Wild Flame Read Free

“Excuse me?”
    “A deal. With a Crossroads demon.”
    “What are you talking about? What the hell’s a Crossroads demon?”
    Christian glanced at her, his blank expression illuminated by the faint glow from the truck’s dashboard lights. “You don’t have to lie to me. I’m a Chiasson.”
    “And I’m a Pierce. What has that got to do with anything?”
    The night was turning more and more confusing by the minute. Ivy just wanted to be in her favorite PJs, sitting on the couch, catching up on episodes of Game of Thrones.
    “I want to go home. Pull over, please.”
    Christian shook his head as he sped up. “I can’t do that. As soon as I pull over, those Hell Hounds will be back. I doubt you’ll get away a second time.”
    Hell Hounds? Crossroads demons? Was this some kind of sick joke?  
    Ivy quietly unzipped her purse and wrapped her hand around the butt of her gun. “Pull over.”
    “There’s only one place that’s safe for you. As soon as we get there, I’ll explain everything.”
    “You’ll stop now.” To make him see that she was serious, Ivy drew her weapon.
    Christian glanced at her, then did a double-take when he saw the gun. His lips flattened into a line as he began to slow the truck.
    Ivy knew the times she’d gone to the gun range would pay off. In the cruel, vicious world, it was inevitable that someone, somewhere would try to take advantage of her. But she was prepared.
    Tires squealed as Christian jerked the wheel, turning it to the right and tossing her against the center console. She screamed in outrage – and surprise.
    Then she heard the dogs barking again.
    Christian drove like a bat out of hell down the dirt road. The night was too dark to see anything other than what the headlights showed, which was nothing but grass on either side of them.
    “Hold on. This isn’t going to be pretty or smooth,” Christian said tightly as he jerked the wheel once more.
    The first bump jarred Ivy so much that she nearly lost her hold on the gun. She quickly shoved the weapon back in her purse and grabbed hold of anything she could to keep from hitting the top of the truck as they bounced along.
    “You left the road!” she hollered.
    Christian was entirely focused on the path in front of them. “Had to,” was all he said.
    Ivy opened her mouth to warn him of the huge hole, right before the passenger side tire went in. Her teeth clashed and her jaw slammed shut with the force of the hit. The truck lurched, causing her head to ram up against the window.
    “Oww,” she mumbled.
    There was no more barking, but Christian didn’t slow. He drove like he was on a racetrack and their lives depended upon winning the race.  
    All Ivy knew was that she felt a measure of relief now that the barking had stopped. She spotted a row of crepe myrtles lining a lane as Christian swerved into the driveway.  
    When a large, white plantation house came into view, Ivy assumed he would slow. Instead, he sped up. Words lodged in her throat when she saw the front door of the house open and a man and woman step out.
    Christian slammed on the brakes, jerking the wheel once more so that the passenger side of the truck slid toward the porch.
    “Get out!” Christian ordered.
    The truck door was thrown open by a man who grabbed her arm and yanked her out. She was unceremoniously tossed onto the porch where a woman with beautiful, long blond hair helped steady her.
    “Are you all right?” the woman asked.
    Before Ivy could answer, the barking started again.
    “Shit,” Christian said as he jumped from the truck onto the porch.  
    The man looked from Christian to Ivy. “What the hell is going on?”
    “She claims to know nothing,” Christian told the man.
    Ivy had had enough. She stepped away from the three of them and reached her hand into her purse again. “I don’t know what is wrong with all of y’all, but I’m done being scared. I’m through with being tossed about like a bag of potatoes. I’m