Veso (VLG Book 4) Read online

  “Landslide?”

  “Flood,” he corrected. “Probably from when the snow melted at the end of winter.” He lifted his chin, seeming to study the sky. “I don’t see any indication of rain but I want out of this area. We need to reach higher ground.”

  “More climbing. Woohoo.”

  He actually cracked a smile. “At least we have rope now.”

  She glanced at the bulky tarp. “Inside that?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s your plan? Just stay out here in the middle of nowhere until you think the Vampires have given up on searching for us?” The idea horrified her.

  “They won’t do that. The master has a plan for you. Did he come across as the type to easily change his mind?”

  She would never forget the crazy bastard who claimed to be a relative of hers—or why she’d been kidnapped. “No. He’s a lunatic.”

  “We’ll keep going in this direction until we find a very remote home with a phone or a vehicle. It’s possible the Vampires are unaware of some of the antisocial humans who live miles from others and don’t use paved roads. Then we’ll either get to call my people to come get us or we’ll drive to them.”

  “I still think we should just go to the police. They can protect us.”

  “Foolish Glenda,” Veso muttered.

  She decided not to respond. He bundled the shotgun with the tarp, reached out, and gripped her arm with his free hand when the incline became steep. He might be a jerk but he kept her from stumbling as she struggled to climb the hill. The trees thickened again, the flood-damaged area left behind.

  “I’ll keep you safe.”

  She glanced at him, grateful.

  He didn’t look at her, instead scanning the woods. “Move faster. You’re slowing us down too much.”

  Chapter Six

  Glen didn’t think there was any part of her body that didn’t hurt. Her shoulders ached from the weight of the backpack digging into them all day. Her back felt too tense and her calves throbbed. The socks on her feet hadn’t protected her from feeling as if she’d gained a few more bruises after traveling for miles on rough terrain. Sharp pains radiated from her stomach since their breakfast had been the only thing they’d eaten all day. Veso had refused to take a break, pushing her constantly to keep on the move. The only rest times they’d had were for a few drinks of water and bathroom breaks that hadn’t lasted more than a couple minutes.

  “This is a good place.” He finally stopped at the top of a ravine, peering down.

  Glen moved next to him, gaping at the jagged line where the earth just dropped in front of them, leaving a hundred-foot gap in the ground between them and the other side. “Shit. A good place for what? To die? There’s no way we can climb down and up that. It would be suicide.” She leaned forward a little, staring at the bottom. A lot of rocks sat below. “It looks really steep.”

  “It is. I’ll lower you on a rope, and then haul your ass up on the other side once I climb it. You’ll slow me down though, doing that, so we’ll sleep here and tackle it in the morning. I don’t want to be caught at the bottom during the night. This is a strategic place to defend.”

  Glen just shook her head. “How do you figure that?”

  “Vampires can’t fly. I toss them over the edge if we’re attacked. The fall won’t kill them but that landing will be a bitch. They’ll break bones and bleed a lot. It will take them time to heal enough to come at us again. The sun will rise at some point and they’d need to find shelter far enough away to feel safe from me hunting them down while they sleep. That means if one falls, it won’t attack us twice in one night. They won’t want to die.”

  “We’re going to get killed instead if we try to climb down and up that. Why don’t we just head in a new direction and try to get around this?”

  “I’m not backtracking. VampLycan territory is in that direction.” He pointed over the ravine.

  “You’re insane.”

  “Determined. Learn the difference. I want to get home.”

  “Even if it kills us?”

  “I can climb. You’ve seen me do it.”

  Veso drove her nuts. She walked over to a big rock and took a seat, removing the backpack. She decided to change the subject to avoid a fight. “I wish I could take a hot bath right now.”

  “You can have one when we reach my home.”

  That surprised her. He dropped the tarp bundle before walking the area. Glen bent forward, gently removing the layers of socks. Her feet ached and she soon discovered why. Bruises really had formed, but at least there were no cuts to her skin.

  “We have perhaps an hour before the sun goes down. That will give us time to eat and dig in for the night.”

  She massaged the most tender spot on the ball of one foot. “I’m starving.”

  “You’ll have to eat the food cold from the cans. A fire is out of the question.”

  “Why?”

  “The smell of burning wood would carry for miles and help the Vampires locate us.”

  “Fantastic. Cold beans and corned beef hash. Yum. It’s a good thing I’m so hungry. I don’t even care at this point.” She dropped her foot and watched Veso as he knelt and unwrapped the tarp.

  He had a big rope coiled inside, a weird shovel, and the box of shells. A sealed bag had her frowning. “What is that?” She pointed.

  “Emergency blanket. It’s thin and lightweight but will help retain your body heat.”

  “And why did you lug a shovel?”

  “For digging, and it makes a good weapon. I mentioned we need to hide our heat signatures.”

  He wasn’t making much sense to her. He stood with the shovel and walked over to a few large boulders huddled together. He did something that extended the handle of the shovel, then crouched there and began to dig.

  “What are you doing?”

  “It faces the ravine. The rocks will hide our bodies from anyone approaching in the same direction we came from, and I’ll dig a bit so we’re hidden if a Vampire comes at us from the other side. They can see body heat, so I’ll dig down far enough to make us invisible to them.”

  She unzipped the backpack and removed a can of corned beef hash. “Shit. I forgot to pack a can opener.”

  “Not a problem. Bring it here.”

  She stood and approached him. “You’ll get dirt in the food if you use the sharp part of the shovel, now that you’ve been digging with it.”

  He dropped the shovel and twisted his body a bit, opening his hand and holding it out to her. She passed the can over. Her mouth fell open when he grew claws with his other hand and used the tip of one to circle the lid. Her mouth dropped open wider when she realized it actually worked. He managed to cut through the lid after a few passes. He handed it back.

  “Eat.”

  She accepted it and backed away. “Thanks.” Her gaze locked on his hand as the sharp nails shrank, disappearing into his fingertips. “That’s handy.” It was the only thing that came to mind to say.

  “I’m not like you. Don’t forget it, Glenda.”

  “Would it kill you to just call me Glen?”

  He picked up the shovel, digging once more. “I refuse to call you by a man’s name.”

  “Do you want something to eat?”

  “I’ll go hunting for something fresh after I’ve prepared camp. You eat the canned stuff.”

  She took a seat on the rock and used a little bit of their water to wet her fingers, using her pants to clean them as much as possible. She’d also forgotten to pack silverware. “You said you couldn’t start a fire. How are you going to cook whatever you catch?”

  He kept digging.

  “Am I talking to myself?” She waited but he didn’t respond. “No, I don’t think I am. I’m pretty sure I’m talking to the guy with the shovel.”

  He growled low and turned his head, pausing with his task. “I’ll shift and hunt something live. It’s not my favorite thing to do but it won’t make me sick. Your digestive system might repel