Between the Marshal & the Vampire(13)

Shocked by her thoughts, she was rougher than she intended in breaking from Clay's embrace and pushing him away from her.

He frowned at her behavior but only for a moment. His attention was all for Vellum. "When do you intend on feeding from us?"

"No need. I've fed well tonight."

"Beaufort's men?" Clay asked sharply.

Mariel held her breath in dread. How would Clay react to the news that Vellum had fed from her? She was afraid the last of his already thin restraint would snap.

"Turns out they were good for something," Vellum agreed amiably.

Mariel released her breath in relief, though she studied Vellum thoughtfully. He seemed willing to keep their previous contact a secret. Why? For her sake or for the sake of peace among the three of them? Or had what they'd done registered hardly at all for the vampire? Perhaps he was like Clay in that way, a regular seducer of women. The Marshal surely wouldn't find it too amusing to share that in common with a vampire.

"Come along," Vellum said before he mounted his horse. "We have miles to go before the sun rises."

Disconcerted by a feeling that the vampire was only playing with her and Clay, Mariel mounted and rode out. The slithering sound of Vellum's coffin-sleeping crate accompanied them.

~~~~~

It was still dark when Vellum announced they would set up camp, but Clay assumed that the vampire, like he himself, had an innate sense of when the sun would rise.

Vellum had stopped them beside a small butte where there were numerous hollowed out crags on its north face to provide a decent degree of shade for all three of them. Clay didn't offer to help as the other male unhitched the crate and positioned it deep into the side of the butte so it would be shaded no matter which way the sun traveled. Clay's help wasn't needed anyway; the vampire had the strength of at least three men, which didn't alleviate Clay's concerns in the slightest.

He glanced askance at Mariel, but she only watched the vampire's preparations with interest. No hint of fear showed on her beautiful face, and Clay had to wonder if she was too ignorant to realize she should be afraid…or if she knew more than he did.

The latter was likely true. The vampire had already known her name when Clay discovered them together in the cargo car. How long they'd interacted he didn't know, but it seemed to have been enough to shave away Mariel's wariness and convince her the vampire would be true to his word.

If only you knew what I know, Mariel.

But he'd prefer to spare her that knowledge, if he could.

As he watched Vellum hobble the horses, Clay assessed the male. He'd already known the vampire was dangerous and could move faster than human thought, but Clay hadn't known a vampire could look as Vellum did. Clay had always assumed they were misshapen, monstrous creatures, or that if they did took human form, the horror of their natures was evident in their appearance.

But Vellum looked like a man, albeit a pale one. His dark hair was thick and lustrous, his skin healthy-looking. Despite his literally thin diet, he was built as strongly as Clay, and was maybe an inch or two taller. And he was attractive, which really stuck in Clay's craw. Vellum was a male who'd be competition for women if he and Clay were in a saloon together.

But they were out here, with only Mariel for company.

It was then that Clay realized why he was so concerned for her: he could see that the vampire and she had made a connection. It wasn't plain curiosity that caused her eyes to track the vampire's every move. She found him attractive. Maybe his thrall continued to work on her, compelling her interest. Or maybe it was Vellum himself, who was definitely attractive enough to garner such attention from her or any woman. Hell, even Clay found himself glancing from time to time at the vampire with something other than wariness.

Clay's fears that he and Mariel wouldn't make it to Everton Fort took on a new nuance. Maybe Vellum would decide to keep her for himself.

"Alright, Marshal. Mariel. Time for sleep." Vellum studied them both for a moment, sizing them up. "I want you to be well-rested in the morning, so hog-tying you isn't going to be an option."

"Thank the Lord for small kindnesses," Clay drawled.

That drew a twinkle from Vellum's eyes that made Clay uncomfortable. Last thing he wanted to do was provide amusement to the vampire.

Vellum pulled a pair of bedrolls from the horses. They'd belonged to Beaufort's men but Clay wasn't of a mind to be picky if it'd spare him from sleeping flat on the dirt and rocks. Vellum spread the blankets into a makeshift bed and uncoiled a rope around the area to deter snakes. Wouldn't do for the food to become contaminated with snake venom, Clay supposed.

Finished with his preparations, Vellum said to Clay with a polite smile, "Kindly remove your boots, Marshal, and hand them to me."

Having anticipated as much, Clay didn't complain as he did as asked, though he did grit his teeth when Vellum's fingers brushed his as Clay was handing over the boots. The vampire's fingers hadn't been cold like that of some undead creature, but had been warm. Warm as any man's.

"Thank you, Marshal."

Vellum placed the boots inside his sleeping crate, at one end. He then turned and smiled at Mariel. "I won't ask the same of you. I trust you."

She didn't smile, but Clay was worried to see her nod, very slightly. Vellum was winning her over. Clay had to keep an eye on that.