Drake Chronicles: 01 My Love Lies Bleeding Read Online Free PDF Page B

“You’ll tell us.” Kieran paled slightly, trying to break eye contact. Quinn’s hand closed over his throat. Kieran seemed a little dazed when he finally answered.
    “It was posted tonight.” He shuddered. Sweat beaded on his upper lip.
    “Is this about Solange?”
    “I don’t know.” He choked, tried to swallow. “I don’t know,” he repeated. “I heard there was a bounty, and I wanted in.” Something in his voice made me think it was less about the bounty and more about the chance to stick it to our family specifically.
    Quinn eased back, letting his hand drop to his side. “Some agency, attacking a fifteen-year- old girl.” He spat. “Cowards.”
    Kieran took several deep ragged breaths. “We protect the innocent.”
    “This isn’t a comic book, idiot,” Lucy muttered crossly.
    “If you’re going to kill me too, get it over with.”
    “We don’t drink from people like you,” Nicholas sneered, making it sound as insulting as he could.
    “Do you drink from her?” Kieran nodded at Lucy. “Have you made her your slave?”
    “Who, Lucy?” Nicholas snickered.
    “Hey!” Lucy snapped. “Shut up.”
    I wasn’t entirely sure which one she was talking to.
    “This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Duncan said quietly. Like Sebastian, he rarely lost his temper or his focus. “Let’s not get sidetracked.” He tied a black bandana over Kieran’s mouth, knotting it securely. Dad nodded approvingly before pointing toward the kitchen.
    “Kitchen. Now.”
    Our kitchen looked like any farm kitchen: a huge wooden table, ladderback chairs, painted cupboards, and a kettle on the stove. There was a basket on the counter full of red apples and pomegranates and even food in the fridge, mostly for me and for Lucy when she stayed over. In fact, she was already pouring herself a glass of cranberry juice. The blood was kept in an old wine cellar, hidden in the wall and locked with three deadbolts and an alarm system. That was a fairly new precaution, ever since one of Logan’s ex-girlfriend’s brothers had barged in after Logan had broken up with his sister. The guards hadn’t stopped him; it would have seemed suspicious to have them swarm out just because someone came to the front door uninvited. The dogs had stopped him though, even before Mom had. He hadn’t made it past the front hall. It was only luck that he hadn’t seen into the kitchen, with the jug of blood on the counter. Needless to say, we were strongly encouraged not to date humans after that.
    Now Quinn paced beside that same counter; Nicholas leaned against the wall, arms crossed. The rest of my brothers sat, though their muscles were tensed for sudden movement. I watched the dark fields on the other side of the glass with suspicion. Dad’s phone rang again. Mom glanced at Lucy.
    “We should call your parents.”
    “Can’t.” She set her glass down. “They’re at the ashram for two weeks, remember?” The sun was edging up over the horizon. “And they always leave early to watch the sun rise over the lake.”
    She sighed. “Of course. You’ll stay here then.”
    “I will? But no one’s after me.”
    “You’re part of this family, young lady, and your mother would never forgive me if I left you unprotected, especially now,” Mom told Lucy sternly.
    “Yes, ma’am.” My mother was the only person on the planet who was able to get that meek tone out of Lucy. No one else would have even known it existed. I dropped into the chair next to her and stole a sip of her juice. I tried not to imagine what it would be like to drink blood instead. My stomach tilted.
    “This is unacceptable,” Aunt Hyacinth fumed. “The Drake family has a good and honorable name. They’ve no right to do this. We’re on the council.”
    “Let’s go straight to the Helios-Ra headquarters,” Quinn added, his expression hard. “I can clear this up.”
    “As if your temper has ever helped us.” Logan snorted.
    “Careful, little brother.”
    They were