Glacier (VLG Book 9) Read online

  “No. They are happy I have a mate. It’s what every man hopes to find.”

  “You never slept with the same woman twice. They must be shocked.”

  “You’re special to me though. They’re aware of that.”

  “How can you say that? You don’t know me all that well. I changed a lot after becoming a Vampire. Yesterday was so frantic, and now that we’re safe…do you regret it? Feel forced into mating me since it was the only way to save me?”

  “Never. No regrets, Mandy. You’re mine. You’re still a sweetheart, just tougher. I think you’re perfect. We’re going to make this work. I was always drawn to you in ways no one else made me feel. It was a sign. Now that I’ve found you again, I’m never letting you go.” He paused. “As a matter of fact, I’m grateful that you’re not human anymore.”

  That surprised her. “Why?”

  “I feared my life would horrify you if you ever found out I wasn’t human. That if I let you in, you’d want to flee the second I told you the truth. Some humans break mentally when they learn that they aren’t the only thing walking this Earth or, in my case, sometimes flying over it. I’d have had to call in a favor from a VampLycan friend to wipe your memories to keep you safe before I walked away. Now I never have to let you go.”

  She blinked back tears. He was the sweet one, not her. “We’re in this together for life. It’s my vow.”

  “Good. Now come meet all my brothers. We could use your input.”

  “On what?”

  “How to scare the shit out of your council. We don’t want them to go after the Lycan pack since I wiped out that nest.”

  “I don’t think they will.”

  “I’m not willing to risk it. They need to know what went down wasn’t acceptable. Lycan kids died. If you were right, and someone in the council was protecting Marco, they also need to know about it.”

  She understood. Someone had sent her and Olivia to kill the enforcer they believed was taking out Marco’s nest. That never should have happened if someone had investigated what was really going on. Marco had earned a death sentence. No one else. “I have an idea.”

  “So do we.” He hesitated.

  “What is it?”

  “I have no plans to hurt your friend Olivia, but I’m guessing she’s still in New Mexico looking for your killer. I wouldn’t let that go if someone took out one of my friends. She’ll have a number for the council. I want to call a meeting with them. My brothers and I will capture her to take her phone.”

  She bit her lip. “I can call her.”

  He cocked his head slightly, frowning.

  “I don’t remember all the phone numbers on my cell but Olivia is different. We memorized each other’s numbers in case of emergency. You don’t need to hunt her down. Just give me access to a phone.” She needed to say it. “Thank you for not going after her before, when I know you could have.”

  “You never asked me if I saw her.”

  “I was afraid of the answer in case you had gone to her hotel. I wanted to pretend she was fine.”

  “The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, Mandy. Killing your friend would put a wedge between us.”

  “I’d have understood though.”

  He cupped her chin, leaned in, and brushed his lips over hers. “Thank you for that. Now, my brothers are waiting.”

  He released her, stepped back and offered his hand. She clasped it, feeling a bit nervous. She might be mated to a GarLycan but it was still a frightening concept to be in a room with four of them. Pest seemed to like her though. He’d been kind overall, but she wasn’t about to forget how he’d said he’d take her out if he felt the need.

  Glacier opened the bedroom door and led her into the living area.

  Pest sat at the small table and two big men were seated on the couch. She could see the family resemblance, with their size and black hair. Some of their facial features were the same as well. Both men stood, showing off their impressive heights, just like her mate. The one with the longer hair smiled.

  “I’m Creed. You must be Mandy. Welcome to the family.”

  He didn’t offer his hand but then again, he wasn’t a human. She just smiled back. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “She’s really a suckhead.”

  Glacier tensed at her side and released her hand, stepping forward. “Neb. She is my mate. Be nice, damn it.”

  Neb’s eyes seemed to lighten as she watched. They went from a murky blue with what appeared to be some purple, to a paler shade. He stared at her mate grimly. His gaze met hers next. “My apologies. I mostly take out bad nests. It’s my main gig. Welcome to the family.”

  “Thank you. I’m not a huge fan of Vampires, either. I always say I only like one out of every ten that I meet. I totally get it. Some of them are pure assholes with a God complex.”

  His eyebrows arched.

  “I’m serious,” she admitted.

  He slowly let his gaze roam down her body before meeting hers again. “I take it that you didn’t ask to be turned?”

  “No. I didn’t. I was grabbed to be some sicko’s newest addition to a harem of female sex slaves he kept locked up in his basement. My friend Olivia and I were the newbies. The council, who wiped out that nest, decided we hadn’t been tainted yet and put us through their assassin training. Olivia has assured me many times that they did us a favor. She was turned a week before I was. I’ll take her word for it, since the master never got his hands on me. She wasn’t so lucky.”

  Glacier put his arm around her. “I’d have gone hunting for you if I’d known a nest had taken you.”

  She turned her head, staring up at him. “It’s okay. Let it go.”

  “I should have checked on you when you didn’t come into work.”

  “The Vamp who snatched me took my car. I saw it parked outside when the council led us out of the building we were kept in. You would have known something was wrong if he’d left it behind Bucket. It’s done and over with.”

  He didn’t look happy but gave a sharp nod.

  Neb cleared his throat. “I have some questions for you, Mandy.”

  She looked at Glacier’s brother, tensing. It had been a lot of years since she’d dated, but she remembered meeting the families of a few men. They always wanted to ask about her family and upbringing. She’d dreaded it every time. Things hadn’t changed. “Alright.”

  “I want you to tell me everything about assassins. How many. Where they are. What kind of training they have.” He paused. “The rules they follow, or if they feel they are above the law.”

  “Come on, give her a break, bro.” Pest stood and walked over to stand on her other side. “She’s our brother’s mate. Not someone for you to interrogate.”

  “It’s okay. I understand.” She held Neb’s gaze. “You said your main gig is killing Vampires. It’s important information for you to learn. I’m more than happy to answer your questions.”

  “Later. First, we need to deal with the council.” Glacier let her go and withdrew his cell phone, pressed his thumb to it, and held it out. “Will Olivia answer her phone during the day?”

  “Yes.”

  He hesitated, searching her eyes. “Are you certain you can trust her not to reveal that you’re alive to the council?”

  “She’d die before doing something like that.”

  “You can’t tell her everything.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s a death sentence,” Neb rumbled. “You tell her drinking our blood can make her withstand sunbathing and she’s toast. I’ll personally hunt her ass down to take her out.”

  She glanced at him. “It would put my mate, your brother, in danger. I’d never do that.”

  Glacier pressed the phone into her hand. “I want a number for the council. Do you mind making the call in here? I trust you. My brothers are going to have to get to know you better. They’ll worry like little old ladies.”

  She grinned, accepting the phone. “No problem.”