Dead of Winter Read Online Free PDF Page B

dead folk start moving around again," Ben said. "Still, maybe this is some new kind of vampire."
      "They is all the same from what I've seen. Savage, mindless blood-suckers the lot of them. Remind me of them Yankees, to be honest."
      "Couldn't be because the first vampire we killed was wearing a Union jacket," Ben said, his blue eyes alight with amusement.
      "Well, can't say I was surprised the Union had actual monsters working with the human ones in their army. Damn shame we can't blame their tactics on the undead, but there ain't no vampire that can make battle plans."
      "Can't imagine what would happen if there was," Ben said. "We would have a serious problem on our hands."
      "Well, that's one of the advantages the good Lord does give us, I guess. He may not see fit to give us all peacemakers and blessed silver bullets, but at least He gave us the brains to make them." She replaced her Colt on the table. Looking out the window, she considered the remaining daylight, then she turned to her husband. "Sun's about set for the night, meaning a shift of miners will be coming through the Pioneer soon. I've a mind to go fleece them for their earnings and get me a few drinks in the meantime. You up for a game?"
      A smile bloomed beneath Ben's mustache. "Think I'll stay in. You know I hate to watch you lose half our money in a single night. Besides, one of us needs to come up with a plan for tracking this monster down, and I don't reckon the king of hearts will have any good ideas."
      Cora picked up one of her boots and threw it at him. He caught it in one hand without looking up from his book, the grin never leaving his lips. She pulled the other boot over her toes, then step-thumped her way over to the bed and held out her hand. Ben dropped the boot on her palm and looked up at her. She returned his smile as she put the boot on, then leaned over and kissed his forehead.

  
  
THREE
      
  
  
    Our Lady of Virginia picked her way along the snowy path one hoof at a time. Cora let the mare go at her own pace, taking the time to enjoy the quiet. The two of them were traveling along a rough trail that wound around the base of a mountain. They were near the treeline, giving Cora a clear view of the snow-covered slope rising above her. Somewhere behind her, she could picture the crooked peak rising on the other end of the valley, and her thoughts returned to town for a moment.
      She wondered if Ben was having any luck tracking down Bill Hicks. He had wanted to stay in town, leaving her the task of heading out to visit Jules Bartlett. While she was playing cards, Ben had given more thought to the idea of looking up the old hermit, thinking that he might know something about the creature prowling the woods below his house. By the time she returned to the hotel room, Cora had been too drunk to feel stupid for not thinking of that herself. She listened as closely as the whiskey allowed while he outlined the next day's agenda. Despite the potency of Boots' private stock, she only had to ask him to repeat himself six or seven times.
       Cora could see a dirty yellow trail flowing down the mountainside above her, muck belched out by a nearby silver mine. She smiled at the ugly stain, thinking of the silver that mine would produce, silver that she could use for bullets. Silver that had once been part of a holy relic or symbol was more effective against Hells' minions – it made a priest's blessings that much more potent – but any silver would do in a pinch.
      The trail continued to wind its way around the mountain's base. Through the trees, Cora could see what seemed like a thousand snowy peaks reaching toward the afternoon sun. The sight made her head swim, and she soon found the saddle horn in front of her a much more comforting view. Our Lady was content to find her own way up the slope, snow crunching beneath her hooves.
      Once, a stray limb reached out for Cora from a nearby tree, its branches