Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(49)

The chef poured some liquid over the top of the cherries and directed Daniel to angle the pan and pour a little over the side.

Matthias cringed. That was a disaster waiting to happen. A disaster he’d witnessed earlier that morning. Clenching his teeth, he held his breath. The pan was going to explode.

The pan lit on fire. Instead of running around the kitchen in a panic, the two men laughed and smiled as the cherry mixture burned in front of their eyes.

Daniel just stirred the mixture and continued the conversation, oblivious to the fact that it was still on fire.

Eventually the fire died out and they pulled two bowls of ice cream out of the freezer. The chef scooped some of the wasted sauce and poured it over the ice cream.

“And that’s how you make cherries jubilee.” Daniel stuck his spoon into the ice cream and took a bite. “Mmmm. Delicious. Tune in next week when a special guest shows us a new way of making crème br?lée.” He flashed that damned smile. “Yes, I love cooking with fire. Until then, live long and cook strong.”

Matthias shook his head in disbelief. People actually watch this rubbish?

He clicked the link to learn more about the host. A large picture of this Daniel man filled his screen. Long, blond hair was neatly tied at the nape of his neck. He took care of himself. Had a sturdy physique and greenish eyes. His wide, toothy smile seemed genuine enough. There had to be more. He moved the page down to read Daniel’s biography.

Daniel Blackburn was raised in Chicago’s South Side. The oldest of four boys, Daniel struggled through school and work to raise his family and make ends meet.



While working as a bouncer at a popular Chicago nightclub, he caught the eye of one of the producers of the reality show, Princes and Paupers, where wealthy businessmen trade places with those less fortunate. He was season two’s pauper. Daniel became an overnight sensation. It was soon discovered that Daniel had a knack for cooking, stemming from his life being raised by a single mother. He currently hosts the successful cooking show, American Chef, and runs a restaurant and winery in a Chicago suburb.





A true rags-to-riches story. Who couldn’t love a guy who bounced back from adversity. No wonder all the women, including Serah, were enamored of him. The man had fan pages galore, according to Matthias’s research. He saw the way Serah talked about him, how she smiled when she mentioned his name. There was no masking it.

He snorted. What was so fascinating about a man who enjoyed food? What happened to the days when women swooned over a man with a sword? From the vast array of information Matthias had collected, Daniel was also an avid oenologist, a connoisseur of fine wines who prided himself on his extensive knowledge.

Just like Dionysus. Maybe he had nothing to worry about after all. Hah, him? Worry? Why for?

He skimmed over some other celebrity gossip websites. Nothing about Daniel popped up on the radar. He was a bachelor, had no kids or known lovers—male or female. Not even the popular tabloid magazines or websites had anything on him. But he’d seen how the paparazzi operated these days—that was virtually impossible. They could find something on the holiest of people—including Mother Theresa if they needed to. No one was immune.

This man seemed genuine enough in his picture, but some people could pose and pictures could be altered. He looked through several other photos. Just as genuine as the first. It unnerved him. No one, not even a demon, could be so friendly looking. Something was up.

He’d meet this Daniel Blackburn face to face. Only then would he make his decision. Serah would have to learn how to deal with it. He couldn’t have her hurt. Especially if the man with the pristine smile had ulterior motives.

He gritted his teeth. Why the hell did he care so much?





Chapter 21


Serah balanced the tray of coffee on one hand and scrounged around her purse with the other. She grabbed her keychain and clicked the button on the remote to lock the car.

Besides food, catering had its good points, like the ability to balance any size and shape of tray in one hand. Too bad that wasn’t an Olympic sport. She’d so get the gold medal if it were. Not that she liked bragging, but she did balance a mean tray now and again.

“Need any help?”

The vaguely familiar voice echoed in her ear. Not an unpleasant voice, but unexpected. She glanced down at her watch. Seven forty-five. Of course he’d be early.

Just her luck. Was Daniel setting her up to get invited in? Matthias would be pissed. Really? Did she really care what Matthias thought? And where was that sulfur smell that always lingered whenever a demon was nearby. If Daniel was a demon, he’d be smelling like a steaming pile of… something.

“I got it. I do it every day.” Not a complete lie. Usually she did not have three steaming cups of coffee and a bag of bagels. She balanced the bagels atop the cups and grabbed the doorknob.

“See?”

“Oh, you’re talented. At least allow me to hold the door for you.”

“You just said I was talented, though.”

“True.” Without further words, he reached out and plucked the tray and bagels from her hand. “I’m talented too.”

“Apparently.”

“Serah SanGermano?”

Serah nodded and extended her now-free hand. “Daniel Blackburn? Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you until nine thirty.”