Free The Longest Night: A Drake Chronicles Novella by Alyxandra Harvey

time.”
    “But . . . I try to kill you. A lot.”
    “But you never do,” he pointed out. “And I think you could, if you really wanted to.
     “
    That was even more of a compliment than knowing he thought about her. The cold seemed
     to fade away. She was warm down to her toes.
    And then Paige barreled at them like a bear chased by honeybees. Catelyn chased after
     her, stake in one hand, flashlight in the other. “Aggie, thank God!”
    Aggie caught Paige when she slipped on a patch of ice in her excitement. “What’s wrong?”
    Paige shoved a crumpled piece of paper at her. “I found this.”
    She blinked at it, nonplussed. “What is it? Report cards? Already?”
    “It’s your confession. To killing Kali,” Catelyn explained. “And your promise to kill
     the others, starting with Cal.” She didn’t seem nearly as concerned about it as Paige.
     Aggie half expected a celebratory high five.
    Paige frowned at Cal. “You don’t look dead. Well, any more dead than usual.”
    Aggie scanned the note, reading the rest out loud. “Then I’ll finally be free to join
     my sister.” She went cold.
    Paige shoved her, hard. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” She hit her again,
     mouth trembling as she suppressed tears. “I thought you went full-out Mary Walker.”
    “Paige, I didn’t write this.” She looked up, appalled. “God, don’t
cry
.”
    Paige sniffled. “She’s a beast,” she said to Cal.
    He smiled briefly. “I know.” He sounded so amused Aggie couldn’t take insult.
    “Who would write this?” Aggie asked. “And why?”
    “To scapegoat you?” Paige frowned. “Okay, now I’m really pissed off.”
    “Gee, thanks. My impending death wasn’t enough?”
    Paige waved that off. “You’re a dumbass, sweetie. But you’re not a coward.”
    “Really feeling the love here.”
    “You’d never have staked Kali in the back,” she insisted, now that she was thinking
     clearly again. “You’d have killed her to her face.”
    Cal took the note from her. His fingers brushed hers, cool and electric. She shivered.
     “What are they scapegoating you for?”
    “Attacks on vampires, what else?” Aggie said, feeling ill. She was so interconnected
     with vampire violence that someone could use her as a shield and it would be completely
     believable. She thought of the Spirit Stone and all the names marching in a spiral
     to the lantern light. “Well, screw that,”she muttered. She slayed monsters. She wasn’t a
killer
. There was a difference. She glanced at Cal, tall, lean, and silent beside her. Wasn’t
     there?
    “Let’s get back to the farm,” Cal suggested.
    They jogged back, the frigid air searing Aggie’s lungs. Paige coughed, holding a hand
     to the stitch in her side.
    Catelyn scowled. “I don’t see why we’re rushing to rescue vampires.”
    “Just come on,” Paige muttered, yanking on her sleeve.
    * * *
    The longest night of the year was full of stars and snow. The bonfire crackled cheerfully.
     Lucy was surrounded by her best friends and no one was trying to kill them.
    Lucy frowned. “Something’s not right.”
    “That’s just the three gallons of apple cider you drank,” Kieran said fondly.
    “No, she’s right.” Solange stood up. Kieran reached for a stake.
    “I smell something . . .” Nicholas paused, jaw clenching. “Gasoline.”
    Before they had a chance to move, an arrow sliced through the air. It slammed into
     a bag of Hypnos powder hidden in the tree branches above them. The mesmerizing powder
     covered them. Lucy and Solange exchanged a glance, recognizing the same type of paracord
     that had trapped Noah, attached to the bag.
    “Don’t move.”
    Lucy knew that voice.
    But it was too late.
    * * *
    When they reached the farm, Cal held them back, nudging them behind a concealing hedge
     of cedar. His arm crossed over Aggie’s hips and Paige behind her. Catelyn threatened
     him silently with her weapon. He just held a finger to his mouth for