Free Demon Fire by Ann Kellett Page A

then evaporated in the blink of an eye. Had she noticed anything? Perhaps a member of the Council was giving him a mental test. Perhaps it had been too long since he had been off the ranch.
    He wished that Randy—also half-human, half-demon-warrior—had come instead. But the ranch foreman had an important duty of his own. As keeper of the scepter that was the warriors’ primary weapon, Randy was charged with finding the unknown object that was lost from the scepter long ago.
    “Thanks for coming out,” Meredith said as she dropped a felt-tipped pen into a trashcan and picked up a new one.
    “I don’t get many male fans at these events. Don’t tell me—your wife has a birthday coming up. I can inscribe it for her.”
    “I’ve never been married,” Dax said. “I’d prefer it if you’d make it out to me.”
    “Of course!” Meredith took the book and looked up expectantly, pen in hand.
    “The name’s Dax—Dax Thelassian. I believe you’re already familiar with the spelling.”
    ****
    Meredith scanned the lobby, hoping to spot Elena, her cousin and best friend who was working as her assistant. No luck. Meredith forced a smile as she signed the book and handed it back to him.
    Meredith’s publicist had warned her that books about the paranormal brought out all kinds of kooks. So far, she had been lucky—twenty-four signings in fifteen states, without a hitch. But she knew this odd man was likely to make an appearance since she never replied to his letter asking how she came to use his name in her book.
    “What an unusual name,” she said. “You must be aware by now that the hero in my book has the same name. And lives here in San Saba.” She smiled. “But even if you’re from around here, surely the coincidence ends there. You’re not going to tell me that there really are demons lurking in these hills, are you, Mr. Thelassian?”
    Two teenage girls in line behind Dax giggled.
    She couldn’t help flirting once she saw how good-looking and normal he seemed. After the letter, Elena had hired a private investigator to find out as much as possible about the alleged real-life Dax Thelassian.
    The man in front of her seemed to confirm the investigator’s findings. He obviously worked outdoors, with his calloused hands and sun-kissed face. A cowboy, but with a regal bearing, as if he felt equally at home with peasants or kings. The strong, silent type who knew what he wanted and was used to getting it.
    Now that he was standing directly in front of her, she made herself focus on his face instead of the six-pack abs that beckoned under the crisp white shirt that was at eye level. The black leather belt with the silver tip and buckle was fastened at the next-to-last hole, emphasizing his trim waist. She could only imagine what delights lay a few inches below.
    “I’m sorry if I have caused you to be the subject of unwanted attention,” Meredith said. “My cousin, who happens to be here this morning, was in charge of fact-checking things like this. It hardly seems possible that she could have missed something so glaring.
    “Is there anything in particular that you would like that could make up for your inconvenience? This is the last stop on my book tour and I’ll be back home in San Antonio this afternoon. My lawyers will contact you shortly to negotiate some kind of arrangement.”
    Meredith fiddled with her pendant, as she often did when anxious. She knew first-hand that becoming a millionaire virtually overnight made her vulnerable to all kinds of outlandish schemes.
    If this man was reasonable, he could be paid off and out of her life soon enough. If he was vindictive, the court battles and headlines could drag on endlessly. She had to treat this man as if he were reasonable. Feed his ego, at least for now.
    “A cowboy like me doesn’t have much use for lawyers,” Dax said. “Besides, even though I’ve lived here all my life, I prefer to keep to myself. Thank you for the autograph. I look