Read Online Out for Blood by Kristen Painter - Free Book Online Page A

told the ancient ones have her. The creators of your race.”
    The anger spread from his eyes to settle onto his face. “Don’t ever lump me in with any of them, understand? I’m not like them. Vampires disgust me. They’re parasites in need of the kind of cleansing only a stake through the heart can bring.”
    Confusion swept her. “But you are one.”
    He snarled. “I never meant to be. If I’d known what I was doing, I would have gladly died instead.” He stood and paced toward the altar. “Now I live with this curse every day, trying to do God’s will by cleansing those who kill humans. The only good being a vampire has brought me is the power to protect my mortal brothers.”
    It felt like a sign. With renewed courage, she spoke. “Then you’ll understand why I’m here. As a human, I’m vulnerable. Weak. Outmatched by those I must go up against.” With Willamette’s and her abuela’s words chiming in her head, Lola rose and said another silent prayer, this time that John’s and Luke’s hearing didn’t extend into the sanctuary. “I want you to help me get Mariela back.”
    He nodded. “Just tell me what you want me to do.”
    She took a breath. “Turn me into a vampire.”
    “So you are the man who killed my husband?” Heaven stood atop the step that led into the sunken living room, dressed in a one-shoulder python-print minidress that revealed more of the grieving widow than it covered. The last time Doc had seen a woman who looked like her, he’d been flipping through one of Fi’s fashion magazines. Lean, dark, dangerous, and beautiful. High maintenance. Totally Sinjin’s type.
    “Yeah.” He inhaled, the exotic scent of jaguar filling his nose along with the flowery fragrance of some perfume. Or hair products. Or skin lotion. Hard to tell with a woman like that.
    Her eyes flickered from tawny brown to green-gold, showing off her varcolai side. His answer angered her. Her spike heels clicked down the steps until they were on the same level. “Is that all you have to say for yourself? Yeah ?” She mimicked his American accent with obvious disdain before shifting back to her Brazilian lilt. “You killed my husband and you cannot even apologize? Or perhaps you are not sorry?”
    “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to kill Sinjin. He attacked me and—”
    “He challenged you and you accepted. You knew what was at stake.”
    “ He came at me .”
    “They say you went up in flames. Burned him to death.” She eyed him warily as if looking for fire to burst off his skin. “Varcolai can’t do that.”
    “And neither can I,” he lied. Since he’d started popping ketamine, the emotions that caused the flames had been so mellowed out that even at his most angry, nothing happened. “It was just a weird power brought on by Samhain.”
    She crossed and uncrossed her arms, obviously unsettled. “You could have let him go. Let the police deal with him. At least if he were still alive…” She ground her teeth in anger and turned away.
    “If he was still alive but in police custody, you’d be pride leader by default.” He plopped down on the couch—his couch now—and kicked his feet up onto the glass coffee table. “I get it. You’re bunched up because you’re not the boss. You should have spilled your plans to Sinjin before he decided to up and kill some innocent women. Or maybe you knew what he was doing.”
    She spun back around, gold bangles jangling on her wrist as she lifted her hands in expression. “I had no idea.”
    “You had no idea what your husband was up to.” He raised a brow, then snorted softly. “I take it this was a political marriage only, then.”
    She lifted her head slightly. “I cared for Sinjin, but you know how it is with pride leaders. Marriage is for making alliances.” She sat at the far end of the big sectional, crossing her feet at the ankles and tucking them to the side. “I knew he was intent on stirring up the city against the vampires.” The way