would anyone thank her then?

Another loud, bass-driven song tumbled over the crowd as Sadie's voice floated into her head.

Hey, boss. I see our VIP table is full again tonight with your boyfriend and his crew.

Olivia threw an irritated glance over her shoulder at Sadie and shot back. _He's not my boyfriend. He just wishes he was. What a termite._ She could hear Sadie stifle a giggle as she navigated the crowd and made her way to Michael's table.

How long has it been since you got laid? I forget.

Olivia did her best to ignore that last jab from her friend. Other than Vincent, Sadie was the only one who knew that Olivia had been celibate since becoming a vampire. _Don't you think you've tortured yourself long enough? I never knew this Douglas guy, but if he really loved you the way you say he did, would he want you to spend eternity alone?_

_I'm not alone._ Olivia threw a wink over her shoulder. _I've got all of you, and sex is overrated anyway._

_Damn._ Sadie's laugh jingled through Olivia's mind. _Now you're just talking crazy._

Olivia shook her head and smiled. Her heart had been stolen long before Vincent made it stop beating, and besides, even if she did have her heart to give, Moriarty certainly would not be a candidate.

Michael was a greasy little worm who used his family's reputation to get what he wanted. He came to The Coven every Saturday night with his gaggle of dirtbags, and Olivia could smell his fear and feelings of inadequacy a mile away. He'd been trying to get into her pants for months now, and apparently, was still trying, even after a multitude of rejections.

She felt his eyes on her all night and had managed to ignore him, but now, it was time to play the game. She had to placate the little weasel. Jerk or not, he was a customer—a customer who spent a lot of money in her club.

Olivia flashed the most charming grin she could muster as she approached Michael and his motley crew.

"Hey there, hot stuff." He leered, and his lips curved into a lascivious grin. "I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to get your sweet ass over here."

She wanted to bite his face off. What an asshole.

"Hello, Mr. Moriarty," she said through a strained smile. "Are you gentlemen finding everything satisfactory this evening?"

"I'd be doin' a lot better if you'd come here and sit with me."

Olivia smiled tightly and looked at him like the black-haired little bug he was. "Well, _gentlemen_ , I hope you'll let me buy the final round here. It's almost last call."

She motioned to the waitress who covered the three VIP tables opposite the bar. Suzie, one of only two humans who worked at The Coven, came over quickly, but Olivia sensed her anxiety long before she arrived at the table.

"Sure, baby." He leered. "You can buy me a drink."

Olivia wanted nothing more than to glamour this guy into dancing naked in the middle of the club with only his socks on, but the image alone would have to be enough to get her through.

"Suzie. Please get our guests their last round." She flicked her gaze back to Moriarty. "On the house, of course."

"Yes, ma'am." She looked like a skittish lamb surrounded by wolves. She almost hadn't hired Suzie due to her naive nature, but Olivia was a sucker for hard-luck cases. Suzie was straight from the farm and as green as the fields she hailed from. By hiring her, she figured she could at least keep an eye on her.

Olivia nodded and said a brief goodbye before working her way to the front door. The place was starting to thin out, since it was just about last call. The tension in her shoulders eased as soon as she set eyes on the only other human who worked at the club—their bouncer Damien.

Damien, unlike Suzie, knew what Olivia and the others were. He was what some referred to as a _familiar,_ but Olivia hated that term. It seemed like a dirty word, laced with innuendo and ill intent. Most humans who worked with vampires did it out of love and friendship.

However, Damien wasn't just a friend—he was more like family. He was the only human who knew what Olivia was and kept her secret, and not because he had to, but because he genuinely cared. She'd met him when he was a boy, spending most of his nights on the streets and clearly heading down a bad path.

She'd heard his cries one night, and even though it was against Presidium rules to interfere with humans and their problems, she couldn't help it. That cry of a young boy in the dark overrode any rules she was supposed to follow, and before she knew it, she was plucking him from what was sure to be a deadly situation.

She planned to rescue him from the local drug dealer and send him on his way. Yet the second she looked into the soulful, brown eyes, she was hooked. At first, she told herself that she would only check on him for a few nights to be sure he was safe, but those few nights turned into weeks, and then years. Since vampires couldn't have children, Damien was the closest she'd ever have to a child, and she loved him as if he was her own.

"Moriarty's still here?" Damien had barely finished the question, when Michael appeared in the vestibule with his posse.

"We were just leaving, big guy." Michael gave him a smack on the back as he walked to the enormous stretch limo waiting at the curb. Olivia put her hand on Damien to keep him at bay. She couldn't blame him for wanting to go after him, because she wanted to punch the little bastard's lights out too.

"You know, Olivia, one day that guy is gonna get what's coming to him," Damien said quietly as the limo pulled away. "I just hope I get to see it."

"You know what they say, babe," she said quietly. "Be careful what you wish for. Besides, his money is as green as anyone's."

"I realize you're not into live feeds like most of your _crowd,_ but boy, does that guy deserve to be dinner or what? I know you can handle yourself, but I don't like the way he speaks to Suzie or any other woman for that matter."

She rubbed her temples absently as various patrons pushed past as they left. Live feeds were always best, but Olivia tried to avoid them. While the live feed was most rejuvenating, it was also the most dangerous. Live feeds were like a drug. The more she did it, the more she wanted it, and each time it got harder and harder to stop. Besides, blood memories came with it, and she wasn't interested in anyone else's baggage. She had quite enough of her own shit to deal with.

As she turned to go back inside, an oddly familiar voice floated over, and the scent of the ocean filled her head.

"Excuse me. Can you tell me where I can find Ms. Olivia Hollingsworth?"

Olivia stopped dead in her tracks, and the tattoo on the nape of her neck burned. Her fangs erupted, and little licks of fire skittered up her spine, as one note of that smooth, velvety voice banished all self-control. She closed her eyes and willed her quaking body to settle.

It can't be.

Terrified and hopeful, Olivia steeled herself with courage she'd forgotten she had. She turned around, excruciatingly slowly, and found herself face-to-face with the man of her dreams and the love of her life.

The problem was he'd been dead for almost three hundred years.

About the Author

Sara Humphreys graduated from Marist College with a degree in English literature and theater. She started her career as an actress, with credits including _Guiding Light, As the World Turns_ , and _Rescue Me._ She specializes in public speaking, presentation development, and communication skills training. But she has loved romance novels and sci-fi/fantasy worlds for years, beginning with _Star Trek_ (she had a huge crush on Captain Kirk). She is now married to her college sweetheart, with whom she has four boys and two "insanely loud" dogs. They live just outside of New York City, a perfect inspiration for where things go bump in the night.

Sara's fascination with sci-fi/fantasy eventually grew into a love for all things paranormal, including ghosts, shapeshifters, and the undead. She considers herself a hopeless romantic and a sucker for happy endings.

Sara's first manuscript caught the eye of a major national bookseller, who championed her publishing career. Sara utilizes her acting skills during her writing, using sense memory recall and creating backgrounds for her characters so they have a history. Even for shape- shifters, she researches the animals and utilizes their natural traits in her characters who take on their forms.

You can find information about upcoming books on her website: www.sarahumphreys.com

