Read Online Bring On The Night by Sonya Clark - Free Book Online

who am I to argue?”
    Kirkbride motioned to Rowdy to take the shotgun and keep it aimed at the wolf. He took off his trench coat, quickly emptied the pockets, and took a few steps forward, holding it out to the wolf. She gave him a disdainful glare but the male vampire accepted the coat with a nod of thanks and gave her a look. Reluctant, she shrugged into it and buttoned half the buttons after another look from her boyfriend.
    “What if we leave? Disappear?” said the vampire. “Would the king have you hunt us down?”
    Jessie stared, too stunned to speak.
    “I heard you tell them you want to know what’s going on. Do you really?” His amber eyes glowed with intensity. He was not quite pleading but definitely looking for an opening.
    Jessie knew it would be a mistake to give him one, but her curiosity got the best of her. She sighed deeply. “It’s a whole big sordid soap opera, isn’t it?”
    “Do you want to know or not?” he snapped.
    Jessie felt a cloud of anger bloom then relaxed. She took a seat on the top step to the altar and motioned for him to sit at the opposite pew. He did, pulling the werewolf to his side. After a moment, Kirkbride seated himself next to Jessie then Brandon moved to her other side. Lenny and Rowdy arranged themselves on the next lowest step, Rowdy still holding the shotgun in the monster’s direction. Haywood swore quietly under his breath and after a moment, finally joined them.
    “Okay. Let’s hear it,” Jessie said. “Start with names. Or should I just call you Garfield and Odie?”
    The werewolf growled, lips pulling back from her teeth. Jessie peeked at Brandon out of the corner of her eye. He looked like he wanted to take notes and ask questions. Good, better than freaking out.
    The male vampire glared at Jessie for a moment before speaking. “Her name is Margot.” He took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand, her palm. For a long moment the two gazed at each other as if no one else was in the room. Before Jessie was about to speak, he continued. “My name is Draven.”
    Jessie snorted with laughter. “Where’d you get that, some online name generator? What’s your real name?”
    He shook his head in frustration. “Ethelder,” he spat. “Ethelder Sahlstrom.”
    Jessie’s eyebrow quirked.
    He shrugged. “I’m from Minnesota,” he said. “About a hundred years ago. I prefer Draven.”
    Jessie said, “Well, I prefer Starbucks over Maxwell House, but sometimes any old cup of coffee will do. Ethelder.” She drew the name out, trying to make it sound as ridiculous as possible. Kirkbride shifted in his perch, as if trying to use the movement to cover his nudging her with his knee. She glanced at him. His eyes were on Ethelder and Margot. Draven and Margot. In a much mellower tone, she said, “Okay, Draven, we’re waiting. Give us the big story.”
    Draven gave her a look of contempt as he settled himself more comfortably in his seat. “I’d been in a relationship for quite some time, but it wasn’t working anymore.”
    “Human or vamp?” Jessie asked, eliciting sideways looks from the reporter and the ex-minister both.
    “Vampire,” Draven answered. “Her name was Salome.” Jessie made a face but said nothing. “We’d been together for years but the fire had gone out of the relationship. We didn’t even hunt together anymore.” Inexplicably, he looked to Jessie for understanding.
    She rolled her eyes. “Clearly, the thrill was gone.”
    Margot snorted. “The fool didn’t know what she had.”
    Draven continued. “I started running into a pack of werewolves, crossing paths every now and then. Mostly, we gave each other a wide berth, but there was one...” His voice drifted as he gave Margot another long, loving stare. “She was magnificent. A creature of such sublime beauty and spirit, she took my breath away, and such a warrior. We fought, more than once, fiercely. The third time, right in the middle of the