Wild Flame by Donna Grant Page B

her soul because of her mother’s suicide, they would’ve come for her two months earlier,” Christian said.
    Kane folded his arms over his chest as he widened his stance. “Exactly. We found it very odd that the Hounds waited until recently to come for Ivy, and even stranger that they left her alone for a few days.”
    “It’s almost as if they wanted the two of you together,” Riley said.
    Christian rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “This still solves nothing.”
    “But it proves that the Hounds waited until you and Ivy were in the same location to come after her,” Beau pointed out.
    Christian lifted his head then. He looked at each of them before he came to Riley. “What is your plan?”
    “I came to the conclusion that someone wanted you and Ivy to meet.” Riley paused and swallowed, her excitement waning a bit. “The only one who can send the Hell Hounds is the Demon of Souls.”
    Christian snorted as he leaned back on the sofa. “You think the Demon of Souls wants me?”
    “I think he wants our family,” Riley corrected him. “Somehow, he knew what would happen if you fell in love and lost that woman.”
    “So he put Ivy in my path? It could’ve been any woman.”
    Lincoln shook his head from the chair next to Christian. “It had to be Ivy. You were so adamant about not falling in love that it would only work if the woman was in need and you came to the rescue.”
    The longer they talked, the harder it was for Christian to take.
    “What we do, battling the supernatural, means we have a lot of enemies,” Beau said. “I’m not surprised the Demon of Souls went to such lengths.”
    Christian sliced his hand through the air to halt any talk. “It doesn’t matter. The Hounds killed Ivy.”
    “Perhaps not,” Kane said.
    Riley picked up when Kane nodded to her. “Right. We did learn from the Voodoo practitioners that the few instances where the Hounds came for someone like Ivy, they didn’t kill them.”
    Christian got to his feet in a rush. “And you’re just now telling me this?” he bellowed.
    “You had to know all of it,” Vincent said.
    Christian ran a hand down his face before he looked back at Riley. “Anything else?”
    “We think they’re holding Ivy. The others that were taken eventually show up. Well, some of them. It appears that once they’re with the demons, they are tricked to sell their soul to save the one who originally sold theirs.”
    Christian knew Ivy felt guilty for what her mother had done to save her. Would she in turn sell her soul to save her mother?
    “We need to find Ivy,” he stated.
    Vin said, “You realize that means calling for a demon and traveling into Hell to find her?”
    “Yes. I also know that few come out after going into Hell. Which is why I’m going alone.”
    “The hell you are,” Lincoln said.
    Kane stepped forward. “I’ll go with him. You three have ties here. I don’t.”
    “And your brothers?” Beau asked.
    Kane glanced at Riley. “They’ll understand.”
    “Ivy went to great lengths to ensure that you three,” Riley pointed to Lincoln, Beau, and Vin, “remained to be with your women. Don’t screw that up now.”
    Christian nodded to Kane. “We call the demon tonight. I’m not going to keep Ivy down there any longer than I have to.”
    “I’ll be ready,” Kane said.
    Christian fell back onto the couch as it all sunk in. He looked to everyone. “Thank you all. It never occurred to me that Ivy could still be alive.”
    “You were distraught,” Olivia said. “It’s understandable.”
    Riley pulled a piece of paper from her back pocket and unfolded it. “Minka also prepared a spell that would help you locate Ivy quickly.” She paused and licked her lips. “I want to come with you.”
    “No,” Christian said.
    It was Kane who raised a brow. “What none of you realize is that Riley was hunting in Austin the entire time she was in college. She has been hunting with us in New Orleans, as well. She’s