Blood Ties Read Online Free PDF

into the dirt at his feet. In a voice with little humanity left, he said slowly, “You’ll have to do better than that.”
    Jake knew when he was outmatched. He didn’t hesitate. He only had one chance. He rolled away from the post, and leapt towards the shadows at the back of the barn.
    Quinn snarled and dove after him.
    Jake took two long strides and jumped. His aim was true. He sailed the remaining fifteen feet and came down on top of his Peacemaker. He clutched at it just as Quinn dropped on top of him. Jake felt the creature grip his shoulder and screamed as Quinn’s claws dug in. Quinn heaved. Jake found himself flying back towards the middle of the barn. He landed hard and slid through the dirt and hay, coming to a quick stop.
    Quinn stalked towards him, preparing for the end game.
    Jake pulled the hammer of his Peacemaker back with a loud click and aimed between his boots.
    Quinn snorted. “Bullets can’t kill me , you imbecile,” he growled.
    Jake wondered. “I ain’t much to take a stranger’s word for anything. I guess I better find out, shouldn’t I?”
    The hammer came down. The runes of Jake’s pistol flashed bright emerald, and a single shot rang out. The muzzle flash evaporated the shadows for a split-second.
    Jake waited.
    Quinn froze in his tracks, his eye slowly dropping to the neat hole in the center of his chest. He raised a clawed finger to the wound, surprised to see wisps of smoke drifting through the black fabric.
    The door to the stables slid open and Cole stood in the doorway, his pistol drawn. He took in the scene, and his eyes fixed upon the figure of Quinn frozen at the back of the barn.
    “What the hell is going on in here?” he shouted.
    Jake remained silent, his eyes riveted to Quinn.
    In a voice suddenly human, Quinn gasped, “Im … possi—”
    The flesh at Quinn’s neck and wrists turned ash white and then a dark gray, his skin crackling and crumbling like a burning cigar. It spread quickly until all of his exposed flesh was gray. In a puff of ash that filled the air around him, Quinn’s body collapsed. His clothing and armor folded in on itself and crumpled in a heap on the ground.
    “Hunh …” Jake said, a bit bewildered. “Never seen it do that before.”
    “Jake, you mind telling me what just happened?” Cole asked from the doorway.
    Without a word, Jake holstered his pistol and slowly got back to his feet. Massaging his throat, he turned to Cole and took his first full, deep breath since the fight began. He bent over and put his hands on his knees while he tried to recover.
    “Jake?” Cole asked, worry now filling his voice. He spotted the row of claw-holes in the shoulder of Jake’s shirt and the blood stains seeping through. “Jake, you okay?”
    Jake, still trying to catch his breath, rose and took a few steps towards Cole with an It’s about time look on his face.
    “Yeah,” he finally grumbled. “I’m fine. What took you so long?”
    Cole’s eyes went wide and his hand darted to his pistol. The weapon flew free, aimed at Jake.
    For a fleeting instant Jake thought Cole was going to shoot him cold. He only had time to think What the hell? before a shot rang out. Jake flinched. He looked at Cole with a surprised look on his face.
    A body dropped to the dusty ground behind him.
    Cole tsked a few times and shook his head. “You forgot one, amigo.” He pointed past Jake. “That’s just plain sloppy. And now that’s three you owe me.”
    Jake gave Cole an irritated scowl. He looked behind him at the flanker lying on the ground. The man’s right arm looked shattered from Lumpy’s kick, bent at an unnatural angle just below the shoulder. Jake’s Officer’s Colt was clutched in the man’s good hand, but the bullet hole in his forehead indicated he would never kill again.
    “Sloppy?” Jake asked, sounding offended. “I was tired and there were four of them. Besides, that’s only two I owe you. That guy in Pueblo don’t count.”
    Cole rolled