Wild Flame (2 page)

He straightened as none of his balls went into the pockets. Frustrated in more ways than one, he lifted his gaze to Curls and listened to more of her laughter.

Marshall clapped him on the back and leaned in to whisper, “I’m liking your distraction.”

No matter how many times Christian tried to concentrate on the game, Curls pulled his attention away time and again. Three games – and a hundred and fifty dollars later - it was obvious he was distracted.

It was after one in the morning, and if Curls hadn’t been there, Christian would’ve already found a bed partner for the night.

But Curls was there.
 

“Want to go another round?” Marshall asked, laughing.

Christian cut him a dark look. “You’ve taken enough of my money for the night.”

Marshall put away the cue sticks. “Just go talk to her.”

“No.”

“Why?” he asked in surprise. “You’re obviously attracted to her.”

Christian raised his beer to Marshall and grinned.

They moved back to the bar when others approached the table to play pool.
 

Marshall had a confused look on his face. “Explain something to me. You were ready to bed those two girls earlier – who left disappointed, by the way - but not this one?”

“You’re on a roll tonight, Sheriff. Tell me, are you a detective or something?” Christian asked sarcastically.

It was Marshall’s turn to glare. “Seriously, Christian. I don’t get it.”

Christian peeled the label from his beer bottle. “You know what my family does. You know the hazards we face daily.”

“I do,” Marshall agreed with a nod.

“It’s just a matter of time before one of those monsters gets us. My brothers are the biggest kinds of dimwitted fools for bringing the women they love into this messed up life we lead.”

Marshall was quiet for a moment. “Your line has to continue.”

“Fortunately, it will. Between Vin, Linc, and Beau, I’ve no doubt there will be many little Chiassons running around soon.”

“Riley, as well.”

Christian shook his head. “Nope. We got her out of this life early enough so that she could lead a normal one. No doubt she’ll have children, but they won’t be fighting monsters like us.”

“You want to be alone?”

Want had nothing to do with it. It was a matter of sanity. Christian knew that if the right kind of woman came along, he would fall in love with her.
 

He also knew that if he ever did fall in love and lost her, it would kill him. He wasn’t just saving some unknown woman from a worry-filled life, he was preserving himself, as well.

“In a house with six people? How the hell can I ever be alone?” Christian joked.

But Marshall didn’t smile. “It’s no way to live.”

Christian let his fake grin fade. “It’s the only way I’m going to.”

“Do your brothers know?”

“Yeah. They aren’t happy about it, but they’ve come to terms with it.”

Marshall finished his beer and pushed the empty bottle away. “That’s messed up on so many levels. I’m outta here. I’ll see you soon.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Marshall slid off the stool. “If I’m going to live here, I need to know everything. What better way than hangin’ with the Chiassons?”

Christian waved as Marshall walked off. Once the sheriff was gone, his gaze returned to Curls. She was finishing her drink, and he watched as she paid and leaned over the bar to hug her friend. Then she was gone, too.

It was everything Christian could do not to go after her. He was going to make damn sure he never came back to Joel’s Place again. Not when there was a chance Curls could be there.

Christian remained for another fifteen minutes and finished his beer. He declined an offer from a leggy blond and decided to head home.

He walked out of the bar and barely made it halfway to his truck before he caught sight of pale brown curls in the moonlight.
 

CHAPTER TWO

“Really?” Ivy Pierce said as she stared at her flat tire.

She had known stopping at the bar for a drink after work was a bad idea, but Stacy wouldn’t accept no for an answer. It wasn’t that she didn’t have a good time when she was with Stacy, but her friend was usually trying to set her up with some guy.

At least this time Stacy was content to just talk. Ivy shook her head at the tire. The only thing that had gone right the entire week had been her visit with Stacy.

Lately, if something could go wrong, it did. Often. This was her second flat in three days. From her air conditioning going out, to breaking her grandmother’s dish, to losing her favorite earrings…

She opened her trunk and went to get the jack when she remembered her other tire was still being repaired, which meant the spare was already in use.

“Just great,” she mumbled.

She was going to have to wait for Stacy to get off work to give her a ride home. Ivy was turning to go back into the bar when dogs began barking behind her. She jumped, whirling around because it had sounded like they were racing toward her.

“Is there a problem?” asked a deep, incredibly sexy voice behind her.

Startled for the second time, Ivy turned, her hand on her throat. The man was tall and muscular, his shirt stretched tightly across his chest and arms. But his face was in shadow. She took a step back.

“Forgive me,” he said and shifted so the light on the side of the building shown on his face. “Is everything all right?”

Ivy stared at him a full minute, taking in his short, dark hair and startlingly handsome face. If you liked the rugged look
—
which she just discovered she very much did
—
he was just about perfect.

She swallowed, recalling that he had asked her two questions. “I’ve got a flat.”

“I can fix it if you’d like,” he offered.

Ivy blew out a frustrated breath. “I fixed the first flat two days ago, so, unfortunately, the spare is already in use.”

“I see.” He looked around, a frown forming when the dogs started barking again. “Two flats so soon? You run over glass or something?”

“No. It’s just been the week from hell. Everything is going wrong.”

“I’m Christian, by the way.”

She smiled, unable to stop herself. “I’m Ivy.”

“Well, Ivy, you’re in a jam. Why don’t I call a tow truck for you?”

“No,” she said hastily. Too hastily, if his confused look was any indication. She licked her lips. “I’ll be fine.”

“Out here by yourself?”

“I’ve got a friend coming to help,” she lied.

He nodded, looking off in the distance when the barking began again – closer this time. “That’s good. When are they coming?”

“In a bit.”

“That’s not going to be soon enough, Ivy.”

His response shocked her and she took another step away from him. She heard a dog snarl behind her, but when she turned around, nothing was there.

Suddenly, she was yanked against a wall of muscle and turned so that she was pinned between Christian and her car. She could hear the growls and barking of the dogs, but she still couldn’t see them.

Christian threw something that looked like dirt in the air, and the night went deathly quiet.

“Okay, Ivy, here’s the deal. We’re going to run to my truck. It’s the gray one parked three away from yours. Get in on the driver’s side and scoot over. We’re not going to have a lot of time.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’ll explain later,” he said in a rush. “Now, run!”

Ivy secured her purse on her shoulder then scooted away and turned to run. She cut the corner of her car too quickly and jammed her knee into the bumper. Her foot slipped, but she managed to catch herself before she fell.

She heard Christian behind her, as well as the jingle of keys. The lights of a dark gray truck flickered as he unlocked the vehicle. She ran as fast as she could to the door and jerked it open.

“Get in!” Christian bellowed as she struggled to climb in and get into the passenger seat.
 

She fell forward, slamming her face into the passenger door when Christian jumped into the truck and shut them inside. Ivy sat up, trying to calm her breathing and her heart.

Something rammed into her side of the truck. She jerked her head to the window and saw something so close its breath was fogging up the glass, but she could only see the fog, not what was causing it.

Christian fired up the engine and quickly drove away. Ivy’s hands were shaking as she attempted to put on her seatbelt. It took her several tries before she was finally able to get it buckled.

She stared straight ahead, her heart hammering in her chest so hard she expected it to burst at any moment.

“Are you all right?” Christian asked as he sped down the roads. “Are you bit? Scratched?”

“N...no,” she stammered.

“I didn’t figure you for one to make a deal.”

She blinked and slowly turned her head to him. “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 leaving.”