Demons Like It Hot

by Ayers, Sidney

  “Huh?”

  “You know—daggers or silver bullets or anything?” Then again, her necklace worked pretty damn well the last time. “I… ahh… just want to be safe.”

  “I’m not stupid. I’ve seen that look before.”

  “Really? When?”

  “When Lucy fought Belial.” Kalli shook her head. “You two are too determined for your own good.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?”

  Kalli shrugged. “Not always, I guess.”

  “So can you hook a girl up or what?”

  “Sure, I guess.”

  “Kalli, you rock.”

  Kalli grinned. “You said that already.” She pulled a silver-inlaid dagger and sheath from her boot and handed it to Serah.

  Serah pulled the dagger from its sheath. It was a simple blade—no fancy etchings or jewels. Then again, all you needed was silver. It all sliced the same.

  “For your protection only. Never anger. Remember that.”

  Serah nodded and sheathed the weapon. She remembered full well. She’d seen where anger had gotten a few of the Paladins—an extended stint on the Paladins’ injured reserve list. Then again, she wasn’t demon and she wasn’t a Paladin. “Do those same rules apply to Pure-Bloods.”

  “Frankly, I wouldn’t take any chances.”

  Good advice, actually. Anger never got anyone anywhere, in real life and fiction alike.

  “After all the crap we’ve been through, I don’t think I should either.”

  “Glad we agree on one thing, at least.”

  Serah wrapped her arms around Kalli and drew her into a hug. “I really appreciate you helping Farquhar. I don’t know what I would have done if he had been vanquished.”

  “No problem. That’s what friends are for.” She straightened the collar of Serah’s sweater. “I think you’re ready to go.”

  “You planning on riding over with us?”

  “Only if we can come tae.” Farquhar said, sitting in the hall with a cigar poking out of his mouth.

  Already back to cigars. He was indeed on the road to recovery. Serah scowled. “Farquhar!”

  “It isnae lit. Jeez.”

  “Fine,” she said, her hands on her hips. “And my answer is no.”

  “Ye’r nae fun.” Farquhar whipped his tail back and forth. “Kalli has given me a clean bill o’ health. Right, Kalli?”

  “Yeah, he’s fine.”

  “Do you forget? You’re a cat.” Serah reached down and scrubbed behind his ear. “Having a cat running around a professional kitchen isn’t going to go over well.”

  “Ah can sneak in later on. Ah ken how tae fight.” He jumped up in the air and flipped backward. He ended with a quick kick and a punch. “See?”

  “Kalli, what do you think?”

  “Seriously, I think you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

  “Great! Ah’ll go an’ git Inanna.” He swiveled around and sauntered down the hall, tail swishing in victory.

  “Thanks a lot, Kalli.”

  “It was nothing.” With a sly grin, she winked. “I’ll go see if Matthias is ready to go.”

  Serah took a deep breath. It was almost time. If there was one thing to be thankful for it was her nerves. Luckily she could pawn it off on the cameras.

  “Okay. I’m ready,” she replied, her breath hitching. She flipped the switch on the bathroom lights and closed the door behind her. There was no turning back now.

  Chapter 40

  The drive was slow and tedious. Matthias wanted to have some alone time with Serah. He wanted to speak his mind. But then Kalli, Farquhar, and Inanna had decided to come along for the ride.

  “I didn’t feel that a Peragrans would be in good form, especially with humans nearby.”

  Matthias nodded. She had a point. They needed to exercise caution. They couldn’t afford any mishaps so close to the show.

  But the cats? Why? They wanted to remain discreet. Having two extremely intelligent felines around would certainly bring up suspicions.

  “Ye need tae relax, Matt,” Farquhar meowed out. “Inanna an’ Ah will be safe.”

  Serah sucked in a deep breath. There was no mistaking the nervousness. She turned into the parking lot and pulled into an empty parking space. Putting the SUV into park, she clenched the steering wheel tight.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m scared.” She turned to Matthias, her bright sapphire eyes swimming. “What if it doesn’t work? What if they don’t eat it?”

  Matthias shook his head, brushing a hand over her shoulder. He didn’t care if Kalli was in the car with them or not. He leaned in close. “Shhh. Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.”

  “How do you know?”

  Matthias allowed his lips to curve into a reassuring smile. “You stood up to me—and lived.”

  “You’re so full of yourself,” she said with a chuckle.

  “There, I got a laugh out of you.”

  “So you did.” She glanced up at him, her gaze warm. “I’m glad you came to protect me. I don’t think anyone else could have survived.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and brushed her lips across his cheek. How in the hell could he let her go when his mission was done? He loved her. Maybe he could make it work.

  “What was that for?” he asked.

  “It was a thank-you kiss.”

  “Yeah right,” Farquhar mumbled from the backseat. “Get over yerselves.”

  Inanna swatted him with her tail. “Now now, baby.”

  Both Serah and Matthias whipped their heads around. Serah narrowed her gaze. “Seriously. Can’t I thank my bodyguard for doing an awesome job of protecting me?”

  Kalli blew out an annoyed huff. “He did more than protect you, and you both know it.”

  “He’s not interested in me.”

  “She’s not interested in me.”

  The words came out in unison. He shook his head. He needed this mission done ASAP. Serah was completely wrong. He was more than interested in her.

  “Ye two are actin’ like eejits.” Farquhar sighed. “Let’s go.”

  Kalli nodded. “I was just about to say the same thing.” She yanked open the back door and stomped off toward the building.

  Farquhar and Inanna followed, their tails swishing behind them. “Bluidy hell. Stupid arses,” he heard muttered in the distance.

  “Has she always been a matchmaker?”

  “Well, she did try to get Frankie and Gerardo together once.”

  “What happened?”

  “World War Three almost happened.”

  Matthias nodded. “I see.” He swung the door open and hopped out. He’d do anything to ease her worry. “Well, we’d better get going. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

  He jogged around and opened the driver side door. “You have me to protect you.”

  “I want more than your protection, Matthias.”

  His jaw ticked. “What more do you want from me?”

  “I want your love, damn it.”

  You have it, Serah. You just can’t know it. “That can’t happen,” he said instead.

  The words tore him up inside.

  ***

  “I know you have feelings for me. Why can’t you admit it?”

  Kalli had said he was protecting her. But was he protecting her from Salome or protecting her from himself?

  “Now is not the time.”

  “It’s never the time.” Serah clenched her fists. She needed to speak her mind, before it was too late. “I’m not weak, you know. I can protect myself. You’re overreacting about this.”

  “I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

  “You’re not going to lose me. We’re going to beat Salome.”

  “Maybe not today, but some day.” Matthias shrugged. “You’re better off with someone like Daniel.”

  “Daniel?”

  “You two seemed so comfortable together.”

  “In a totally platonic way.” She rolled her e
yes. “I accidentally kissed him and it was weird. Not at all like our kisses.”

  “Huh?”

  “It felt like I was kissing my brother, not a lover.” And that was the truth. “That sort of thing doesn’t get my rocks off, if you know what I mean.”

  He raked a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. “You don’t know what you’re saying. It’s the excitement of the impending battle.”

  “Fine, then I’m going to ask you just one favor.”

  Matthias nodded. “I can respect that. What’s your request?”

  “Let’s discuss this afterwards.”

  “So be it.” Matthias’s face became more sullen. “After the battle and we’ve had time to relax. Let’s see if you still feel the same.”

  Oh, she had no doubts at all. Her feelings wouldn’t change. She’d never been so sure of anything ever in her entire life.

  “That’s all I’m asking,” she said, a sly grin curving her lips. With that, she stomped past Matthias and headed up the path to the front entrance.

  She threw open the door and promptly wished she could close it. She’d never seen her kitchen so busy. There were people everywhere. Cameramen bustled around, testing their cameras. The director adjusted his headset, and began barking out orders. Other people bustled about. Was this a major motion picture or a TV show? What had she gotten herself into?

  Then again, she wasn’t a coward. She took a deep breath.

  You can do it!

  Oh, brother. There she went, channeling her inner Rob Schneider. But any little bit helped.

  You know what? I can do it. She had to. Connolly Park depended on her. Heck, the world depended on her. And even Matthias depended on her, even if he was too stubborn to admit it.

  “Serah!”

  She turned and spotted Daniel over in the corner discussing something with a woman. She took a huge gulp. A beautiful woman. She wore a bright fuchsia sweater that accentuated her more-than-ample bosom, and completed the ensemble with a tight, leather pencil skirt and stiletto ankle boots. The woman snapped her head up to lock gazes with Serah. Her turquoise gaze narrowed. She would’ve thought a color like that would be dazzling but, on this woman, there wasn’t anything brilliant about it. Absolutely soulless. Salome.

  She couldn’t blow her cover. She had to remain cool. Quite a feat recalling the stories she’d heard about this bitch. She took calm, confident steps toward Daniel and the mystery woman. “You take your production seriously, don’t you?”

  Daniel grinned. He did not miss a beat. He definitely had Academy Award potential. “Serah, may I introduce the producer, Sally Lohman.”

  Sally extended her hand, with an unconvincing smile. Men had fallen for her charms? All Serah felt was the desire to yak up her caramel macchiato. Then again, the scent of curdled milk and roses didn’t help matters much either.

  She took Sally’s hand, shivers of revulsion coursing through her. She gave it a quick shake and just as hastily pulled it away.

  “I didn’t realize so much went into producing a TV show,” Serah said in an attempt to make nice with this walking cup of sour milk. “I hope I can make it through the entire taping.”

  Sally grinned. “I hope so too.”

  Yeah, I bet.

  “Should I show you to the banquet area?” It wasn’t much of a banquet room, but it was large enough to serve fifty. Perfect for Salome’s little production.

  “Certainly.”

  “I had some of my hired help come in early and set it up.”

  Hired help. More like hired hand. The magical hand of Kalli.

  Serah inserted a key into the lock and twisted. She pushed open the door. “Daniel said we’d have about fifty, so I decided ten tables should be plenty. And there’s room for the camera crew.” She pointed to the parquet dance floor. “Just be careful. It’s new flooring.”

  Salome nodded. “Indeed, I will.” She wove her way between the tables, drawing her fingers across the backs of the chairs.

  “Perfect,” she murmured. She flipped up the white table cloth and rubbed it between her fingers. “Damask—nice.”

  Her fingers traveled to the vase of roses in the middle of the table. She traced the tip over a thorn. “Great touch.”

  “Do you approve?”

  Salome shrugged. “It’ll do.”

  Bitch! She’d paid a lot for those tablecloths. She wanted to take that silver and plunge it into her heart right then and there. It would make things easier wouldn’t it? Yeah, right, she probably had a second in command.

  “You’re doing great,” Daniel said, coming to stand behind her. “That’s the best reaction she’s ever had to the table arrangements in the history of this show.”

  “Wow. Charming lady.”

  “She’s tamer than usual.” Daniel shrugged then whispered, “I’ve never seen her like this before. I hope she doesn’t suspect anything.”

  “Let’s worry about that later.”

  Salome came back from her inspection. She put a hand on her hip. “Daniel informs me that you’ve got a bodyguard. I hope he can make himself scarce during the production. We have a large crew, including our own protection. You will be fine.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that. He’s in the office, monitoring from there.”

  “I suppose that will do.”

  Damn right, it would. “But Lucy stays. We’re besties and we do everything together.”

  “How sweet.” She snorted. “What about your sous-chef?”

  “She’s off-site today, catering a business luncheon.” Probably one for Jupiter or Neptune, she supposed.

  “Very well. Business must go on, I suppose,” Salome said with a shrug. “Be ready. The taping starts in a half an hour.” With that, she turned and dismissed them with a rude wave of her hand.

  “Yikes! I’d never make it in showbiz.”

  Daniel sighed. “Yeah, I know. I should have known better, right?”

  “Actually that’s exactly how I expected a stuck-up Hollywood producer to act.”

  “Have you met the director yet? He’s pretty cool.”

  “Is he a demon?”

  “I hope not. He’s always been nice to all of our guests, including Diner Diva.”

  Then again, it would take a saint to be nice to that lady. Of course, the lady had been so annoying that she got her own spin-off show. Go figure. Serah wasn’t taking any chances though, not with so many rotten stenches lingering around.

  The odors barraged her senses. Her kitchen had never smelled so rank, never, not even when she cooked Nonni’s favorite cabbage soup recipe. It was like she was climbing through a giant landfill with the reek surrounding her. She stifled the urge to gag. What she really needed, right now, was a super-powered gas mask. Like she could be that fortunate. She’d just channel the time she went to visit an old school friend’s farm for a week. Who knew pigs could be so malodorous?

  “You need to get your makeup on. God, I hate this stuff,” Daniel said, wiping some foundation from his sweaty brow. “Adam Lambert I am not.”

  “Well, I’m not Lady Gaga, for that matter.”

  Daniel smirked. “Your friend could easily make you look like that.”

  She didn’t doubt that one bit. “Kalli knows not to overdo it with me. She’s done my makeup plenty of times at the salon.”

  “You should be in good hands then,” he said. He grabbed her elbow and led her back to the kitchen. “Let’s go meet Barry.”

  “Barry who?”

  “Barry Holland.”

  “I’ve never heard of him.”

  “It’s reality TV, not a big production.” Daniel led her over to a short, pudgy man, who was flipping through a sheaf of pages.

  “We’re only doing tiramisu? Why doesn’t anyone tell me these things?” He huffed. “We’ll have to make it work.”

  Daniel nudged his way in. “I’ve got a pre-recorded piece on the history of tiramisu ready to roll with it.”

  Barry spun toward Daniel. “Oh?
Whereabouts?”

  Daniel bent over and grabbed the pages. He pointed to the middle of one of the pages. “Right here, where it says ‘Fade to recorded footage.’”

  Barry scratched his head. “Oh, I must have missed that.” He glanced over to Serah, scanning her from head to toe and back up again, like she was a calf going to slaughter. His gaze met hers. “Is this Miss SanGermano?”

  Serah nodded and extended her hand. He took it. Cold and clammy. Mother of God. He was a demon.

  “I am.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, Miss SanGermano. Daniel has told me all about you. And that tiramisu? It’s divine.”

  Surprising he’d know anything being divine. “Daniel’s told me a little about you as well.”

  “All good, I hope.”

  Serah controlled the urge to smirk. As much as he knows. “Yes, it certainly was.”

  “Good. Let’s get you to makeup.” He wrapped his cold arms around her hip and led her to an area they’d set up.

  “I have my own makeup artist and hairstylist actually. Is that okay?”

  “I suppose so,” Barry said. “Less work for our people, I guess.”

  “Cool.” With that, she pulled herself from his clingy embrace and called Daniel over.

  “What is it?”

  “Sorry, to break this to ya, but Barry’s not as nice underneath his disguise.”

  Daniel exhaled sharply. “Aww, man.”

  And now she really dreaded the situation more than she had before.

  Chapter 41

  Matthias used Peragrans to enter the office without notice. Daniel had surprised him. There, he found a laptop set up for him, with a direct feed into both the kitchen and the banquet room. He’d seen Serah’s introduction to Salome. She’d always been so vain. She’d kept the same appearance since he’d last seen her.

  The only thing that had changed was her fashion.

  He clicked over to camera number two. He wasn’t quite sure about the director from the start. He’d seen Serah’s reaction. He was a demon. Two demons down, fifty more to go.

  She headed toward her bedroom-away-from-home and shut the door behind her. Unfortunately, there was no camera there to continue the surveillance.