Heaven's Key (Demon Hunter Book 1) (10 page)

I paced the room, putting off the inevitable. He would be here in the flesh and his powers would be even greater than when he was in my head. He could choose to take me and leave. There would be nothing I could do about it.

Cole glared at me from across the room. I had tried to reason with him, but he wanted none of it. Having Cole’s blessing was important so we could still be partners, but it didn’t affect my decision. I gave him one last look and he just turned away. I was on my own.

“Come to your hunter, Cain.”

Expecting some sort of noise or wind or some kind of disruption, Cain made me jump when he simply said, “Hello.”

“You scared the crap out of me.”

His smile left his face when he noticed Cole. “What’s he doing here? Do you know how hard it is not to kill him? I think about it often.”

“He wants to make sure you don’t take advantage of me.”

Cain threw back his handsome face and laughed. “I could have you somewhere no one would ever find you in seconds and there is nothing… I was going to say ‘pretty boy could do about it,’ but what happened to his face?”

“He was beaten up by Selkies, and telling a woman you could kidnap her in seconds is just creepy.”

“She won’t fall for you, demon. She’s too smart.”

I really wished Cole had stayed in the basement; he was making this harder than it already was.

“Jael is meant to be mine, baby hunter. We’ll be together long after you’re gone from this earth. You’re only alive because I know she wishes it so.”

He walked over to me and took my head in his hands. Cole reached for his gun and it flew across the room. I gave him a shut-up-and-stay-where-you-are look. “You’re hurt again. Please let me make it so you aren’t so vulnerable. I can make you stronger, harder to kill.”

The offer was tempting. All his offers were tempting; that was how it worked. If demons offered things that were easy to refuse, they wouldn’t be very good at their jobs. “No, I’m fine. I…”

“Anything, Jael. If I can grant it, I will.”

“Good, because I need a favor. A demon has threatened a family of Selkies. They were told that they either kill me or their whole village will be wiped out.”

“I’m not sure why you called me. You have things well under control here.”

“I don’t want harm to come to them and if the demon isn’t dealt with, he’ll try to attack me again.”

“Who is this demon that dares to harm my hunter?”

“Ziminiar.”

Cain had been stroking my back and he paused. “That’s no easy task, hunter. He’s one of my father’s generals.”

“Would your father be happy if he found out one of his generals was trying to kill Heaven’s Key?”

“No, Father would not take this kind of betrayal lightly. Zim has always been loyal. I can’t imagine why he’d do this.”

“Maybe I’m not the only one who doesn’t want this prophecy to come true. Maybe your fellow demons don’t like Lucifer’s plan. I can’t imagine many of them want a full-on battle with Heaven. His generals might be making sure they never have to fight.”

“Do you see why I’m so enthralled with her, Cole? Beautiful and smart. Yes, you may be right. I will take care of it for you. Now I told you there would be a price to pay if you called me. Plus, you asked a favor. You were supposed to call me when you realized we were meant to be together.”

“Yes, technically, I did ask for something, but if you hadn’t found me and announced I was Heaven’s Key, then I wouldn’t have had the problem in the first place. I did call you, though, so what do you want?”

“I want you for a night, my hunter.”

“She’s not a whore; she doesn’t have to sleep with you for payment.” Cole was slammed into the wall and unable to move.

“Don’t be crass, pretty boy. I want her company only. What happens in the course of the evening is none of your business.” Cain’s eyes never left mine.

“Like a date?” How the hell was I going to get out of this?

“No, not like one; it will be one. I will pick you up and I’ll show you the time of your life.”

I could see Cole struggling out the corner of my eye. “Let him go, please.” I waited. Cole slipped to the floor. “I’ll go on this date so we’ll be even. I don’t want to owe you anything.”

“I can be quite charming. You might enjoy yourself.” He was now whispering in my ear. “Just the two of us, some champagne, good food, and the most beautiful spot in the world. I’ll begin to chip away at that icy heart of yours.”

“You know I’ll never fall for you. It’s my greatest pleasure in life to kill demons. Falling for one is not in the cards. You present yourself as a sweetish, handsome human, but we both know that isn’t true.”

His eyes darkened. “I’ve never hidden from you who or what I am. My behavior is genuine. I don’t pretend to be that which I’m not.” He looked to Cole, who was struggling to get up.

“Fair enough, but it won’t change the fact that I’ll never open Heaven for your father.”

“What if I could give you your heart’s desire, Jael? What if I could give you what your heart aches for every day?”

He knew. I don’t know how, if it was when he was in my head or if he… I didn’t want to know how he knew. He wouldn’t make me cry. This didn’t make me want him. It made me want to curl up and die.

“You… you can’t.” I almost said it without my voice breaking up. Almost.

“I’m sorry. I truly thought it would be something you’d want.” He leaned in and kissed me. It was tender and I felt undone. His arms felt comforting and I melted into them. I didn’t care who he was; he opened up a hole I had plugged for a long time and I felt like I was drowning. This wasn’t affection or romance; this was survival.

Cain pulled back and kissed my forehead. “Tell me what to do. Tell me how to make that hurt go away. I’ll do it.”

“It needs to be there, Cain. At one time, it was all I had, and now it’s still mine to keep. If you took it away, I wouldn’t be me.”

“Then I won’t ask to take it again. Consider your problem dealt with. Zim won’t be after you anymore. I must go, but I’ll be in touch about our date.” He leaned in and kissed me again and then he was gone. Cole stood there and glared at me. I couldn’t bear him asking me anything.

“Cole, go untie your friends. It’s been taken care of.”

“Jael?”

“Don’t. Please, I’m begging you. Don’t ask me anything,”

He nodded and walked downstairs.

Cole went from grilling me to giving me the silent treatment. He asked me over and over why I had become so upset and I couldn’t tell him. He was angry that Cain knew something he didn’t. I hadn’t told anyone my story and certainly would never have told Cain, but he knew.

How could I explain that telling him might make me break, not for a moment or a day, but forever. I’d never told anyone and telling him wasn’t something I thought I could do. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him. It was like he was asking me to reach into my rib cage and pass him my heart. I wasn’t likely to live.

My mind kept flashing back to him standing there, telling me he could grant me my greatest wish. I could have explained it away as just some grand gesture to get on my good side, but he knew. I knew he knew. He saw my face and it had affected him too.

For just a few seconds, I let it bubble up to the surface. A mere moment in time and it had destroyed me enough that I let it show. Someone else knew and that made it so much worse somehow. The shame so much worse. He looked at me with compassion and that dug the knife in further. I’d always imagined someone looking at me with horror when they knew, but with caring—that was too much.

I had gone fifteen years with this secret inside me. Locked away and safe. Not a second went by that I couldn’t feel it hurting me, but as long as I kept it down, it was only a dull pain. Sometimes when I was alone and drinking, I’d open the box and let it out and the pain would eviscerate me. I deserved every cut.

Cole was a smart man and he knew Cain had a piece of knowledge he didn’t have and he had heard that catch in my throat when I spoke. If the tables were turned, I would act no differently than he was right now. We were partners and we needed to be honest with each other. I think he could have let it go if it wasn’t Cain who knew. He was so terrified I would fall for Cain and he had no idea why that could never happen.

Now he was left out and it looked like I trusted a demon more than I did him. That wasn’t true. I would give anything for him not to know, but the cat was out of the bag and there was nothing that could be done. I wanted a drink. I ached for one. Anything to dull what I was feeling right now.

The sun streamed in my window, making me sleepy. My mind needed to shut off. I drifted in and out. I was tired, but I tried to fight it because I wanted to know where we were going. He wouldn’t tell me anything. He said we were going where he wanted. The tone of his voice was sharp and I didn’t even have the energy to fight back.

I must have slept for a while because I woke up on a dirt road. It was well maintained, but the dry weather made the dust kick up all around us. Forest lined the road on each side and I watched the trees fly by for a little while.

I looked over at my partner. He seemed a little less tense, but still not himself. The sun was setting making it impossible to see the road ahead. It wasn’t until we were almost on top of it that I saw the house.

“Mansion” was more accurate. It was perched atop a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Ethereal light tendrils wrapped around the building from the back. I was curious and cautious. “Is this a job?”

“No.” It was the first word he’d spoken since we started driving.

We pulled up to the front door. I was tempted to sulk in the car, but he wouldn’t have cared this time. I could have been here for days and he would have let me rot. Amends had to be made and I hoped I could do that without telling him what he wanted to know. It was a hard thing to admit, but I had been alone too long and he was a good match for me. We complemented each other and we were better as a team than separate.

He stood quietly outside my door until I opened it and got out. Satisfied I was at least going that far, he got out our bags and handed me my share. We made our way inside. The foyer, as grand as it was, paled in comparison to the front room. I could see it from where I stood and it was all glass. The grey water below was broken only by the odd white cap. The room was decorated for royalty. I felt like we were committing a crime just standing there.

“Cole, where are we? This place is amazing.”

“Thank you.”

Was this place his? It couldn’t be. I knew his parents were loaded, but this was super rich. He took my hand and pulled me upstairs. The staircase was a wide spiral, the railing a mixture of iron and mahogany. It wasn’t just that I had never experienced this kind of luxury, I don’t think my mind could even imagine it if it had tried.

He pulled me into what had to be the master bedroom, but then again, a house this size likely had more than one. It was the biggest bedroom I’d ever seen. Until I’d seen the living room below, I would have said the biggest room I’d ever seen. It too was in the front of the house and it had a large balcony with French doors going out to a view that most people would kill for. Ten people could have slept comfortably in the bed. It had enough pillows for twenty people.

He disappeared for a minute and when he came back, I was still staring outside. I’ve never cared about money as long as I had enough to survive, but this place was just so grand. I was stunned. He took my hand again and brought me into the bathroom. He’d drawn me a bath. I was confused. This wasn’t what I expected. I’d expected to be yelled at or left on the side of the road, but this… I just didn’t know.

“When you’re done, I’ll be on the balcony. I’ll have breakfast ready.”

He left and I did what I was told. It wasn’t because he told me to. I was in some sort of trance and following orders seemed to make sense. The tub had a gas fireplace in front of it and as I sank into the water, I became hypnotized by the flames. The soaps and shampoos that lined one side of the tub rivaled the selection at Walgreens, only Walgreens would never carry something this expensive.

Lying there staring at the fire, I felt on the edge of something. A decision would have to be made soon and it wasn’t going to be easy. I needed to be careful and I needed to make the right choice. It felt obvious that refusing to open Heaven’s Gate was the right choice, but what if it wasn’t? Something niggled at my mind. I was missing a piece of the puzzle.

The water was cold by the time I could pry myself away. I felt relaxed and starving. Wrapping myself in a warm fluffy robe, I made my way out to the balcony. The sun was blinding, but it felt warm and welcoming. Two chaise lounges separated by a table filled the small space. On the table sat two silver trays with covers over them, a carafe of coffee, orange juice, and a pair of sunglasses.

Crisp fresh air heavy with the smell of brine floated around me, waking me slightly from my trance. Cole had placed a warm blanket on the empty chair. I snuggled into the blanket and I felt like I was home. It wasn’t the amazing house—I’d never had that—but the smell and sound of the ocean was pulling me back to memories I didn’t want to have.

So many times as a kid, I was wrapped into a warm blanket and allowed to stay up while the grown-ups sat around a fire. I would listen to conversations never meant for young ears because they would forget about me, but I loved every second.

I loved it so much, I did it with… It was a good memory, but like memories do, they lead down a path you don’t want to be on. I lifted one of the trays onto my lap. Cole still hadn’t moved or spoken. It was my favorite breakfast. Two eggs over easy, hash browns, toast, and thick-cut bacon.

My stomach growled at me to eat. It was still hot and delicious and the coffee was just as good. Once I was finished, I just lay there, my mind drifting home while my body stayed put.

“Where are you, Jael? You certainly aren’t on this deck with me.”

“I was on a beach in Nova Scotia. I was thinking of a very pleasant childhood memory.”

“Then why do you look so sad?”

“Because thinking of home always leads to a very dark place and even though it’s never far from my mind, going there is very painful.”

His face darkened and his eyes looked back to the sea. “I’m sorry.”

“I’ll live.”

“Will you?”

“What do you mean, Cole?”

“I brought you here because this is my home. I haven’t spent much time here in the last few years, but it’s where I think of when I think of home. Since we were so close, I thought it was the perfect place for us to talk.” He ran his hand through his damp hair. “You live your life trying to die. You say you don’t, but in any scenario, no matter who it involves, you always see yourself as the expendable one.”

I couldn’t deny that. It was how I felt.

“I care about you, Jael. It’s so fucking hard not to. Don’t worry; I don’t want you to be my woman. I want us to be friends. I want you to live for a very long time and I don’t want to be the one that has to watch you die, or worse, make some crazy sacrifice that brings you closer to that demon.”

“We are friends, Cole.”

“No, we aren’t and we certainly aren’t partners. Friends trust each other. You don’t trust anyone. Friends care about each other. You don’t care how I feel. You don’t care that it killed me to have to watch him have his hands all over you. You don’t care that he knows something that can make you almost break and I don’t. You have one foot in the grave and that’s how you like it.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“There is nothing to say, Jael. I thought I could handle working with you. I just didn’t expect to care this much. I wanted to learn from the best and you are the best. I wanted to work with someone who had my back and I know you do, but you need to trust me, and you don’t. I don’t want to know your secrets for any other reason than I want to protect you. He knows something big about you, something that made you vulnerable if only for a second, and he’ll use that against you.”

He was right, but what could I say to that? It was something I didn’t want to think about.

“I’m staying here. You’re welcome here as long as you like. When you leave, I won’t be going with you. The Hellcat is yours. A thank you for all you’ve taught me. I’ll tell your aunt it was my fault, that I screwed up. That way, she won’t cut you off.”

I didn’t know what to say and tears were threatening to fall. I wasn’t going to fucking cry. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love you. You’re an incredible woman. I would do anything for you except watch you die. I know there’s a chance on any job that one or both of us could bite it, but you want it. A part of you goes into a job not caring if you walk out and I’m not going to live the rest of my life with your death on my conscience.”

“I… you don’t understand.” How could I tell him he was right and wrong at the same time? I didn’t want to die, but I felt like I didn’t deserve to live either.

“Tell me then. Explain it. I need to know.”

“If you loved me, you wouldn’t ask.”

He turned to me. He’d been crying. “I don’t want to hurt you, Jael. I have a feeling you’ve had enough of that in your life, but I need you to be honest with me and tell me what Cain knows, because I can see you have feelings for him; at the very least, you don’t hate him the way you do other demons and he’ll use that against you and he’ll use what he knows. If you tell me now, it won’t have that power anymore.”

“Please…” I could barely speak that one word. How was I supposed to tell him a whole story?

“I don’t want to hurt you, Jael. I know this will help you and it will help us.”

“Once I tell you, you’ll understand why I’ll never fall for Cain. You’ll believe that, but you’ll also hate me. You’ll know what kind of a person I really am and you’ll want out anyway. Fuck. I don’t know if I can.”

I would tell him. The first person to ever hear what happened, and if he stayed, we’d be stronger for it. If he decided to leave, I’d be getting what I deserved.