Home for the Holidays: A Night Huntress Novella by Jeaniene Frost Read Free Book Online Page A

Did you make a deal and then renege?”
    “No.” For some reason, I believed him, so the single word relieved me. Getting out of a demonic deal was nigh-impossible, and they usually accepted only one form of currency: your soul. Much as Ian rubbed me the wrong way, I wouldn’t wish that to be hanging over his head.
    “Then what?”
    “It’s not pertinent,” he said crisply. “Suffice it to say that during this time, I discovered demons have their own form of black magic, only theirs makes everyone else’s look like child’s play.”
    I swallowed hard. Fabian had spied Wraith sprinkling blood around our property and found the strange symbol in the bedroom. With everyone’s bizarre actions the next day, I’d assumed Wraith must be into magic. Looked like I was right, only he’d gone much darker—and more dangerous—than that.
    “Wraith’s a vampire, not a demon. So how could he wield hell’s version of a spell? I’ve never heard of a vampire doing that, and mastering a demonic enchantment strong enough to enthrall other vampires should be way beyond his pay grade, from the feel of his aura.”
    Ian smiled, cold and tight. “Denise feels like an ordinary human, yet she’s much more than that, isn’t she?”
    It hit me what Ian was driving at. He thought Wraith got his additional power through the same method that had made Denise far more than human. If he was right, it explained why Wraith only felt like an average vampire though he could wield a spell that even Mencheres wouldn’t dare to attempt. I still didn’t know why I was unaffected, but it also made sense why Ian, Denise, and Fabian weren’t influenced by the demonic magic. Of course, it also meant that Wraith was nearly unstoppable.
    “We’re so fucked,” I breathed.
    Ian let out a dry laugh. “That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all morning.”

 
    Eight
    I HEARD W RAIT H’S voice before I got out of the car. Its melodic cadence combined with my favorite accent should’ve sounded soothing. Instead, it was like nails on a chalkboard. Don’t you ever tire of listening to yourself talk? I wondered irritably, but affixed a bright smile on my face when I came through the door.
    That smile almost cracked when I saw Wraith seated on an ottoman as though it were a throne. He’d moved it so that he was near the large fireplace, the glow from it playing over his features and making him look even more ethereal. Wraith wore another flowery shirt under his jacket, lace spilling out over the cuffs to wreath his hands. I’d first thought he picked those shirts to be pretentious, but now I had another idea about why he wore them, and it had nothing to do with an outdated fashion sense.
    Wraith smiled at me. “Cat. I trust your trip was fruitful?”
    I pulled up a seat next to Bones, who, like everyone else, sat in a semicircle around Wraith, akin to adoring courtiers paying their king homage. It was all I could do not to grab a poker and beat Wraith’s head in before I roasted his chestnuts for some real holiday cheer.
    “Oh, yeah, I found a few places that I think would work for the party,” I said, sticking to the excuse I’d given for running out this morning. “In fact, I want to take Denise and get her opinion on my favorites.”
    “I’m sure that will be lovely.” Wraith stretched out his legs. “Right, then. We were just talking about—”
    “I meant now,” I cut him off as pleasantly as I could.
    His smoky-blue eyes narrowed. “Rather rushed about it, aren’t you?”
    “It’s almost Thanksgiving, so the best places are booking up fast for the winter holidays,” I improvised, trying to sound as sincere and obsequious as possible. “I’d be so embarrassed if we had to settle for a substandard facility to hold your introduction party. After all, this is so much more important than a regular Christmas celebration.”
    It wasn’t lost on me that Bones was silent, letting Wraith determine what I would and wouldn’t