Wild Flame

by Donna Grant

  “And you don’t?”

  She smiled. “I’m healthy. I fear being that sick again, of being that helpless. It’s terrifying. I always figured that I could have one or the other – health or love.”

  “Your mother sold her soul for you to be well.”

  “Will it last?” she asked with her brows raised. “What if a miracle happens and we get the Hounds off my scent. Will the Demon of Souls be content with things then? Or will he take away my health?”

  “You live in fear.”

  “And you don’t? You fear loving someone so deeply that if they die, you die.”

  Christian shook his head in denial. “We’re talking apples to oranges.”

  “Says the man who has never been in the hospital for months at a time,” she retorted.

  Christian stroked a finger down her face. “What if the Hounds leave you alone and you stay healthy?”

  “What if love finds you?”

  He feared love had already found him. It stood in his arms looking up at him with hazel eyes. “I asked first.”

  “Those are big ifs, but if it happens, I might have to reevaluate things.”

  “Me too,” he answered. There was no way he could tell her that he felt something for her. Not now. Not after the talk they’d had the night before about not wanting relationships.

  She returned her head to his chest. “This is nice.”

  “Very.” Christian closed his eyes and began to pray for a miracle.

  ~ ~ ~

  “I told you,” Beau said to the others as they stared out the window watching Christian and Ivy.

  Davena elbowed him in the side. “You weren’t the only one who saw it.”

  “I was the only one who said anything.”

  Lincoln turned away from the window as worry set in. “We better work faster.”

  “Why?” Vincent asked.

  Linc faced the others. “Seeing Christian just now brought back a memory of when we were just boys. Riley was only a baby at the time. Christian told me he couldn’t wait to find a love like Mom and Dad had.”

  “That’s not good,” Beau said with a frown.

  Ava shook her head in confusion. “Why? Wouldn’t that be good news?”

  Linc looked at everyone in the room. “Christian changed his mind about falling in love after our parents’ deaths. If he’s falling for Ivy and she dies-”

  “It’ll crush him like it did Dad,” Vincent finished. He slammed his hand into his thigh. “Fuck!”

  Olivia took her place on the sofa. “Then we’d better get reading.”

  “Especially since we don’t know how long Davena’s spell to mask Ivy from the Hounds will last,” Beau said.

  Linc returned to the window. Christian and Ivy hadn’t moved. He ached for his brother. Here he had a chance at love, and it could very well be snatched from his grasp.

  It wasn’t right. Christian was the type of man who loved once and loved deeply. Whether he had already fallen for Ivy or was in the process, Lincoln wasn’t going to rest until they found a way to save her. His brother deserved happiness.

  ~ ~ ~

  Ivy spent the rest of the afternoon on the porch with Christian. The smell of dinner drifted to them. She snuggled back against him as they lounged on the swing.

  Most of the time had been spent in silence. It was a comfortable silence, the kind where each was content to just be with the other.

  The few times they had talked had been as he told stories about his family and their exploits. Ivy was amazed she had lived her entire life in Lyons Point and had never heard of the Chiassons.

  If she had been well enough to go to school, there was no doubt Christian would’ve snagged her attention. He was too gorgeous not to.

  His question from earlier still rolled around in her mind. If the Hell Hounds released her, and if she remained healthy, would she allow herself to love?

  She would only admit it to herself, but she would if it was with Christian. Ivy was able to be herself with him. He made her feel safe and sexy. He inspired wicked thoughts about tearing his clothes off and having her way with him.

  It didn’t help that she had come to realize he was the type of man who would stay by her side whether she was healthy or not.

  “I feel bad that we’ve been out here so long,” she said.

  Christian chuckled. “I don’t.”

  “Okay. I don’t either,” she said with a smile as she tilted her head back to look at him.

  He touched her face with the pads of his fingers. “I’ve enjoyed this.”

  “I didn’t know I needed this. Thank you.”

  Christian flashed a charming smile. “Any time.”

  Ivy lowered her head. “We’ll have to go in soon.”

  “No, we don’t. We can eat out here.”

  “Won’t that be rude?”

  He tugged on her earlobe. “Nope. We can do whatever you want.”

  “Eating out here sounds fun. If you’re sure the others won’t be upset.”

  “They won’t,” he assured her. “What else do you want to do?”

  It began to mist, with the droplets growing in size a few moments later.

  “Well, there goes me lying on the ground to look at the stars.”

  “I’d have taken you to the roof to get you that much closer.”

  It was such an innocent sentence, but Ivy smiled in joy because no one had ever done anything like that for her.

  “After that?” Christian asked.

  Ivy sat up and turned to him. “Will you sleep with me tonight?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She smiled and leaned in to kiss him when a distant howl turned her blood to ice. Ivy froze. Christian jumped up from the swing and pulled her protectively behind him.

  “They’re a ways off,” he said as he scanned the front yard.

  “Not that far.” They’d found her. Davena’s spell had given her a few days, but it looked like her time was up.

  Christian took her hand and walked to the door. He yanked the screen open so hard it busted one of the hinges. The front door flew open before he could reach for it.

  Lincoln stood in the entrance. He pulled Ivy inside while Christian grabbed his weapon and rushed in the house.

  All around her was chaos, as everyone gathered weapons and Davena began to chant, their focus solely on the task at hand. Ivy, however, had eyes for only one person. Christian.

  If only she had been able to stop time and have a few more hours with him. She wouldn’t have left him after they’d made love. She would’ve stayed in his arms, watching the rain. Now her choices were about to be taken from her once and for all.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Christian held his crossbow, knowing that the weapon would do him no good against the Hell Hounds. The Hounds only went after their target – unless someone tried to stop them.

  He was going to try and stop them. There was no other choice for him. It wasn’t just because he’d promised Ivy he would keep her safe, and it wasn’t just his duty as a Chiasson. He would do it because...he loved her.

  “Get Ivy to the shed!” Vincent bellowed.

  Christian’s head swung around to Ivy. He looked into her eyes and saw the stark fear in her hazel depths. She was waiting for his agreement before she did anything.

  He rushed to her, grabbing her hand as he walked past and tugged her after him into the kitchen. Beau ran around them and out the back door. He held the screen open, his shotgun pointed up as he looked around.

  “Go,” he told them.

  Ivy stayed next to Christian as they ran from the porch, across the wet grass, and to the shed. Christian whirled around once she was inside to cover Beau as he followed them.

  “You should be with Davena,” Christian said.

  Beau grunted. “She told me you would need me out here.”

  Christian glanced at Ivy, who stood against one of the large cages. Then he looked at his brother and said in a low voice, “Don’t put yourself in
the way of the Hounds. You’ll get killed, and Davena will be pissed off enough to bring me back from the dead only to dispatch me again for letting you die.”

  “You think you’ll be killed tonight?”

  “I’m prepared for it.”

  Beau nodded slowly. “Does Ivy know?”

  “Know what?” Christian asked.

  “That you love her.”

  He looked away. “No.”

  “Interesting.”

  Christian returned his gaze to Beau when he heard him dialing someone from his cell phone. He gave his brother a questioning look, but Beau just smiled as he turned the speaker on. After two rings, a male voice answered.

  “Kane, we’re in a bit of a rush. We need y’all’s help.”

  Their cousin in New Orleans said, “Hang on. Let me get the others.” With the phone held away from him, Kane yelled, “Hey! Everyone in Myles’s office. Now. It’s an emergency!”

  Christian looked at Ivy to find her still in the same spot, her arms wrapped around herself. She was doing a good job of holding it together, but it was obvious by the way she shook that she was unraveling.

  “We’re all here,” Kane’s voice came through the phone. “What’s going on?”

  Christian turned his attention to the cell phone. “Hell Hounds.”

  “You’re fucked then,” the eldest LaRue brother, Solomon said.

  “The woman we’re protecting didn’t sell her soul,” Beau explained.

  Christian sighed as the weight of what they were trying settled over him. “It was Ivy’s mother. Ten years ago, she sold her soul to help Ivy beat a terrible illness.”

  “Then what’s the problem?” Kane asked.

  “Ivy’s mother died a year ago. It was ruled a natural death, but we need to know for certain,” Beau explained.

  There was a string of curses. Then Court said, “We haven’t done that much research on the Hounds, but we’ll see what we can find.”

  “We don’t have the time,” Christian said through clenched teeth.

  Beau put his hand on Christian’s arm and told the others, “Davena spelled Ivy so that she was hidden from the Hounds. It gave us a few days to do our own investigation, but the spell is wearing off. The Hounds are near.”

  “You should’ve called earlier,” Solomon said.

  Christian hung his head. Their cousins had been a last resort, and it was turning out to be a bust.

  “Call Minka.”

  Christian jerked his head up at the voice. His gaze pinned Beau, but his brother wasn’t at all surprised to hear Riley’s voice on the other end of the line. “You knew.”

  He wasn’t sure whether to be furious with Beau for keeping their sister’s location a secret, or at Riley for staying away.

  “Yes, he knew,” Riley said. “I asked for some time, Christian, and Beau gave it to me.”

  Beau shrugged. “It was the least I could do after what we did.”

  “We’ll talk about this later,” Riley said, her voice growing stronger as if she walked closer to Kane’s phone. “Minka might be able to help.”

  Christian frowned, wishing his sister and cousins were with him instead of on the phone. “Who the hell is Minka?”

  “A witch. A powerful one at that. She might be able to help.”

  “Then get her on the phone.”

  “Give me a sec,” Riley said.

  A moment later, Kane’s voice came over the phone. “Riley is calling Minka now. The witch has surprised us in the past. She very well might have the answers you seek.”

  “Don’t get my hopes up,” Ivy said.

  Christian frowned and walked to her. “I’m asking you not to lose hope.”

  “I won’t have you sacrifice your life or put the lives of your family in jeopardy to protect me. The Hounds will get me one way or another. You and your family have given me a few days. I wouldn’t have had that otherwise.”

  Christian shook his head. “There’s a way out of this. We just need to find it.”

  “Don’t lie to her,” Solomon’s voice said. “It’s the worst thing you can do.”

  Christian ground his teeth together and looked back at Beau and his phone. “I’m not lying. There is a way, and we’ll find it.”

  “Hoodoo,” Riley said through the phone. “Minka said to use goofer dust around Ivy.”

  Beau’s forehead furrowed deeply. “That’ll only last for so long.”

  “It’ll give Minka time. Do it!” Riley shouted.

  Beau tossed his phone at Christian and rushed from the shed. More howls sliced through the night. The Hounds were getting closer. They usually ran in packs of two, but there were instances where three Hounds went after a soul.

  Two was bad enough. Three would mean that two would keep them occupied while the third went after Ivy.

  Christian hated the fear that filled his belly. Is this what his father had felt the night their mother died, when he couldn’t find her?

  “Christian?”

  Riley’s voice pulled him out of his dark thoughts. “Yeah.”

  “Ivy couldn’t be in better hands.”

  Ivy smiled up at Christian as she replied, “I agree.”

  Beau stormed back into the shed with Lincoln and Vincent. Christian gave Ivy a quick kiss before he stepped back so Beau could pour the dust around her in a circle.

  “It’s done,” Beau said. “How long do we need to wait, Riley?”

  Christian watched his brothers frown while Riley told them it would take as long as it took for Minka to find what she needed.

  “She’ll work fast,” Kane said.

  Vincent took a step toward the phone, but Beau put a hand on his chest and shook his head. Vin and Linc exchanged looks, but neither said a word about discovering that Riley was in New Orleans.

  “So,” Riley said, a smile in her voice. “I can’t wait to meet you, Ivy.”

  Ivy tried to laugh, but her fear was too great. “Same here. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Don’t believe everything Christian says. He tends to forget things.”

  Beau snorted. “Always.”

  Christian glared at Beau. “Hey.”

  “The truth hurts,” Riley said with a laugh.

  “Y’all can both kiss my sweet ass.” Christian appreciated what Riley was trying to do, but he understood that it was a life or death situation for Ivy.

  Ivy’s eyes crinkled at the corners as she gazed at him. “If I don’t get a chance later, I wanted to thank all of you here and in New Orleans for your help.”

  “Anytime,” the LaRues said in unison.

  Vin nodded his head to Ivy. “It’s what we do.”

  “Amen,” Linc said as he shot her a wink.

  Beau rested his shotgun on his shoulder. “As if we could turn away the one woman who managed to capture Christian’s attention.”

  There was a loud boom as something slammed against the side of the shed. Ivy squatted, her hands over her ears as the Hell Hounds barked incessantly.

  “Riley!” Christian bellowed.

  “Hang on! Do you hear me? I’m going to be so pissed off if the four of you get yourselves killed!”

  Christian set down the phone inside the circle with Ivy and turned around to take his position. He and his brothers fanned out around Ivy with their weapons at the ready.

  As suddenly as the Hounds came, the noise ended. The only sound that broke the quiet was Ivy’s harsh breaths. No one said a word, not even Riley or the LaRues on the other end of the phone.

  The seconds turned to minutes. Finally, Christian said, “Riley?”

  “Hang on,” their sister said.

  Christian could hear her talking to someone else as her voice grew dimmer and dimmer.

  “She’s on the phone with Minka,” Court explained.

  Christian prayed that the witch had found something. He couldn’t lose Ivy. It would break him as nothing else could.

  He realized at that moment that he hadn’t been the strong one o
f the family. He had been the weakest, erecting a barrier around his heart because he had known this day would come.

  Just as he knew he wouldn’t survive losing Ivy.

  “Tell us you have good news, Court,” Lincoln said.

  Court was silent for a moment. “I can’t tell. Riley has her back to us, but she’s writing something down.”

  “You really should’ve called us sooner,” Solomon said. “We could’ve been there with you.”

  Christian wished they had called them, but it was too late now. All the research in the world hadn’t given them the answers they needed.

  Davena, as powerful as she was, didn’t know magic like a witch who had been raised using spells did. Without her, however, Ivy wouldn’t have had time to prepare. Then again, that might be worse. It might have been better if she hadn’t known what was after her.

  “Where the fuck are the Hounds?” Christian ground out.

  Beau adjusted his rifle. “I like that they stopped their barking.”

  “I’m with Christian. I’d rather get the show on the road,” Linc said.

  Vin lowered his machete and turned toward the phone. “Solomon, I’d ask you and the others to continue looking after Riley and to come and get Olivia, Ava, and Davena if the worst happens.”

  “You have my word,” Solomon said.

  Christian should have known his brothers would stand with him whether he wanted them to or not. They were Chiassons, defenders of the innocent, slayers of the supernatural.

  They were blood, family.

  Those ties went too deep for them to let him face the Hounds alone.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  To take her mind off of what was happening, Ivy listened to Christian and his brothers. It was only when Vincent asked Solomon to come for their women that she understood.

  They planned to put themselves in front of the Hounds to keep her alive.

  It boggled her mind. They didn’t know her. Sure they protected the parish, but that didn’t mean they should sacrifice their lives and leave behind the women they loved just for her.