Jo panted and squeezed her aching side. Her feet were screaming. She tried not to show it, but couldn’t help a slight limp. She grimaced with each step.
Galen had decided they should leave the trail and take a shortcut through the rugged land to the open meadow across from the caves. Jo didn’t argue. Whatever would get them to caves faster was all right with her.
Hiking across the clearing, the three jagged openings—one filled with death—seemed to stare down at her.
“You know, it’s been a while,” Galen said, “They could be back at the chalet by now. This might be a wild goose chase.”
Jo took a deep breath. “I hope they are back there. Maybe you should go check.” She glanced out the corner of her eye at him. He looked straight ahead, poking his tongue into the side of his cheek
“So, where’s Red?” He asked.
His question surprised her. She stared at the trees on the hill and remembered Red chasing her down it with her scorched head, screeching and cursing.
“I hid her.”
“Is she…”
“She was alive when I left her.”
“How’d you get away from them?”
“The vampires left to go after you. Red was supposed to…do her thing. She ran at me and I pulled a stick from the fire and burned her head. Then I ran like heck and she chased me.”
“How’d you both make it down that hill?”
“Oh, that was easy. I tumbled and she flew. When we reached the bottom, that’s where I stabbed her with an aspen stick—but that was an accident. It made her powerless. Oh—and I punched her.”
Galen smiled.
“I’m not real proud about that part,” Jo said, trying not to grin.
Galen’s smile dissolved. He shook his head. “Jo, you could have…” He was visibly troubled. He bit down on his bottom lip. “But, I don’t understand. If she planned to kill you, why did she attack Mike?”
“She wanted to turn him, but I guess she forgot the rules.”
“And they took you just so Red could kill you?”
“Well, that, but first I was bait.”
“Right…bait.”
“That’s the part I’m not clear about.”
He kept his eyes forward.
“They seemed to think you would follow me, and if they got rid of you that the rest of us would be easy pickin’s.”
He hunched his shoulders.
“Red told them something about you. She started to mention it in the cave, but Jon cut her off.”
“Jon?”
“The vampire with those crazy blue eyes.”
“On a first name basis, are we?” His expression and his tone belied a new emotion.
Her cheeks flushed with warmth. She was surprised by the tiny flutter in her stomach.
They reached the trail where the hill began its ascent. Jo was glad to be near trees again and have some cover from those tomb-like eyes.
“Galen.” Jo stopped and laid her hand on his arm. They faced each other in eerie silence.
“Why did they think taking me would bring you to them?”
He avoided her eyes. “I can’t answer that, Jo.”
“J—that head vampire seemed familiar with you.”
“Yeah?” Galen hooked his thumbs in his pockets and looked over Jo’s head. “Well, I promise you, he and I have never met.” He brought his eyes to hers.
Jo gazed into them. “Galen, who are you?”
“Nobody, Jo.” He shook his head slowly. His silky hair fell like midnight around his cheeks. The moon was shining on one side of his face.
“Are you a vampire slayer or something?”
He grinned. “No. My last name’s not Van Helsing.” He chuckled at his own joke.
Jo was only slightly amused. “What is it?”
“What?”
“Your last name.”
He hesitated. “I don’t have one.”
“How can you not have a last name?”
“Uh…I’ll tell you later.”
Jo twisted her lips to one side. He walked on. She joined him. “Just tell me one thing? Do you have anything to do with these creatures?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Then why are they afraid of you?”
“That’s two things.”
Jo sniffed loudly.
He smirked. “Well, like I said…I know their weakness.”
“And what’s that?”
He stopped. “Shh!” He pushed her down under a pine tree.
Jo dropped to her knees in the tall grass, straining her eyes for movement. “What is it?” She whispered.
“I heard something.” He pointed up to the caves.
Jo shuddered. “Let’s go.” She stood up.
“Jo.” Galen grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
“I know where they are.” She tried to pull away.
“Are you crazy?” He held onto her and stared hard into her eyes. Even in the dark, his eyes gleamed, like silver sequins.
“Stay here,” he commanded her. He let go of her and got up.
Now she grabbed his arm. “Galen, you’ll need help.”
“I have help,” he stated, looking down at her.
Jo’s brow wrinkled. She waited for him to explain, but he didn’t. She let go of him and stood up. “Galen, listen to me, you’re gonna need… other help. I’m coming with you and that’s all there is to it. Besides, I know which cave it is.”
“Like I couldn’t figure it out.”
She frowned at him and looked for her weapon. She picked up an aspen limb and stripped the twigs and leaves from it while he watched. He seemed amused.
“So, what are you now, ‘Jo, the vampire killer’?” His tone was mocking.
Jo smirked at him. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, first—you go back.”
“No. What’s next?”
He pinched his lips and pushed out a breath of irritation.
“Tick tock,” she whispered.
“Can you make it up that?” He threw a nod at the hillside.
Jo considered the slant of the hill and licked her lips. “Sure, no problem.”