Out for Blood Read Online Free PDF

lowered. “Then they’ll come after you. I’m powerless to stop them.”
    Anger ripped through her. “I’ve done nothing to them. They have no reason to involve me in this.”
    He sat back. “That’s not totally true. You haven’t returned the ring of sorrows to them.”
    “Why should I even care about returning a ring to an organization I know so little about? If I even still had the ring.”
    He stood and paced a few steps away. “I don’t know much about them either, and half of what I do know, I question.” He raised his hand as if to stop himself from talking.
    “Then why keep working for them?”
    He looked sideways, like someone might be watching. “I owe them, Chrysabelle. Big-time. For my freedom. For things they’ve done for my family.” He shook his head. “They own me. At least for a little while longer.”
    “No one should be indebted like that.” Her anger with him defused. She understood exactly the position he was in. “You have to find a way out.”
    He exhaled, his words quiet. “I can’t. Not yet.”
    “Do they know what I’ve done with the ring?”
    “No.”
    She stood, ready to go back inside. “Then tell them.”
    Something close to fear shadowed his eyes. “That’s calling down trouble.”
    “I can handle it. And I want them to know they don’t control me. So tell them exactly what I did with their precious ring and that there’s nothing you can do about it. Then maybe they’ll leave you alone.”
    “Nothing will make them leave me alone.” He spoke the words quietly, his tone resigned.
    Her anger on his behalf grew. “In fact, tell them I want nothing to do with them and will consider them enemies if they contact me again.” She turned and headed back to the house.
    “Chrysabelle—”
    She spun back around. “I don’t mean you, Creek. You can contact me, but not on their behalf. I like you. You’ve been a good friend to me.” More than that. He’d saved her life more than once. Fought at her side. Kissed her. She tempered her anger for the sake of their friendship. “If the Kubai Mata want that child, they’ll need a new plan. I’m done being a pawn for the greater good.” She paused. “So should you.”
    By the time she reached the front door, the sound of Creek’s motorcycle had already begun to fade. She slammed the door behind her and stormed into the kitchen. Her anger wasn’t completely at the KM for wanting her to do their bidding. No, much of it was at herself for pushing Mal away. Velimai glanced up from where she was setting plates of dinner on the table.
    “That was Creek,” Chrysabelle said. Like Velimai hadn’t heard when the guard had called. She threw herself into one of the kitchen chairs, her temper darkening with each passing minute. Why was she so afraid of facing things? Why did Mal raise such emotion in her? Answering those questions meant coming to terms with what she was feeling. Something she was so not ready to do.
    She wished Velimai would just sign something. Anything to break the stoniness that had settled over the house since she’d thrown Mal out. Velimai sat, intent on her dinner. Chrysabelle cut a bite of steak and stuffed it into her mouth, but all she tasted was anger. Enough. She swallowed and set her fork down. “I didn’t mean for things to go that way with Mal. He just has a way of… pushing my buttons.”
    Velimai looked up from her meal, putting her silverware aside to free her hands. How did you mean for things to go?
    “I don’t know.” She slid her plate away. “Why do I do that? Why does everything with him have to be a battle? Why does he always find a way to do exactly what I don’t want him to do?” She lifted her gaze toward the ceiling for a second. “Why do I even care?”
    You two are very much alike. You need each other. Both seeking something that can’t be found alone.
    Chrysabelle pursed her mouth. “Riddles don’t help.”
    Velimai shrugged and went back to eating.
    Chrysabelle’s