Read Wild Flame for Free Online

pockets of her jeans as she glanced at the bayou once more. “All the poking and prodding by the doctors, and the numerous medications I was on eventually worked. Though I fear that whatever it was will return one day.”
    To be miraculously healed like that wasn’t something that happened often. Usually, it meant that magic or a demon was involved.
    “Did anyone visit you in the hospital and ask what you would do if you weren’t sick anymore?”  
    Ivy’s head cocked to the side. “I thought of that last night, but besides my doctors and the nurses, my mother was the only one who visited.”
    “The demon could’ve been a nurse or doctor.”
    She was shaking her head before he finished. “None of them ever asked me such a thing.”
    “Then I’m out of ideas,” Christian said in frustration.  
    As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he thought of her mother. She would have wanted Ivy to get better more than anything. The same thought must have crossed Ivy’s mind because her face crumpled.
    “Ivy,” he said and took a step toward her.
    She raised a hand to stop him and stepped back. “My mother was devout in her beliefs. She wouldn’t have traded my soul in such a way.”
    “She couldn’t.” Christian rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like the biggest ass for having to say his next words. “Ivy, the only soul a person can bargain with is their own.”
    “You think she sold her soul?”
    “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
    “Then why are the Hell Hounds after me?”
    It was a good question. “Your mother died last year, right?”
    “In her sleep. The autopsy showed it was a heart attack.”
    “If that’s the case, then the Hell Hounds should be satisfied. They got their soul, even if they didn’t have to come to get it.”
    Ivy gave a little shake of her head. “That still doesn’t explain why the Hounds are after me.”
    “It’s time we found out.”  
    Christian strode back into the house with Ivy on his heels. They walked into the office. He went to the desk and sat, once more pulling out the journal.
    He glanced up and pointed to one of the laptops sitting on the coffee table. “Do you mind looking up your scenario?”
    “Not at all.” Ivy sat, pulling the laptop to her and opening it.
    Christian thumbed through the journal until he came to the part about the Hell Hounds while he heard Ivy punching the keyboard.  
    “What’s going on?” Vincent asked as he walked in.
    Christian didn’t look up from his perusal of the passages. “We think Ivy’s mom might have made the deal, but she died last year of a heart attack.”
    “That shouldn’t matter then,” Vin said. “The Hounds got their soul.”
    “Exactly.” Christian glanced up at his eldest brother. “Then why are they after Ivy?”
    Vincent let out a whistle that sounded throughout the house. In a matter of moments, everyone would be in the room.
    Vin walked to the bookshelf and drew out two books. “Looks like we need to alter our research.”
    Christian slid his gaze to Ivy to find her watching him. He gave her a nod, and her answering grin did funny things to his insides.
    He decided to chalk it up to the four waffles he’d eaten.

CHAPTER SIX

    Ivy was about ready to call it a day after eight hours of research when Beau let out an expletive.  
    “What?” Christian asked.
    She still couldn’t believe how hard he was working to help her. Yet, she couldn’t figure out why. He didn’t know her. Sure, his family helped the innocent, but for him to go to such extremes just seemed...odd.
    At least, she had never encountered anyone who would do such a thing. Granted, her experience with people was limited, but she’d watched enough TV to know it was unusual.
    Beau’s gaze landed on her. Ivy straightened, wondering what she had done.
    “I found something,” Beau said as he rose from his chair and walked to her. He handed her the book, his finger next to the third paragraph on the page. “Read