Marshall said, “You going to stay in the business?”
She laughed. “We’ll see how it goes. This is a bit of a setback. But I think I’ll persevere.”
Cars coming round the bend. Lights and sirens.
She said, “They for you?”
Marshall said, “Maybe.”
The big question irking him: Were we the real thing, or were you just testing how much I knew? But he didn’t say it. To ask was to reveal a fear, and he didn’t want to give her that.
She said, “Are you going to come looking for me?”
Marshall didn’t answer. The dark landscape shaking in the blue-red strobes. Sirens keening as if chased by some greater horror. He ended the call and raised his arms.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank the terrific team at St. Martin’s Press who enabled the publication of this novel. Thomas Dunne and my editor, Brendan Deneen, deserve a special mention for letting Marshall and me have a shot.
My agent, Dan Myers, was not only instrumental in getting me in the door in New York but has also proven himself a great editor and New Mexico tour guide.
Finally, I would like to thank the North Harbour Club (Auckland, New Zealand) for their AIMES and Emerging Talent awards, which provided invaluable support toward the writing of this novel.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Sanders is the author of three previous novels, The Fallen (2010), By Any Means (2011), and Only the Dead (2013), all of which were New Zealand fiction bestsellers. Sander’s first three novels were written while he was studying at university; he graduated in 2012 with a bachelor of engineering and now writes full-time. American Blood is his first novel in the United States. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. You can sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
St. Martin’s Press ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
AMERICAN BLOOD. Copyright © 2015 by Ben Sanders. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by Ervin Serrano
Cover photographs: road by David Frazier / plainpicture; bullet holes by Sascha Burkard
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1 250-05879-9 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-6317-0 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466863170
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: November 2015