Heart of the Demon

chapter Four





Over the next week Finn kept working his contacts. By Saturday afternoon he needed something to take his mind off things, since his entire focus was on the text message that he still hadn’t received. Damn it! What more could he do to convince the right people that he was a rogue? Go out and kill someone?

At three o’clock he pulled his bike into a spot behind one of the local art galleries. It was a favorite of his, a place where he could lose himself in beauty. Whenever he was stuck on a case or after he’d had to render ultimate judgment on a demon, immersing himself in art put some lightness back into his soul. Regardless of what others might think of him, he wasn’t a stone-cold killer. Every life he’d ever taken weighed heavily on him.

He swung his leg over the bike, stood and stretched. He adjusted the legs of his jeans, then went into the gallery. When he pushed open the door, the chime above it sounded. As he walked into the main room, he glanced around. As far as he could tell, he was the only patron there.

Light classical music played softly in the background, and a faint aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg scented the air. The staging of the various pieces of art was welcoming, and a few small sofas scattered around the large main room invited people to sit and enjoy their surroundings.

Within a few seconds the gallery owner, no doubt having heard the chime, walked out of the office. “Finn! I was hoping you’d stop by this week.” The older man came forward and shook Finn’s hand. “I missed you the other night.”

“Rudi.” Finn clapped the man on the shoulder. “I wanted to come to the opening but got tied up with work.” Actually, he’d been so wrapped up in trying to get into the rogue group that the exhibition gala had completely slipped his mind. “You know how much I love putting on my tux.”

“Ah, well.” Rüdiger Zimmer rolled his eyes a bit. Finn had complained more than once at having to don his monkey suit for opening galas, so the gallery owner was well aware of his aversion to tuxedos. “At least you’re here now.” His round face wrinkled with his broad smile. Bright blue eyes sparkled from beneath graying eyebrows. “I think you’ll enjoy the guest artist exhibit in the Cactus Room.”

“Oh?” Finn glanced toward the smaller side room to his left.

Rudi nodded. “The artist does mostly western-inspired landscapes. You’ll like the colors and composition.”

“I’ll go take a look, then.” Finn patted Rudi’s shoulder and headed toward the exhibit. He entered the room and was immediately bombarded with a sense of wild beauty and riotous color. A light citrus scent freshened the air, and Finn realized it came from small bowls of dried lemons Rudi had stashed on various tables and nooks in the room.

He was standing in front of a watercolor of a Monument Valley sunset when he heard the click of high heels behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Keira walk into the room.

She wore shiny dark blue, slim-legged pants and a sleeveless button-down blouse the color of lilacs. Pointy-toed turquoise spike heels and her gold cuff watch completed the outfit. Her long hair was pulled back in a haphazard knot on one side of her neck. As she caught sight of him, her eyes widened. “Finn? What’re you doing here?” She stopped in front of him and looked up into his face. “This is the last place I would’ve expected to run into you.”

He tried to ignore how good she smelled, because it made him want to bury his face in her neck and breathe deeply. “Really? Why?”

She gave a shrug. “You don’t seem like the art appreciation type to me.”

Finn figured that most people would be surprised to find out he was a man who enjoyed art. When he looked at paintings or sculptures, he not only recognized the talent behind them, but also found a calmness of spirit from the study of them. Somehow it stung to realize that Keira, in not discerning his connection to art, was the same as everyone else, even though he realized there was no reason she should know this about him. It wasn’t like he’d shared that much of himself with her. “What are you doing here?” he asked without responding to her observation.

Her slender shoulders lifted in a dainty shrug. She seemed a little self-conscious, and her next words told him why. “This is my work. I just stopped in to see if anything more had sold.”

He couldn’t hide his surprise. “You did these?” He glanced around the room, taking in the bright colors in the paintings, the subject matter of all of them connected to some aspect of nature. He decided it fit her, both the subject matter and the fact that she’d chosen to paint vibrant landscapes. It would figure that an earth fey would stick to a subject she was familiar with. “They’re really good.”

“Thanks.” She paused a moment, searching his eyes. She grimaced at whatever she saw there. “I’m sorry. I guess I was wrong about you.” She moved around him and looked at the painting he’d been studying. “So, what do you think of this one?”

Finn turned and stared at the watercolor again. “It’s evocative. Powerful yet peaceful.”

“Peaceful?”

He nodded. “The subject matter is so majestic, it makes you feel small, you know? And if you’re small, your troubles are no big deal, either.” He caught the wondering look she gave him and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. She acted like he’d said something profound. The heat of embarrassment crept up his neck. “You asked,” he said with a pinch of defensiveness in his tone.

“I did, and I’m amazed.” She stared at her work again. “I don’t know why, but I never pictured you having such an appreciation for art.” She shot him a sidelong glance. “And here I thought you were just another pretty face.”

“Ha.” He shook his head. “What you really mean is you thought me a mindless killer following my master’s orders, right?” He caught the flicker of regret that crossed her face. For once he was able to read her reactions, and he wondered why. Was she letting him, or was she feeling particularly vulnerable around him? “I am more than my job.” He couldn’t keep the growl from his throat. He was, wasn’t he?

Keira’s slender hand rested on his upper arm. “I know and I’m sorry. Again.” She shifted her position so that she faced him and slid her hand down until she clasped his. The smoothness of her skin made his callused palm seem even rougher. With a slight squeeze of his fingers, she said, “Not sure why I’m surprised that there’s more to you than meets the eye. I know you’re a complicated man.”

“Complicated? Me?” Finn gave her the best innocent expression he could manage. “Nah. I’m the simplest of creatures.”

From the look she shot him, she wasn’t buying it. She let go of his hand, and he immediately missed the feel of her soft flesh against his. She walked a few feet over to another painting and crossed her arms. He shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered after her.

“What about this one?” she asked. “How does it make you feel?”

He took a few moments to study the painting, another watercolor sunset, this one with Camelback Mountain as the subject. The sky was painted with vibrant purples, pinks, and reds. It gave him the same overall sense of peace. “Same as the other.”

“Hmm.” She stared at it a moment or two longer. “I remember when I painted this. I wasn’t feeling particularly peaceful.”

He looked closer at the painting. “It doesn’t show,” he said. “You don’t have wide, sweeping brushstrokes I’d expect of someone in a temper, or uneven tones in the paint itself.”

Keira’s expression showed a growing respect for his art acumen. She moved on to the next canvas.

“How long have you been painting?” Finn asked.

“Off and on, for about fifty years.” She glanced at him. “It’s only been in the last ten years or so that I decided to do something with my artwork other than stack it up in a storage facility.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You had stuff like this sitting in storage? Seriously?” He looked at the closest painting and gave a little whistle. “I should have known you sooner.”

She grinned. “You point to any painting here, and it’s yours.”

Finn took a look at the price tag on the painting to his right and shook his head. He wouldn’t let her give him something that she could get thousands of dollars for. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m happy to support a friend.” When Keira started to object, he waved one hand. “Let me buy the one I like, okay?”

A slow bloom of pink flushed her cheeks. She looked pleased to hear he considered her a friend. Why wouldn’t he? They got along well and enjoyed each other’s company before and after they’d had sex. Why would things suddenly be different now? Her eyes met his. “I’d rather give it to you—”

“Nope. And that’s final.” He stared around the display. “It must be nerve-racking, though, to put your art out there like this. You know, open yourself for Joe Public to criticize.”

“I suppose so but I don’t mind. Especially when I see how much pleasure my work gives to others.”

“If that’s the case, why not paint them for friends instead of selling them?” Finn turned so he could look at her straight on.

She shifted her feet, her gaze on the painting on the wall in front of her, though he had a feeling she wasn’t actually seeing it. “I don’t really have that many friends. Any, really. I’ve been on my own a long time.”

He slid one hand along her jaw until he cupped her face in his palm. “Well, you have me now.”

Her lips parted and she raised her eyes to his. “I do, don’t I?” A slight smile crinkled the corners of her eyes. “And you know you can count on me, too, right?”

“I do.”

Her smile widened. She gave his hand a quick squeeze and moved on to the next display of her work.

Feeling the need to appreciate beauty of a different kind, Finn watched Keira, enjoying the way the lighting, strategized to enhance the art, played off her dark red hair. As she scrutinized the painting she chewed on her lower lip. The longer she did it, the more he wanted to be the one to nibble on that plump lip. And he wouldn’t contain himself any longer.

With a low growl, he took her arm and guided her to an alcove a few feet away. The atmosphere and contents of the art gallery might be calming to him, but this woman fired him up like no other. “I’ve wanted to do this since that damned slow dance at the club the other night.”

She looked at him, startled, but he saw no alarm in her eyes. Then humor replaced the surprise. He wasn’t discomfited by it because she always seemed to find something about him that struck her funny bone. Which was all right by Finn. He could laugh at himself, too.

“Someone might come in,” she whispered. She stroked her fingers down his cheek, letting her thumb play across his mouth. He assumed she wasn’t overly concerned by the possibility of being interrupted.

He took a moment to listen to the sounds in the gallery. He couldn’t hear anything but the music and the faint sound of their breaths. He pressed a kiss to the pad of her thumb. “Other than Rudi, we’re the only two in here right now,” he murmured back. “And he’s not going to bother us.”

She looped her arms around his neck, her hands cradling his skull. Her eyes were as blue as he’d ever seen them. “Well, then,” she said with a delectable lilt in her sultry voice, “let’s not waste any time.”

He bent his head and set his mouth on hers. The feel of her lips beneath his was as arousing as the first time he’d kissed her. Giving a low groan, he closed his eyes and pressed her deeper into the alcove, enticing her to part for the sweep of his tongue into her mouth. God, she tasted good. Fresh and sweet with a hint of tartness.

Finn left her lips to explore her jaw, the slope of her neck, the hollow of her throat. Keira shifted, slowly rocking her hips against his, the slide of her body making him hard all over. His muscles tensed, his hands tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. He went back to her lips, determined to make a meal of the honeyed depths of her mouth.

When she sighed, he drank down her breath like it was the finest of wines. She tightened her fingers in his hair, Keira’s mouth becoming more demanding.

After a few minutes he drew back and rested his forehead against hers. She was breathing as harshly as he was, and once he had enough breath to talk he said, “You’re addictive, you know that?”

“No more than you are.” She lifted her head. Looking into his eyes, she said, “Why am I so drawn to you?”

To Finn she sounded like she was trying to work through a particularly knotty problem. “Because I’m so good-looking? And charming. And smart. And—”

“And so obviously modest, too.” She grinned, making the smallest of dimples flash near the left corner of her mouth.

“You didn’t let me finish.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “And a fantastic lover.”

Keira’s expression went serious. “That you are.” She reached up and pushed her fingers through his hair, the tips sliding against his scalp in a caress that made him tilt his head into her touch. “I’m not sure you’re good for me.”

He knew he wasn’t. He was the son of a ruthless demon, and he’d done things he wasn’t proud of. Things that had needed to be done, but still, his past wasn’t something to be gloated over. He wished he could have met her a thousand years ago. A time when he hadn’t been as hardened or as cynical. “If either of us was looking for a long-term relationship, I’d agree with you. But we’re not, are we?”

She shook her head. Sadness flicked through her eyes before she chased it away with a smile. “You’re a bad boy through and through, and pure temptation.” She slid her arms around his waist. “Yet you’ve always treated me with nothing but respect and gentleness, in spite of that tough image you project.” Her smile grew wider. “It’s a good thing I like bad boys.”

As he started to bend toward her again, her phone buzzed. She jumped in surprise and brushed against a small ironwork wall hanging. With a cry she jerked to one side, her hand coming up to cover her upper arm. Tears swam in her eyes and she bit her lip.

“What happened?” Finn took her arm in a gentle grip and moved her hand. A patch of skin the size of a man’s wallet was reddened with small blisters. Damned if it didn’t look like a burn. He looked at the wall hanging and backed carefully out of the alcove, drawing her with him. “What the hell?”

“It’s iron,” she said. She took a deep breath and held it a moment, clearly trying to work through the pain. “I should have paid more attention. Fey are allergic to iron. I’ll be all right in a minute or so.”

He felt like an unobservant idiot. He knew how deadly iron could be to the fey. Why hadn’t he checked before he’d maneuvered her into the alcove? As usual, he’d had only himself in mind. He held her arm lightly. Even as he looked at it, the red faded and most of the blisters healed. He bent and placed his lips lightly against her skin. Her indrawn breath brought his head up. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Her soft throat moved with her swallow. “No,” she whispered.

He started to move back to her mouth but his phone beeped, signaling he’d received a text message.



Keira let Finn take a few steps back so he could check his phone. Her arm throbbed with lingering pain that quickly faded. She needed the space, too. She felt overheated, and not just from his kisses, though he was a great kisser. When he’d placed his mouth on her arm, it had been with such tenderness that he’d stolen her breath. She’d seen many sides of this demon—determination, arousal, playfulness, aggravation. Never had she seen this level of gentleness from him.

It made her want to believe he could be more than his demon, that he could be more than what the thousands of years of working for Lucifer had programmed him to be. Was she being naïve? While she was doing her best to overcome her own baser nature, trying to be a better person and atone for her numerous past wrongs, Finn had never expressed a desire to be anything other than what he was.

While his attention was on his cell, she quickly checked hers and saw she had a text message. She hoped it was from Javier, because all this waiting around was making her crazy. With a couple of clicks she had the message on the screen. It was from Javier, letting her know that the next group meeting was in an hour. He’d supplied the address with a promise that in the next few minutes she’d get the special quick response code that would permit her admittance. She tucked her phone into her purse as Finn put his cell back into his pocket and looked at her.

Regret and what looked like anticipation warred in Finn’s eyes. “I’ve gotta go,” he said.

“Something for Lucifer?”

He gave a nod. “Yeah. It’s always work with him.” His smile was forced, which Keira understood. From what he’d told her, the only time his boss got in touch with him was when he wanted something, and that seemed to be all the time. But there was an underlying note to his tone that made her think he wasn’t telling the whole truth. Since she didn’t use her empathic abilities on friends, she resisted the urge to reach out with her senses to read his emotions. She’d have to trust that he wasn’t lying to her.

Though she suspected he was. Or, at least, he wasn’t telling her everything. She didn’t have time to pursue it now though. She had a meeting to get to.

His gaze slid to her arm, and he lifted it gently, turning it toward the light. “You sure you’re all right?” he asked, his thumb sweeping lightly across her now completely healed skin.

The lump in her throat precluded speech. She could only give a slight nod.

He gave a satisfied nod of his own and then planted a hard kiss on her mouth. It was over before she got to enjoy it. “I’ll see you later?” he asked, his voice deep and husky. As soon as she shook her head in agreement he kissed her again, this time a little softer and a little slower, pulling her close to him again. She relaxed into him, letting his big body support most of her weight, and rested her hands on his lean waist. The stubble of a couple days’ worth of beard scratched her face, making her want to feel that roughness in her most intimate places. Too bad there wasn’t enough time.

His mouth lifted and he sighed. “Bye,” he murmured. He stroked his fingers over her jaw, then turned and left the room.

Keira heard him say something to Rudi about coming back later and to set something aside for him, but she couldn’t hear all of it over the pounding of her pulse in her ears. She did hear the chime over the front door sound, and slowly moved out of the alcove. She left the Cactus Room and walked onto the main floor. After drawing in a deep, cleansing breath, she yelled, “Bye, Rudi.”

The gallery owner came out of his office. “I’m sorry I haven’t moved anything for you today, Keira.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll get another sale soon.” She wasn’t worried about her art selling. In the past she’d had no trouble. It would move, eventually. She said her good-byes and went out to her car. She started it up but sat there, pondering her next move. She would go to the meeting and mask her emotions in case there were any other empaths in the room. She didn’t want them to pick up on her true feelings. She’d listen. And watch.

Centuries ago, over a millennium actually, she’d been friends with some of the Fianna, the strong, powerful men who’d guarded the High King of Ireland. She’d admired their courage and the stoutness of their morals even while she had to fight so hard to have even a thimbleful of the same. The code by which they’d lived had been one she’d tried to adopt: Honesty in our hearts, strength in our limbs, and deeds to honor our vows.

Her natural instinct was to manipulate people to her advantage, not be honest. And while as a fey she had strength of body, in the past she had rarely put her promises into action and followed through with them. Which meant that no matter how difficult it might get, no matter how much danger she might get herself into, she’d keep her promise to Caladh. She owed it to herself. And because of that, she was being dishonest and manipulative. Doing what she did best for the greater good. No one but the two of them could know she was infiltrating the rogue group of preternaturals who were trying to mess with the rift. She couldn’t even tell Finn.

Speaking of Finn, what was she going to do about him? In spite of herself that one time they’d made love had meant more to her than she’d expected. She might even be halfway in love with him, which tempted her to take their relationship to a deeper emotional level. Except her logical side told her he wasn’t ready for—or interested in—that type of commitment. Not now, maybe not ever.

She’d been alone for so long. She’d never been one to make friends easily, perhaps because in her former life in the other dimension her “friends” had been people she could call upon for a con job. They’d been the kind of friends who wouldn’t have hesitated to turn around and sell her out. Then she’d come to Earth only to discover she was immortal. Any human friends she’d made had grown old and died while she stayed the same. And, of course, there had been the whole having to pick up and move every fifteen years or so to keep her immortality hidden.

The few preternatural friends she’d made had quickly moved on as well. Before the computer age it was even more difficult to keep in touch. After the Internet and cell phones came on the scene, it was easy. Just not done.

Right now she would focus on the job she was doing for Caladh. As long as she was successful, it should garner her recognition among the prominent movers and shakers within the pret community.

She wanted, needed, to not be alone any longer. Most days she was fine on her own, but sometimes the loneliness seemed to eat her alive. If she got attached to Finn and he dropped out of her life without staying in touch, it would be too much for her to bear.

Without using her empathic abilities on him, she could sense there was something about her that made him hold back. She didn’t know if it was her background, or that she was fey, or if she’d said or done something. Finn liked her, she knew. Maybe he thought his job was too dangerous to get deeply involved with her.

Which was fine. She had to keep reminding herself of that. She had work to do as well, after all. And regardless she seemed to have a penchant for falling for the wrong kind of guy.

Keira fastened her seatbelt and pulled out of the gallery parking lot. She had just enough time to go home and soak up some Earth energy before heading over to the meeting.

It was taking place at the Devil’s Domain, which she wasn’t sure was a good omen or not. She’d find out in an hour.