Asmodeus: Demon of Lust---Part One (Princes of Hell) by Sara Humphreys Page B

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