Glacier Read online

  Kevin growled low. “Let’s get back to planning the attack.”

  Glacier was ready to let it go. He checked over the weapons they had, made a call to Graves to verify everything was in order, and then took the time to eat.

  His mind kept returning to Mandy. He hoped she wouldn’t run. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t flee to her friend, since he hadn’t taken out the other assassin. The pack was on lockdown, which meant they weren’t out there hunting Vamps. Olivia wouldn’t have any targets to kill.

  What if the other Vampire assassin was like Mandy? He believed they hadn’t had a choice to work for the council. It might be a lie, but he had become a good judge of character at his age. He sighed and placed another call when he was alone.

  “If it isn’t my brother from the same mother.”

  He chuckled at Pest’s version of hello. “I need some advice.”

  “Shit. What kind of mess are you in now? Did the alpha try to compare dicks with you and you lost? I guess I could show him mine to save our family honor.”

  “Fuck you.” He laughed though. Pest definitely earned his nickname. His humor faded. “I captured myself a Vamp.”

  “Okay. And that’s like saying it’s Monday.”

  “It’s one I used to know when she was human, and the thing is…” He peered around to make certain no one was in earshot. “She kept her humanity.”

  “This isn’t sounding good. Were you ordered to kill her? I see the problem already. I’d have a hard time with that too, if it was someone I once knew and they seemed decent. What kind of crime did she commit?”

  “It’s not like that. I mean, the alpha ordered me to take her out but you know how that goes. He believes all Vamps are better off dead right now.”

  “Who gives a shit what he wants? He’s not our boss. What did Kelzeb say?”

  “I can’t bring her to the Cliffs and I’m responsible for her actions. He made it clear he wasn’t going to order me to put her down.”

  Pest said nothing.

  “You there?”

  “Um, yeah. You’re banging her, aren’t you? What the hell are you thinking? I mean, they aren’t fragile like a human but you still have to be damn careful with one in bed. They bite, bro. Huge no on that shit. What do you do? Muzzle her? Just take her from behind and watch her fangs?”

  “I haven’t slept with her.”

  “I hear a ‘yet’ in there.”

  He couldn’t deny he wanted Mandy. “You dated a Vamp once.”

  “For like a week, and she kept trying to bite me. It’s why it didn’t last. The sex was hot but it’s like surfing a landslide. It’s just a matter of time before it turns into disaster and you end up burying your own ass. You want my advice? Fuck her until she’s out of your system and then run.”

  He closed his eyes and sighed.

  “She needs to feed, and you can’t be the meal.” Pest’s voice dropped low, sympathy coming through. “That’s the one law we can’t ever break. Too much is at risk.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s doomed. Think about it. What happens if you get too possessive of her, or worst case, fall in love? How are you going to feel, watching her feed off others? It would drive you insane. It’s against the law for us to give blood to Vamps. You’ll be signing her death warrant if you ever slip in bed, Glacier. You care about her? Get the hell away.”

  “It’s fucking complicated.”

  “How do you feel about this Vampire?”

  He sighed. “Highly attracted; always was and still am.”

  “Then run, bro. For her sake as well as your own. Sometimes caring means saying goodbye. This is a prime example.”

  “The Vampire Council will be after her. Hell, according to her, everyone will be. I set her free and she’ll be on her own. She won’t last long. They’ll kill her.”

  “That is complicated.” He paused. “I have some days free. I’m coming to you.”

  “No need.”

  “I’m your brother. You called me. You wouldn’t do that unless you’re in over your head and thinking about doing something stupid. We’ll sit down together, have some beers, and talk all this out. I’m packing a bag now and will hit the air. I should be there by morning. I know where you are.”

  “Mandy is at the shop I’m staying in. Don’t scare her.”

  “I won’t hurt your Vampire.”

  “Mandy.”

  “Damn. You have it bad, don’t you?”

  “I used to, and she hasn’t changed, besides the Vampire thing.”

  “It’s a big fucking thing, bro.”

  “See you in the morning, Pest. I’ll be there after the sun is up. Oh, and um, she can move around after dawn. Heads-up. Don’t flip out on her.”

  “How old is she? I didn’t know you were into cougars.”

  He chuckled. “Long story. I’ll share it with you tomorrow.”

  “See you soon.”

  Glacier ended the call and sighed, getting up and returning to the war room inside the pack house. The Lycans were too hyped up to sleep. He knew they would be.

  Chapter Six

  Mandy heard a knock on the door at around five in the morning. She frowned, grabbing a hammer.

  “Hello? Mandy? Don’t attack. I’m coming in.”

  “I just fixed that door. Don’t break it. Who are you?”

  “Glacier sent me. I’m his brother.”

  Curiosity immediately got the best of her and she unlocked the door, opening it up. There was no doubt the big man who stood in the alley was related to Glacier. They had the same handsome facial features, black hair, and sheer body size. She backed up fast, keeping her distance.

  He entered, closed the door behind him, and smiled.

  “Damn, you’re short. No wonder you have my brother in overdrive on the protective instincts.” He put a backpack on the floor then crossed his arms over a T-shirt stretched across his wide chest. “I’m Pest.”

  She gawked at him a bit, perplexed by the name.

  “Tempest, but don’t call me that. And I wasn’t named after a girl. Our mother had a thing for weird-ass names. I was born during a violent windstorm. Glacier got stuck with his name because he was born during a bad winter with big-ass ice chunks as far as the eye could see. My friends call me Tem, but my family calls me Pest. I hate being teased about my name…and we don’t want to start off on the wrong foot, do we?”

  She shook her head. “Is Glacier okay?”

  “He was fine, last I spoke to him.”

  “Did he send you here to keep me safe from the pack in case another enforcer tries to attack me?”

  “Sure. We’ll go with that.”

  She frowned.

  “He didn’t say much. Fill me in on this enforcer.”

  She replayed what happened with Ted. Anger grew on Pest’s face as she spoke, making him look a lot more like Glacier. He made a low rumble sound when she finished.

  “That explains the patchwork on the door. I’m glad my brother killed the bastard. I would have done it too. Point me to the basement and I’ll clean up the blood. I hate leaving evidence behind.”

  “I already did that,” she admitted.

  “You’re handy. So, what’s your story? How’d you become a Vamp?”

  “I was grabbed in a parking lot. The Vampire Council had already decided to cleanse the nest responsible, and they kept me alive since I was brand new in Vamp land. I had just barely finished transforming when they stormed in. The council figured I hadn’t been mentally fucked up yet by the master.”

  “Cleanse?”

  “Let’s just say Cain was a shit master who ran a dangerous nest. He liked to send out male Vamps to find women to add to his harem. But he drew too much attention from humans, since he didn’t care if we’d be missed or not. His males didn’t exactly ask if the women were married, had kids or families. They grabbed anyone they thought Cain would like, regardless of the fallout with their loved ones filing missing persons reports and raising hel