Demon Fire Read Online Free PDF Page B

spectacular,” Meredith said.
    “I’d say the view in here is pretty good, too,” Dax said as he entered the room, snapping the top snap on his starched white Western-style shirt. “Has Cara been tempting you with her peach preserves?”
    “Oh, by all means,” Cara said. “I’ll make some toast.”
    “Actually, if you don’t mind, we’ll be needing something a little heartier. Enough for our powwow with the guys in an hour or so,” Dax said. “Meredith went without dinner last night. Plus, the only reason ranch hands would ever agree to meet during the only halfway cool part of a hot summer day is to get a bite of your cooking.”
    “Flattery will get you everywhere,” Cara said. “But I’ll be happy to make some toast to tide you over.”
    “Thanks, but coffee is enough to get me going in the mornings,” Meredith said.
    “Okay, then. You two go on. I’ll be there in about an hour.”
    “Ready for our expedition?” Dax picked up a backpack from the table and slipped it over his shoulders.
    “Can’t wait!” Meredith said.
    He went to the door that Cara had just come through and opened it. “After you...”
    “Are you kidding?” Meredith said, laughing as they moved down steep wooden steps. “This has taught me two things. First, you should never believe all the crazy stories a child tells you in your dreams. Until yesterday, I was expecting gold bricks and donkeys with carts and Spaniards in pointy hats. And until just this minute, I was expecting the cave to be out in the middle of nowhere.”
    “You got a lot of it right. We’re still Spaniards, even though we got rid of the donkeys and hats years ago. And the second thing?”
    “I see how Cara stays in such good shape!”

Chapter Five
    Dax spent considerable time deciding on the best way to introduce Meredith to the cavern. Each entry had certain advantages. The kitchen entrance led into the space that was more like an extension of the house: Dax’s wine cellar, Cara’s pantry, and storage for items that weren’t appropriate for the ranch’s various barns. The cozy, furnished spaces would make a neophyte feel comfortable, letting Dax ease into the realities of the demon portal that was quite a distance from the house.
    On the other hand, the cave entrance that opened up into the meadow at the other end was in its natural state. Musty and dank. Spooky, even. The portal flooded that side of the cavern with negative energy. Enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of a person’s neck. Enough to convince a neophyte that the hounds of hell were pacing just around the next corner.
    He saw now that he had made the right decision. Meredith seemed to be her usual upbeat, chatty self. Just what he wanted for their meeting with the ranch hands. Even though he had told Meredith that the guys she would meet were really members of the Warrior Council—full-blooded demon-warriors—he wondered if she fully grasped what that meant. He hoped she wouldn’t be intimidated by their questions, or their attitude. It’s easy to put a book down when it gets too scary, but impossible to dismiss a plot that is unfolding before one’s eyes.
    For his own part, he was hoping that the other warriors would confirm his beliefs about Meredith. Later, they would no doubt track down the spirit of the girl that came to her in her dreams. For now, at least, Dax was certain that the pressure on Meredith would soon be alleviated. She was no demon expediter. She was innocent. And it wasn’t just because she was the sexiest creature he had ever seen. His body stirred with desire. Not now !
    He realized that he had no idea what he was saying, although the sound of his voice echoed through the cavern. Meredith was drinking in every word. Ah, right—the story of the scepter and its powers.
    He turned to the niche in the stone wall where it was kept.
    Empty . Dax’s pulse raced. Could be a moot issue, since the scepter was powerless without the missing object.
    Or, it