Read Online RedKnife (Skin Walkers Book 2) by Susan Bliler - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Bliler
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now. As it was, he had nothing but the truck he’d taken from King, a wad of cash in his pocket that King had recommend he carry in case of emergencies, and the unconscious woman in the back seat.
What he did possess, that most other Walkers didn’t, was a wealth of knowledge about the state itself. Unlike the other Walkers, who spent their evenings tucked in tight at StoneCrow and working daily at the Estate, RedKnife was more restless. He traveled far and wide in Montana, and spent the majority of his time outdoors. He knew how to survive, and he knew where to go when he didn’t want to be found.
Cindy moaned in the backseat, drawing his attention. He’d need to settle in someplace soon. The drug he’d shot her with would be wearing off, and he didn’t want the hassle of having to deal with the drama that was sure to ensue while he was driving.
Thinking back to a pow-wow he’d watched from the cover of the forest, he set a course for Mission Canyon on the Fort Belknap reservation. The location would be perfect. He’d hit the grocery store in Havre and stock up while Cindy was still out, then he’d disappear on the rez. He blended well there, and with it being winter, he knew the pow-wow grounds would be vacant. Several of the cabins in the canyon were used only seasonally, which meant they’d be able to hole up somewhere other than a mountainside cave.
***
Cindy stirred as smoke tickled her nose. It smelled nice, but it didn’t make sense that she was so cold. Slowly peeling her eyes open, she studied the massive back hunched in front of a stone hearth, probing at the fire with a poker.
Shit! Memory slammed back. Quietly eyeing the room, she searched for a weapon, or a phone, or an ally. It was too dark. The only thing she could make out was RedKnife squatting in front of her and her breath escaping in a frigid puff.
Easing up onto an elbow, she stilled when RedKnife’s head snapped up. When he turned slowly to pin her with a dark frown, she held her breath.
Wordlessly he stood and dropped the poker. It clanged off the wooden floor and had Cindy recoiling as she watched him warily.
He disappeared behind the couch and as she sat up, the room was flooded with light. Blinking against the sudden brightness, Cindy was surprised to find that what she had previously thought was an old, run-down cabin was anything but. It was nice. Cold, but nice.
RedKnife paced the room, flipping on light switches to expose more of the room before disappearing out the front door, only to return a few minutes later, arms laden with snow covered fire wood that he piled next to the fireplace. The door was left wide-open, letting wind whip into the cabin and stir the snowflakes scattered on the wood floor into a frenzy.
She swallowed hard. “Uh…” She cleared her throat. “Um, R-RedKnife?”
He turned to look at her but didn’t speak.
“What am I doing here?” She scanned the quaint little cabin. “Is Monroe here?”
RedKnife shook his head once.
“Is…is he coming?”
Another hard shake of his head.
Okay, so he doesn’t talk much. She remembered back to what Monroe had said. RedKnife didn’t speak often, and he didn’t like being indoors. Funny, every time she’d seen him, he’d been inside.
Cindy slowly got to her feet and staggered. Hearing a growl, she jerked her eyes up to find RedKnife first scowling at her, then pointedly shifting his eyes back to the couch. It was clear he wanted her to sit back down, so she did. With little else to do, she took stock. Her head was pounding, and her mouth was dry. She coughed weakly, and when it drew her attention she asked, “May I have some water?”
His scowl softened a little before he turned and stalked to the small kitchenette. It was all she needed. With the door standing wide open, she didn’t lose anytime fumbling with the knob. She’d just raced down the cabin’s front steps
What he did possess, that most other Walkers didn’t, was a wealth of knowledge about the state itself. Unlike the other Walkers, who spent their evenings tucked in tight at StoneCrow and working daily at the Estate, RedKnife was more restless. He traveled far and wide in Montana, and spent the majority of his time outdoors. He knew how to survive, and he knew where to go when he didn’t want to be found.
Cindy moaned in the backseat, drawing his attention. He’d need to settle in someplace soon. The drug he’d shot her with would be wearing off, and he didn’t want the hassle of having to deal with the drama that was sure to ensue while he was driving.
Thinking back to a pow-wow he’d watched from the cover of the forest, he set a course for Mission Canyon on the Fort Belknap reservation. The location would be perfect. He’d hit the grocery store in Havre and stock up while Cindy was still out, then he’d disappear on the rez. He blended well there, and with it being winter, he knew the pow-wow grounds would be vacant. Several of the cabins in the canyon were used only seasonally, which meant they’d be able to hole up somewhere other than a mountainside cave.
***
Cindy stirred as smoke tickled her nose. It smelled nice, but it didn’t make sense that she was so cold. Slowly peeling her eyes open, she studied the massive back hunched in front of a stone hearth, probing at the fire with a poker.
Shit! Memory slammed back. Quietly eyeing the room, she searched for a weapon, or a phone, or an ally. It was too dark. The only thing she could make out was RedKnife squatting in front of her and her breath escaping in a frigid puff.
Easing up onto an elbow, she stilled when RedKnife’s head snapped up. When he turned slowly to pin her with a dark frown, she held her breath.
Wordlessly he stood and dropped the poker. It clanged off the wooden floor and had Cindy recoiling as she watched him warily.
He disappeared behind the couch and as she sat up, the room was flooded with light. Blinking against the sudden brightness, Cindy was surprised to find that what she had previously thought was an old, run-down cabin was anything but. It was nice. Cold, but nice.
RedKnife paced the room, flipping on light switches to expose more of the room before disappearing out the front door, only to return a few minutes later, arms laden with snow covered fire wood that he piled next to the fireplace. The door was left wide-open, letting wind whip into the cabin and stir the snowflakes scattered on the wood floor into a frenzy.
She swallowed hard. “Uh…” She cleared her throat. “Um, R-RedKnife?”
He turned to look at her but didn’t speak.
“What am I doing here?” She scanned the quaint little cabin. “Is Monroe here?”
RedKnife shook his head once.
“Is…is he coming?”
Another hard shake of his head.
Okay, so he doesn’t talk much. She remembered back to what Monroe had said. RedKnife didn’t speak often, and he didn’t like being indoors. Funny, every time she’d seen him, he’d been inside.
Cindy slowly got to her feet and staggered. Hearing a growl, she jerked her eyes up to find RedKnife first scowling at her, then pointedly shifting his eyes back to the couch. It was clear he wanted her to sit back down, so she did. With little else to do, she took stock. Her head was pounding, and her mouth was dry. She coughed weakly, and when it drew her attention she asked, “May I have some water?”
His scowl softened a little before he turned and stalked to the small kitchenette. It was all she needed. With the door standing wide open, she didn’t lose anytime fumbling with the knob. She’d just raced down the cabin’s front steps
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