Glacier

  He returned the van to a secluded parking lot and spotted a familiar face. Graves came forward, the Lycan looking grim. “That was fast. Did they move locations?”

  “The master wasn’t there. He probably took his second-in-command with him since another was missing. I’m just hoping he didn’t turn five humans and leave them there in the hopes of fooling the pack that they got the ones responsible for their dead kids. Then again, the alpha is a dick. I doubt he’d give a shit if those were the guilty ones or not.” Glacier removed the uniform he wore over his clothes and threw it into the van.

  “I’ve heard that about Kevin. Hotheaded, not too bright, and his control on his pack isn’t the best. I’ve had to come to this area three times before to take down idiots who used to belong to him. He’s shit at policing his own.”

  “Thanks for your help.”

  Graves nodded. “You need anything else?”

  “Get rid of the explosives in the back of the van and wipe it down for me?”

  “You got it. I could stick around for a few days if you need help locating this master. I don’t usually track neck suckers but it wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “One of my brothers flew in overnight. We’ve got this handled, but thanks with the van and uniforms. It was a high-traffic part of town. No way were we getting into that restaurant without drawing a hell of a lot of attention. The ruse worked.”

  “I’ve had to make a lot of contacts in my line of work.” Graves shrugged. “No biggie. I’m always willing to help out the clans. Nobody wants humans to become suspicious. You’ve helped me out in the past.”

  “Still, grateful to you.” Glacier held out his arm.

  Graves gripped it and they nodded at each other. “I think I’ll hang out for a day or two, just in case. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Thanks. I’m going to return to the shop and say hello to my brother.”

  “Watch out for Kevin. Not kidding about the hothead part. You never struck me as one to get along well with assholes.”

  Glacier chuckled. “I think we have that in common.”

  “You know it.” Graves released him, striding toward the van.

  Glacier went to his motorcycle and climbed on. He hated to wear a helmet but it was a human law in the state. He shoved it on, started the engine, and glanced around. The sensation of being watched struck suddenly, but he brushed it off just as quickly. It was probably Graves. He drove away, heading toward the shop.

  Pest opened the door to the alley after Glacier finished parking. He hugged his brother, glad to see him. “You made it. Thanks for coming.”

  “Is she really an assassin for the Vampire Council? Because I have to tell you, I laughed when she said that.”

  “It’s true.”

  “Fuck. I guess they get points for surprise, since who’d have thought, huh?”

  “Is she sleeping?”

  “Yeah. It’s why I came down to talk to you. She can actually wake during the day. Are you sure she’s as young as she claims?”

  “I knew her when she used to be human. Did she tell you there’s a second assassin in town, too?”

  Pest scowled. “No.”

  “It’s another woman, happens to be Mandy’s best friend, and it seems the council doesn’t exactly take no for an answer when they give their Vamps an order. I’m the target the council sent them after.”

  “Do you want me to go hunt the other assassin down and take her out?”

  “No. I plan to avoid her at all costs. That way, I don’t have to explain to Mandy that I had no choice but to kill her bestie.”

  Pest cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. “And you care…why?”

  “Mandy was always a sweetheart. She still is. The change didn’t harden her heart.”

  “You hope it didn’t.”

  “You spent time with her. What do you think? Gut instinct, Pest.”

  His brother sighed. “I thought her being an assassin was a fucking joke. She seems soft. Like maybe she was just turned and hasn’t seen any shit yet.”

  “She claimed to have grown up with a domestic violence background, but wanted to be a better person back when I knew her. I don’t think that’s changed. She’s just not human anymore.”

  “What can I do to help while I’m here, bro?”

  “I don’t trust Kevin. One of his enforcers already came after her. I didn’t mention to the pack that you flew in. I can’t be in two places at once, and I’m here to wipe out that nest… Mandy isn’t included.”

  “What the hell are you going to do with her when this mission is complete?”

  Glacier shook his head. “Fuck if I know.”

  “You’re in dangerous waters.”

  “No shit. She doesn’t deserve to die though. You met her, Pest.”

  “I also remember you being upset about a human named Mandy on that cult-leader wannabe job a long time ago. Same woman, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Shit.” Pest sighed. “You still have feelings for her. It’s never a good thing, and the fact that she’s a Vamp? Monumental bad idea to get involved. You know the score. There’s no win here.”

  Glacier didn’t need to be told that. “One day at a time right now.”

  Pest snorted. “I’ll keep short stack safe, but you need to figure this mess out and find a solution. Does Kelzeb know you have a past with her?”

  “He’s got an idea. I’ve told him enough.”

  “Did you tell him I flew in?”

  “Nobody knows you’re here but me, Mandy, and I told Graves.”

  “He’s not one to talk. He’s in town?”

  “I needed a few favors.”

  “Get some rest. You look tired. I’m sleeping in the hallway outside the bedroom. Couldn’t you have found somewhere to stay with two bedrooms? And for fuck’s sake, don’t let her bite you if you do the nasty.”

  Glacier clenched his teeth and entered the shop, his brother behind him. He avoided going upstairs though. It would be a bad thing to climb into bed with Mandy. “I’ll sleep on the floor down here.”

  Chapter Seven

  Mandy woke alone but she heard murmured male voices she identified downstairs. The sun hung low in the sky, judging by her instincts. She climbed out of bed, made a stop in the bathroom to freshen up, and walked down the stairs. The voices became silent.

  Glacier and his brother were seated on the floor eating sandwiches and bags of chips. Both flashed her smiles but they didn’t reach their eyes.

  “How did it go with the nest? Are they extinguished?”

  “Not all of them. Come here.” Glacier patted the floor next to him. “You met the nest, right?”

  “Briefly.” She carefully sat, tugging at the shirt to keep her modesty since she wasn’t wearing pants. It was one of Glacier’s though, fitting her more like an oversized dress.

  Glacier withdrew his phone and handed it to her. “See if you can identify any of these faces as being nest members.”

  She stared at the first one. “Yes.”

  He reached over, their hands touching as he flipped to another pic. She studied it.

  “Yeah. Mr. Ugly Shoes. They were orange with green marker on the sides. Not something I’d forget.”

  “Tell me if any of these are the master.” Glacier flipped to another, and then another pic, five in all. She had seen them with Marco the night she’d met him. All of them were slumbering in the pictures.

  She turned her head, staring up at him. “Marco isn’t one of them. What’s going on?”

  “I suspected that but wanted confirmation. Marco and one other nest member weren’t sleeping under the restaurant this morning, but he’d left them behind.”

  She frowned. “How many day guards?”

  “None.”

  She thought about it. “He sacrificed them to switch up the game. Damn. Call your alpha friend and tell him to expect an attack tonight.”

  Glacier took his phone back and pocketed it. “You think the
hunted will become the hunters?”

  “Old tactic, unfortunately, right out of the shitty-master playbook. He left them there to die, probably even put word out on the street where they were located to make sure the Werewolves found them, and now he’ll go after the alpha tonight. Cut off the head of a pack and chaos results. Marco knows the enforcers will challenge each other to take leadership. At best, a few will die, or they’ll be severely injured if it’s not death matches. It will make it easier for him to kill them all.”

  “Maybe he just ran.”

  She looked over at Pest, shaking her head. “Marco is a conceited jackass. He’d never live it down if a pack chased him out of his own town. He’s also got connections to someone on the council. It would be an unforgivable embarrassment if he fled his territory. Nothing would make him lose face faster than that. It might even earn him a spot on an assassin’s hit list. No. He kept Pedro alive, since he’s not one of the Vampires in the photos. That’s his second. I’d bet money Marco has been feeding him his blood to make him stronger. The two of them will go after the alpha first. Then, while the enforcers are distracted by deciding who leads the pack, he’ll attack. Marco and his second won’t stop until every Were they consider a threat is dead. I’ve seen it happen before.”

  Glacier stood. “Fuck. I better get my ass to pack headquarters.”

  “You’d better hurry. I can sense that the sun is down enough that I could go outside as long as I stick to the shadows. It’s why I’m not worried about the dirty windows down here. Who knows how close Marco and his second got to pack territory, to be able to strike fast? Marco will know the Werewolves will have their guard down, assuming they’ve been victorious.”

  Glacier rushed toward the back door. “Stay together.”

  She jumped up, moving in case some sunlight streamed in. “Be careful!”

  He was gone and she heard a motorcycle engine rev, then take off fast. Pest locked the door and retook his seat on the floor. “It almost seems as if you want to help the pack instead of your own kind. Curious.”

  “Marco targeted pups. He’s not worthy of my protection. I hope Glacier kills him.”

  “Sit down. Are you hungry? I’m not offering my blood, but I could escort you outside to grab a bite. It’s a shit neighborhood. You probably wouldn’t even have to leave the alley.”

  “I’m fine. I fed last night when that Werewolf attacked me. I’m good for a few days.”

  “So not a newbie.”

  “I keep telling you that. I’m highly trained, and ancient bloodlines have been introduced to my body. I only suffer from hunger after about three days of going without blood.”

  “How does that work? You having abilities that only older Vampires should have?”

  She sat back down on the floor. “You want the official Vamp bullshit, or my take on it?”

  “Yours.”

  “I view Vampirism like a virus. I got upgraded to better, stronger strains of it.”

  He chuckled.

  “It’s kind of true. Just never repeat that I called it that. Vamps get bent out of shape being called a virus. They like to think it’s more of a gift from the gods or some such shit. Only the blessed are turned, according to the council. Yeah, right. I’ve taken out plenty of jerks who were probably psychopaths as humans and grew ten times worse after being turned. Anyway, the older a Vamp gets, the more strength they acquire. The virus grows stronger. Sharing their blood with weaker Vamps makes the weak ones stronger. But masters won’t offer their wrists to just anyone in a nest after they’ve been turned, unless that master absolutely trusts them. Enough feedings and they’d become equal in strength. Not a good idea, since most masters are dicks who’d end up being killed by their own nests. It’s against council laws, but they might get away with it if they all stuck to the same story and blamed someone else. That’s what I’d do if I thought I could get away with taking out a few of the council members.”

  He laughed deeper. “I like you, short stack.”

  “Mandy.”

  His humor faded and something weird happened with his eyes. They seemed to darken from blue to near black. “My brother is protective of you. That’s a problem.”

  She eyed him warily. “Are you going to try to kill me? It would be nice to have a warning of your intent.”

  “No. Glacier wouldn’t forgive me for that unless I was given no choice. But I will chain your ass to that bench downstairs if you attempt to leave or bite me.”

  “Fair enough. I gave Glacier my word that I would stay here. I don’t make promises unless I plan to keep them. I also don’t bite for the hell of it. I told you, I’m not hungry.”

  “How do you see this ending?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “With Glacier. This assignment will end as soon as that master is dealt with. He’ll be sent somewhere else. Do you expect him to just let you go? Send you on your way?”

  “Truthfully? I don’t know why I’m still alive. I’ve given him opportunities to kill me. I even stepped into the shower to make it easier for him to cut off my head. No mess, no hassle. He didn’t do it.” She sighed. “As for going free? The council has all their property—that would include me—embedded with trackers. We go off grid and they put death orders out on us. There’s no escaping them. Glacier removed my tracker, but that doesn’t mean the council necessarily believes I’m the ashes Olivia would have found when she was sent to find out what happened to me. Even if they do, someone will see me at some point if he lets me go. Nowhere would be safe for me to hide. As I’ve told your brother, I’m already dead, Pest. I figure I’ll meet the sun when your brother leaves, if he doesn’t have the heart to kill me himself.”

  He looked a bit stunned.

  “Any more questions?”

  “You want me to believe you’d ash yourself?”

  “It would be better than being captured and taken before the council. Those bastards can think up a thousand ways to make me scream in agony, heal me, and do it all over again before they finally allow me die. I know exactly how vicious Vampires can be. They’d set an example by me and probably force all the other assassins to watch it go down. To see a sunrise one last time doesn’t sound so bad in comparison, does it?”

  “It would hurt.”

  “I’ve been thrown out into the sun more than once during training. Believe me, I know. But it would be quicker than being tortured.”

  “You could try to kill my brother and take your council his head. They’d forgive you if you admit he captured you and stole your tracker.”

  She felt sadness at his words. “Wow, either your opinion of women in general sucks or you’ve met some seriously shitty Vampires in your lifetime. Glacier is a protector. He’s a good man. My life already ended when I was turned into this. I’ve tried to do my best to survive since. Never has that included murdering someone who I knew didn’t deserve it. This Vampire has lines she won’t cross. I’d never hurt Glacier. Ever.” She got up. “Enough of this topic. It’s depressing. I’m going to go take a shower. Is that alright?”

  “Are you going to try to run?”

  She shook her head. “What part of ‘I keep my promises’ did you not understand? But go ahead and stay on alert. Just do it from outside the bathroom, please. I wouldn’t fit through that tiny window and you’d hear if I tried to break through a wall.”

  She walked upstairs and entered the bathroom, firmly closing the door behind her. She turned on the water, waiting while it heated before finally stripping off the oversized shirt she wore. Her thoughts were centered on Glacier, worried about him.

  * * * * *

  Glacier felt utter disgust. Kevin, his enforcers, and a large part of the pack weren’t in lockdown anymore. Instead they were outside, most of them drunk, throwing a party. Graves had been right about the pack being led by an idiot.

  He approached the alpha. “What the hell?”

  Kevin faced him, grinning. “We didn’t need you after
all. Why are you still here?”

  “The master and his second are still on the loose. You know this.”

  Kevin snorted. “Who cares? He’s probably in another state. We scared the shit out of them and they’re running for their lives. Have a drink, GarLycan. Chill out. We won!”

  “Marco is going to come after you with his second, kill you, and then pick off your pack while they’re in turmoil without an alpha.”

  “Let the fuckers try,” Kevin snarled. He took a step toward Glacier and staggered.

  Glacier grabbed him by his wrists. “You’re drunk and can’t even walk straight. Do you honestly think you could fight a master Vamp and win in this condition? Sober up!” He shook him hard and released him.

  Kevin began to shift, his claws and fur sprouting.

  Glacier wasn’t in the damn mood for a pathetic fight.

  He decked him in the face, knocking him out cold. The alpha’s body hit the ground and everyone at the party became absolutely silent. Shock showed on their features as Glacier glanced around. He shelled his skin until it became a light gray.

  “The party is over. Your alpha is too damn drunk to be rational right now. You called me here to deal with this Vamp situation. Everyone seek shelter immediately and return into lockdown mode. Spread the word if anyone left the area. They are in danger. All of you are. There’s a master Vamp and his second on their way here.” He pointed to an enforcer. “Pick Kevin up and carry him to the war room. Take at least six fighters with you to guard his ass. You hear me?”

  Teenie rushed forward. “You’re taking over the pack?”

  “For tonight, yes, I am. Follow my orders.” He stripped his upper body and let his wings come out. “I’m going to be patrolling the air. Everyone in lockdown. I’ll handle this mess. You just stay alive.”

  He launched himself into the air. Kelzeb wasn’t going to be happy about what he’d done to Kevin or how he’d taken control of the situation, but he’d deal with it later. He’d become a guardian to protect packs from threats, even idiot alphas. He’d be damned before he allowed them to be slaughtered.