Read Online Witch Hunt, A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (The Maurin Kincaide Series) by Rachel Rawlings - Free Book Online Page A

this. Tell me what you know of the coven’s hierarchy. Things have changed since the last time I came up against Mahalia Amarelle. There are new faces within the coven. I would very much like to confirm the information that we have gathered,” the Ringleader said sweetly, as if I wasn’t being beaten within an inch of my life at his command.
    “You should have asked one of the witc hes before you let him cut their tongues out and kill them,” I said, as I feinted left. I should have moved right, all I did was close the distance between his fist and my face.
    “That’s the tricky part, isn’t it, Miss Kincaide - how to get the information out of a witch before she curses you. No, they fulfilled their purpose. And you will fulfill yours by telling me what you know about the coven,” he declared.
    I spit out the blood that had pooled in my mouth. “If you had reliable information, then you wouldn’t have wasted all of this time with me,” I panted.
    Whenever the man in charge was talking, the Butcher stopped pummeling my face and ribs. If I could keep him talking for a few more minutes, then I might actually be able to catch my second wind and give the Butcher a taste of his own medicine.
    “There are still a few unknowns. You were not one of them, however. It was easy to get to you, what with the mile-long paper trail from SPTF leading right to your apartment door. You probably should have moved. Now, the fiery sisters, on the other hand, are quite the mystery. Or how about the tattooed man that you seem to have taken an interest in? Perhaps you’d like to tell me more about them,” he said, his tone darkening.
    “I’m just the help. They don’t tell me shit,” I replied.
    “That’s too bad. If you truly don’t know anything, then you are unfortunately of no use to us after all,” the Ringleader said, sealing my fate.
    “You said that I could keep her! She likes to play my games,” the butcher said as he grabbed my throat and squeezed.
    He backed me up against a wall until I was almost a part of it. I felt my feet leave the ground as he pushed me farther up the wall, bringing me almost to eye-level with him. I struggled to break his grip on my neck before he crushed my windpipe, but his massive fingers were deeply embedded in my throat.
    Between the spots forming in my eyes from the lack of oxygen, I saw him pull back with his free hand. With alarm, I realized that he was preparing to drive his knife into my chest. I had a choice to make. I could either continue to struggle to free my neck or I could try to stop him from stabbing me to death. I was pretty sure that I could heal whatever damage he did with the knife. I didn’t know if I could survive the continued lack of air. Maybe if I fought him for the knife, then he’d have to loosen his grip on my neck. I was as good as dead if my plan didn’t work.
    I grabbed his wrist, pushing it away from me with everything that I had. My gamble paid off. I could feel his fingers loosening as I slid down the wall. He hadn’t completely let go of my neck yet, but as soon as my feet hit the floor I pushed my body weight forward, catching him off guard. That little bit of momentum was all that I needed to turn his hand and drive the knife straight into his gut, all the way to the hilt. With both hands and every bit of strength that I had remaining, I forced the blade sideways through the Butcher’s fatty tissue, muscle and probably intestines, until the knife ripped through his side completely.
    The Ringleader wanted me dead, but the Butcher had just wanted to keep me, like a cruel cat with an injured mouse. I was pretty sure that I’d rather be dead than become his plaything. The Butcher fell to his knees, and then finally slumped over. I heard the creak of the door and realized that the Ringleader and his minions were escaping. I started to run after them, but stopped when I remembered Matthison. He hadn’t moved or made a sound in what seemed like an