Deadly Assessments (Fred The Vampire Book 5) by Drew Hayes

Author:Drew Hayes [Hayes, Drew]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781942111535
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC.
Published: 2018-07-30T22:00:00+00:00

6.

It took a long while (so long, I began to mentally mark spots with soft-looking soil in case we had to go back to the burying plan) before Deborah and I finally stumbled upon a small cave in the side of the mountain. The opening was easily wide enough to slip through, even while carrying Ernest, and it appeared deep. A moment’s examination showed a slight bend in the cavern’s mouth that led farther in, partially obscuring whatever lay inside. That didn’t hinder the scent of the occupant, as we were both keenly able to smell that something was already inside. Even Ernest whined a little as we drew closer.

“Bear.” The word said it all. Deborah recognized the scent of the cave’s owner, a creature we’d have to contend with if we wanted to hide in the mountain’s depths.

Overhead, the sky was already beginning to grow gray. We didn’t have much time left. Searching for another cave was out of the question. There was still enough dark remaining to bury ourselves, though we’d have to rush. Ernest would, of course, be fully on his own. All in all, the cave was unquestionably the superior option . . . assuming we were willing to fight for it.

“Just the one bear?”

“As far as I can tell. He’s got a potent musk, though; it might be masking others.” Information, but no guidance. It seemed Deborah would stick by her role to the very end.

“We’ll go in, staying on this side of the bend. Maybe the bear’s asleep and won’t notice us if we don’t go in too deep.” It wasn’t cold enough for the creature to be in hibernation, not by a longshot, but there was still a chance the bear had eaten well and that it would snooze throughout the day. It was worth hoping for, at least. “And if he does notice us, then we’ll drain him like we did the others until he’s too tired to try to fight.”

Deborah shook her head. “Not we. You. This is your survival, Fred. Teaching you to hunt was one thing; helping you safely take down a bear is another. You want to do this without killing, then you have to be strong enough to do it without killing.”

That was a slightly more terrifying prospect, but it wasn’t as though I hadn’t anticipated the possibility. Ultimately, it changed nothing. The best way for all three of us to survive the day was by hiding in that cave. I dearly hoped that the bear would stay put, or that I’d be powerful enough to subdue it by myself, and tried desperately not to think about the fact that none of that might prove to be true. There were no sure choices, no certain paths. The best I could do was the method I’d stuck with since I first became undead: pick the best option available and try like hell to keep everyone alive.

Deborah and Ernest went into the cave while I grabbed a few good-sized rocks and boulders and stacked them in front of the entrance.

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