Chapter 26 · The Westbound Train

"You gonna tell me what you are?"

Luke's rope bit into my wrists. Blood ran warm over my fingers while I knelt in the dirt behind the Tucker wagon. His rifle lay across his chest, close enough to use. Dawn was less than an hour away.

"I know what I drink," I said.

"That ain't an answer."

"It's the only one I've got."

He spat beside my knee, then crouched until we were eye to eye. "I've seen things before. Down in Louisiana, I tracked a man with yellow eyes. Bent iron bars with his hands. They burned him anyway."

"I didn't kill the boy."

"Didn't ask about a boy."

"You asked what I am. I don't know."

Luke studied my face. "You know if you feed on people."

I looked away.

"Hell." He stood and dragged a hand through his hair. "You fed on that kid?"

"She was dying."

"That's not what I asked."

"Yes."

His jaw tightened. "And you liked it?"

"No."

"You sure?"

I jerked against the rope. "Untie me, and ask again."

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he didn't smile. "Still got teeth. Good. What about the woman?"

"Tall. White hair.