A Wicked Night (Creatures of Darkness 2): A Coraline Conwell Novel by Kiersten Fay Read Free Book Online

What does it matter the order of events?”
    Realization dawned on Saraphine’s face, and her expression grew enraged. She spat out a harsh succession of cryptic words. A brilliant ball of energy flashed in her palm. Then, with a swift motion, she shot the glowing orb toward Knox.
    He dove to dodge, but wasn’t fast enough. At impact, his body propelled backwards, slamming against the hard wall. He grunted and went to one knee, croaking out, “See, same events, different order.”
    Mace moved to restrain the maddened Saraphine by forcing her arms behind her back.
    “Let me go, you son of a bitch! I’ll kill him.” Her fiery gaze was trained on Knox.
    Knox’s amused expression taunted her into an even deeper rage.
    “Calm yourself,” Mace pleaded with her. “We need your help.”
    “He killed my grandmother! I’ll help him to die!”
    Mace let out a wearied sigh. “We don’t know that for sure.”
    He sounded more reasonable than he probably should have while holding a flailing, homicidal seventeen-year-old.
    “Please,” he added. “Cora is in trouble.”
    Saraphine slowed her struggles and finally seemed to register Cora—or rather, Sadira—observing the scene from the center of the room. Although, Saraphine didn’t yet understand who really stared back at her with cold levity.
    “Cora, you told me he was imprisoned. How could you take this bastard’s side?”
    Sadira answered crisply, “Because he’s mine .” She glanced at Knox. “Have you brought me a body that you’re more fond of, Knoxy? You really shouldn’t have. I’ve grown quite attached to the one I already have.”
    Saraphine stilled in Mace’s grasp, cocking her head to the side as though trying to make sense of her words.
    “She’s been possessed,” Mace explained. “We brought you here because we need your help extracting the spirit from Cora’s body.”
    Suspicious, Saraphine took a moment to scrutinize Cora. Then her expression hardened. She pointed her scathing look at Knox. “I’ll help Cora when I get justice for my grandmother.”
    Knox’s lips curled. “Are you sure you want to go there, little girl?”
    “Positive, dickhead.”
    Mace turned her to face him, keeping his hands firmly on her shoulders. Even from the obscure angle, Cora could see his expression was pained. It twisted her heart.
    Sadira made an inaudible gasp and placed a palm against her chest. As if realizing what she’d done, she huffed in annoyance and flung her arm back down to her side. No one but Cora seemed to notice the action. She wondered if her emotions had affected Sadira in some small way.
    “Please, Saraphine,” Mace said. “I cannot lose her.” Unadulterated misery emphasized Mace’s words.
    For some reason, Knox’s expression grew dark. A muscle in his jaw flared a couple times before he blanked his features. Cora wondered at the guarded display.
    Saraphine frowned at Mace’s earnest declaration. And for a fraction of time she appeared to falter, but then she steeled herself once more. “My loyalty is to my own coven, not to Cora, and especially not to you, vampire . My gran will have justice.”
    Knox chimed in, “Careful, Saraphine.”
    Whirling to face him, she shouted, “You are the one who should be careful! First you murder my gran then kidnap me. My coven will have both your heads.”
    “Or will I have theirs?” Knox’s features became murderous, his fangs protruding in a clear threat.
    Saraphine stiffened.
    Mace let out a clipped warning, but Knox was not assuaged.
    “Think on this good and hard, cher . It could very well be you are stuck here for days. Or months. Maybe someone in your coven comes to that nice boutique looking for you. Maybe I’m there to greet them.” He flashed a shark-ish smile. “Their fate hinges on you. The blood I might be forced to spill would be on your hands. Now are you done acting like a prat? Do what you were brought here to do and be gone.”
    Pure menace swam in Saraphine’s