Blood Blade Sisters Series Read Online Free Page A

willing to try anything. And he needed to talk to the sisters anyways. Leo always was one for efficiency.
    Though it seemed as though he wouldn’t need their help to contact the bandit since the bastard had decided to rob the coach he’d been driving. Oh yeah, and clock him over the head after his female companion had taken a shot at him. So much for the stories about Blood Blade never harming his victims.
    Leo had taken the job as a means to get him to Bethany Ridge. All he had needed was a ride and had considered it a stroke of good luck when the rotund couple and their obnoxious daughter had shown up asking around for a driver. The job provided him with the ride he needed and he would make money for the journey instead of having to pay it out. Win/win, he’d thought. He’d had a good feeling about the trip…right until Blood Blade’s gun had smashed into his skull. Now he wasn’t sure what to think.
    Leo froze at the sound of doors creaking open. Boots clomped across the hard-packed dirt floor toward him. Murmuring voices filtered in. He sat up. Looked like he was about to meet his captor.
    …
    Cilla reached down and gave the rope around the driver’s hands one more firm tug before she stood up and dusted the straw from her knees. She hadn’t tried to wrestle his arms behind him, settling for tying his hands together in front of him, and she’d left his feet untied. He wouldn’t be going anywhere with her gun trained on him. But she made a mental note to keep her distance, just in case. His garbled curses through the bandana in his mouth made her sorry for what she was about to do.
    A mud-covered Lucy had finally returned from town, her triumphant grin letting Cilla know she’d accomplished her task. Brynne left her post at the barn doors as Lucy shut them behind her. She took up Brynne’s position, keeping a lookout through a crack in the doors. The rain had stopped, allowing the moon to peek out from behind the clouds. Frank wasn’t known for keeping his word, and Cilla wasn’t taking any chances that he’d stay away until morning.
    The horses and saddles had been brushed and cleaned, their sodden clothes properly hidden in the laundry pile. The only loose end knelt at her feet, his chest heaving with understandable fury.
    Cilla held out her hand to Brynne, who hesitated only a second before giving her the loaded pistol. Leveling the gun at their prisoner, Cilla took a deep breath. Here goes nothing .
    “I’m gonna remove your blindfold and gag now. We need to have a little talk. I’m armed and I’ll shoot if you try anything stupid. All I ask is that you hear me out.”
    A rush of muffled words and angry hand gestures followed. Cilla sighed and stepped forward. She placed the pistol against his head and cocked the hammer. The man froze.
    “I really don’t have time to repeat myself, mister. If you will please cooperate, this nasty little affair could be over and done with. Will you hear me out?”
    After a moment’s hesitation, the man nodded once. Cilla stepped back and uncocked the pistol. Brynne removed his blindfold. He blinked, turning his head away from the lantern light spilling onto his face.
    Cilla studied their captive. When his eyes had adjusted, he turned to face her. Even from his bound position on the barn floor, the fury in his face had her planting her feet to keep from running and hiding. She raised the pistol, refusing to follow the impulse to step back when he worked his way to his feet. Using his shoulder, he jerked the gag from his mouth and glared at her. His bound hands pressed against the side of his head for a moment, coming away smeared with blood. Angry brown eyes burned into hers from beneath a mop of slightly curly black hair. He looked a little familiar, but Cilla dismissed it. All men looked alike to her.
    “Sorry if I got a little too rough with you there,” Cilla said.
    His rage turned to confusion as he looked around. He took in Cilla with her gun, Brynne,