Glacier Read online

  He flew high, scanning the woods at the edge of the city. He didn’t spot two Vampires but they could already be inside the territory, hiding in one of the Lycan homes abandoned after the pack had gone into lockdown. He turned, flying toward the pack house where the majority of Lycans had been staying. That would be the target.

  He landed on the roof of the pack house and crouched, alert. It might be a long night but come morning, he and Kevin would have issues. The alpha would probably want to challenge him. It wasn’t as if he’d had a choice to pull rank the way he had. He just didn’t plan to become their new alpha.

  A short time passed, and finally he spotted movement near the trees.

  Four dark-clad figures darted closer, keeping out of the open.

  He lifted to his feet, spread his wings, and coasted to the ground. His boots made a thumping sound as he landed. He shelled his skin into battle mode. It would slow him down a little but also deflect bullets if the bastards were armed. He strode forward, right toward them.

  “Marco.”

  All four of them hid behind thick tree trunks. Glacier sighed. “I saw you. Stop dicking around. I am in no mood to play hide-and-seek. I’m Glacier, the GarLycan. You went after Lycan kids. Big fucking no. Step out here and speak to me.”

  None of them moved. He inhaled. “I smell you, Vamps. See the wings? I fly. You can’t outrun me. Talk, or I’m just going to rip you apart. Your call. Make it.”

  One of the men stepped out from behind a tree but stayed next to it. “This is none of your concern, GarLycan.”

  “Are you Marco?”

  The man inclined his head slightly.

  “You made two more Vamps? I counted four of you.”

  “I don’t answer to you.”

  “Wrong. It became my problem when you stole Lycan kids and killed them. I found the warehouse where you held them.” It still sickened him. The bodies had been shoved in the basement, dumped in trash bags as if they were garage. “You put them in cages, tortured them, based on the amount of blood I found in that hellish holding place, and then made them fight against each other in your fucked-up fighting ring. Did you really think you could get away with that?”

  “Yes.” Marco flashed his fangs and his eyes glowed bright.

  Glacier felt what the bastard was trying to do. “You’re wasting your time, asshole. Gargoyles have thick skulls. You can’t fuck with my head.”

  Marco reached back and withdrew a handgun.

  “It tickles a little when you try to control me.” Glacier reached up and tapped his temple. “Just a little buzz, like some annoying insect. And you think bullets will take me down? You’re as stupid as the alpha of this pack.” Glacier hardened his shell a little more and pushed out his chest, keeping his hand up, ready to protect his eyes. They were the only soft spots he had.

  Marco began to fire.

  Glacier threw his arm over his eyes, feeling bullets slam into his chest, one to his hip, and another grazing the top of his head.

  He lunged forward, spread his wings wide and jumped high, spinning in the air as he came down.

  A scream pierced the night and the gun stopped firing.

  Glacier lowered his arm, staring at the Vampire on the ground. His wing had cut the bastard in half near his rib cage. Horror transfixed the master’s features as he realized his entire lower body wasn’t attached anymore, and had already begun to ash.

  “NO!”

  “Yeah. That’s some fucked-up shit right there,” Glacier admitted. “You bastards are hard to kill without taking your head. You can live like that for a bit. I’ve seen it before. Your heart is still beating. You won’t be able to feed though since you lost your stomach. You’ll just linger as you slowly starve to death. It could take weeks. I hear it’s really painful.” He crouched, ripping the gun from Marco’s hand before he stood again. “Why did you think you could murder Lycan kids and get away with it? Who’s your contact on the Vampire Council? Tell me and I’ll end your suffering.”

  Marco clawed at the ground, making agonizing sounds, and managed to roll over onto his chest. He used the dirt and grass to inch away.

  Glacier watched him, knowing the master wasn’t going to get far. He glanced at the other trees.

  “Three of you are left. I want an answer, since this one isn’t talkative. First one to tell me what I want to know gets a two-hour head start before I begin hunting your ass. It’s the best offer you’re going to get from me.”

  Ten feet away, a redheaded Vamp male peeked out from behind a tree. He looked about twenty years old. “He didn’t tell us. Ronnie and I were made two nights ago. I didn’t know about any kids being killed, either.”

  “Shut the fuck up!” a male snapped to the left.

  Glacier turned that way. “You must be Pedro.”

  The guy stepped out from behind another tree, holding a gun. Glacier lifted his arm to keep it close to his eyes and braced his elbow, as if using it to lean against the nearby tree trunk.

  “You fucking monster!” Pedro glared at Glacier before shifting his attention to what was left of Marco, his body shaking.

  “I don’t kill children, asshole. Look in a mirror if you want to see a villain. Why did Marco think it was okay to kidnap Lycan kids without your own damn council coming after your nest?”

  “Tell him nothing!” Marco hissed, now about fifteen feet away, still crawling slowly.

  Glacier stared at Pedro. “You see what I did to him. I could cut you in half too. Just to be clear, he’s not getting away. I may let him crawl around for an hour or so first. I want the name of the council member who protected your nest.”

  “Fuck you!” Pedro lifted the gun.

  “You know those don’t work against me.” Glacier tensed though, prepared in case the bastard wanted to waste bullets.

  Pedro darted behind the tree and gunshots rang out—only he wasn’t aiming at Glacier. He shot Marco in the back of the head at least three times before fleeing.

  Glacier walked over to the still Master, knowing his brain would heal. Probably real slow, since he was already so damaged. He bent, pulled his blade from his boot, and removed his head. Problem solved. Marco went out too fast, though.

  Glacier turned, listening. “You two, out here now.”

  The one who’d peeked at him did it again. Glacier saw raw fear in his eyes.

  “Your friend, too. I want answers.”

  “We were just turned,” the redhead whispered. “Please don’t kill us. We didn’t ask for this. Marco grabbed us coming out of a bar. Ronnie and I have been best friends since we were in diapers.”

  “Step out where I can see you, Ronnie. Now.”

  A dark-haired guy about twenty years old lifted his head over a bush. He looked ready to faint. It saddened Glacier, reminding him of Mandy. She’d been human, minding her own business, and had been snatched into a nest.

  “I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to ask you questions. You’re going to answer them. Then I’m going to send you to somewhere safe.”

  Both men seemed leery as hell, not that Glacier blamed them, but they came out of hiding. Both also appeared scared shitless. He focused on the redhead, since he knew he could talk.

  “What’s your name?”

  “I’m Richie. This is Ronnie.”

  “You two a couple?”

  They both shook their heads.

  “Too bad. That would have been cute on your wedding invitations.” Glacier wanted them to relax but neither broke a smile. Apparently, humor was off the table. “What did Marco tell you about the pack you were going to attack?”

  “He said they were rabid animal people who could shift into wolves and had been attacking people in the city. Pedro taught us how to fight a little. Mostly we were here to watch and learn.”

  “That was all a lie. Sorry to break it to you both, but I think you were bait. Marco would have let the pack tear you to shreds as a distraction while he went after their alpha. Be happy that didn’t happen. Lyc