“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 raw meat from an animal. Mine won’t. Any more questions or can I finish preparing us a safe sleeping space before the sun goes down?”

She swallowed hard. “I’ll just shut up now.”

“Good.”

Glen wondered if he’d allow her to see him shifted and tried to picture him as a wolf. He’d be huge, for sure. All the movies she’d ever watched on Werewolves replayed through her head. Whatever he ended up being, she’d have to keep her cool and pretend he didn’t scare the crap out of her.

“Can I ask one more thing?”

He growled and stopped digging, glaring at her. “What?”

“You will know who I am after you do this shifting thing, right? Like you won’t think I look like dinner?”

He shook his head and went back to using the shovel. “I’ll know you. You’ll be in no danger unless you keep talking.”

She sealed her lips. Veso had to be the grumpiest person she’d ever met. He had no compassion when it came to her curiosity. He might have known about humans all his life but she had everything to learn about his kind.

She ate the cold, greasy corned beef hash and tried to imagine it warm. Hunger helped her choke it down and she swallowed a little water afterward.

Veso kept digging and she hated that the shape of the hole began to remind her of a grave. He was also crazy strong. She watched the muscles in his arms flex as he kept tossing dirt into the bushes. He finally must have thought it was long and deep enough because he collapsed the handle on the shovel and set it aside. He stood, went to the tarp, and dumped out everything inside it. He lined the freshly dug hole with the thick material and turned.

“I’ll be back. Stay far from the edge of the ravine and don’t leave this area.” He glanced around.

“What are you looking for?”

“Just checking to make certain no one is around.” His nostrils flared. “I’ve never smelled any humans except you but that doesn’t mean the master doesn’t have some slaves.”

“Slaves?”

“Servants. Is that a better, kinder term for you?”

“People don’t own people anymore.”

“You’re so naive. Vampires can rip apart the minds of humans and force them to their wills. That’s what I meant earlier about humans being under the control of Vamps. After enough exposure, they completely lose their self-awareness, surviving only to serve their master. They’d die and kill for him. Vampires have the ability to brainwash your kind and turn them into day guards.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“It is.”