Veso Read online

  She opened her mouth, ready to argue with him.

  “We can’t rescue anyone if we’re recaptured, damn it,” he rumbled. “We need to get out and send help back for the others. You’re already slowing me down as it is. Move or stay. I’m out of here.” He spun away, stomping forward.

  It was growing darker without any wall candles lit nearby and she reached out, finding his back. She kept her hand there, afraid she’d lose him since she couldn’t even make out shapes anymore. He stopped and she bumped into his back.

  He growled low. “Why are you touching me?”

  “I can’t see anything.”

  “Fuck.” He nudged her with his elbow. “Here. Get a good grip.”

  She blindly found his forearm and clutched on.

  “Let go if I say to. I need to be able to fight. Just find a wall and hug it. I’ll get you when I’m done.”

  It wasn’t as if she had a choice. “Got it.”

  He turned a corner and she scraped against rock. Glen grit her teeth. He wasn’t doing a very good job of being her eyes, since he hadn’t even tried to stop her from accumulating scratches. She just hoped that was the least of her worries. She really didn’t want to have to let go of him and prayed he wouldn’t abandon her in the dark. Those creepers would grab her without her ever being able to see them coming.

  “That’s why,” he muttered.

  “What?”

  He paused and sniffed loudly. “Dawn.”

  “What?” she repeated, keeping her voice low.

  “I smell it. That’s why we’ve only come across two. We’re close to the entrance.”

  “Dawn has a smell?”

  “It does. Most of the newer ones have probably gone to their day rest. The two soldiers I fought were a bit weak and that explains why. They’re usually harder to kill.” He reached out and closed his hand over hers, trapping her fingers against his arm.

  His own fingers were wet, and she wanted to jerk away, realizing it had to be blood. She didn’t feel claws though. “What exactly does dawn smell like?” She was curious and it helped distract her from being afraid.

  “Come,” he ordered, ignoring her question. He moved fast, taking her with him since it was walk or stumble.

  The sight of tiny cracks of light ahead helped motivate her to move to his side instead of letting him lead. The closer she got, the more she understood what she was seeing. Old timbers blocked a hole at the end of the tunnel. Faint light peeked in through the gaps.

  “Dawn,” he rumbled. “I told you.” He stopped gripping her. “Stand back.”

  “Okay.” She let him go and moved to the side until she touched hard-packed dirt walls. It wasn’t rock in that area, a good sign.

  Veso moved forward and she could make out his shape with the help of the light. He lifted one leg and kicked. Wood snapped and big gaps appeared. He kicked again, higher, making the hole bigger. She smiled.

  They were about to be freed. She could shower and eat real food. Freedom!

  The sound of loose rocks skittered behind her and she turned her head, her heart racing. It was dark…but she swore something moved near the floor. “Um, Veso?”

  “Almost done.”

  “Veso?” She let her panic rise her voice.

  “What?” He turned. “Shit.” He lunged forward. “Go!”

  He’d broken enough of the boarded-off area that she saw the pale hand when it reached the light. The creeper’s face came into view next as it crawled forward. More movement showed behind it. The things were coming at them from the floor, moving on their bellies.

  “Go,” Veso snarled again.

  She didn’t need to be told a third time. She spun, rushing to where he’d kicked apart the boards. The hole was only waist high, but she had no qualms when it came to dropping to her knees and crawling out. She didn’t look back, not wanting to see how many of those things were in the tunnel.

  Dirt and grass met her as she shoved her hands outside and realized there was another problem. Six feet from the opening was a drop-off.

  Glen froze, glancing around. She was on little more than a wide, grassy ledge. Sheer rock rose to her right and left. She inched forward, staring down.

  “Fuck me,” she muttered.

  She was outside though, in the faint light of the sun that had just risen.

  Something slammed into the boards behind her and she rolled to the side, bumping into a big boulder to get out of the way. But it wasn’t Veso who came flying out of the hole, along with a few broken pieces of boards. It was a creeper. It hit the ground and rolled right over the edge, screaming.

  She leaned out to watch it fall. It hit the rocks far below. The screaming stopped. It seemed to be burning but there was no smoke. The skin was turning black, the shape kind of crumbling inward, and then the body was gone. It had turned to ash and the wind blew it off the rock.

  “I need a big fucking drink,” she muttered.

  More boards broke and she turned her head. Veso bent forward and he stepped outside of the tunnel.

  “We have a problem,” she informed him.

  “I just threw it into the sun. That was probably the oldest soldier in the bunch, since he was pretty strong.”

  She hesitated. “Um, this really isn’t the outside. It’s more like they blasted a hole in the wall and found a big drop-off.”

  He came forward and looked over the edge. The grimace on his face said it all. He turned his head, glancing right and left, then turned around, staring back where they’d come from. “Just my luck.”

  Glen glanced at the hole he’d made for their exist. “We have to go back in there, don’t we?”

  He shook his head. “No. The soldiers are weak but still conscious. I killed one of them but more managed to crawl toward us. They’re about ten feet or so back. The only thing keeping them from coming closer is the sun. But the master won’t be feeble. I don’t know how strong he is, but most masters can withstand daylight and move around well as long as they aren’t directly in it. I’d rather avoid a fight if I can. There could be more full-blooded suckheads, and they might attempt to drug me again. I can’t see any master only keeping one true Vampire in his nest, besides himself. He’ll want strong ones to help defend him.” He turned back around and stared down. “I’ll take my chances climbing.”

  “We don’t have any rope.” She worried that she even had to point that out. He should have already thought of that particular problem.

  He lifted both hands and unleashed his claws. “I don’t need any.”

  “What about me?” She glanced at her hand. “No claws.”

  His eyes had returned to a golden brown and he seemed amused when he grinned. “Those soldiers are lying just a dozen feet inside. You can climb with me or wait until the sun lowers. They’ll come out here to get you, if their master doesn’t first.”

  She turned, staring at the hole he’d made in the timber. It scared her knowing those things were lying on the floor, just waiting for the sun to go down so they could move around again. She looked over the edge. It was at least a two hundred foot drop to a bunch of rocks and vegetation below.

  “Shit.”

  He chuckled. “I promised I’d get you out of there. I did. Now you can remain here or go with me to safety. Your choice.”

  She pushed up, standing. Her legs felt shaky. He could have just left her there. She appreciated that he even offered to help her climb down. “This is so going to suck ass if I fall to my death after all this.” She wiped her hands on her shirt. “What do I do?”

  He stepped closer, looking her over. “You’re totally helpless.”

  There was that disgusted look that she was starting to hate seeing on his smug face. “I got you free. Don’t forget that. Please don’t leave me here. Is that better? Just tell me what to do. I don’t have shoes and rock climbing was never on my bucket list.”

  He sighed. “I’ll have to carry you, rather than you climbing beside me. You’ll fall otherwise.”

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