His to Bear: Icy Cap Den #1 (Alaskan Den Men) Read Online Free Page B

short span of time makes my head ache like I’ve been on a vodka binge. I crawl to Meg and carefully roll her over.
    Her eyes are closed. Her pale skin is bleached white. Even her normally berry-red lips have a bluish tinge. I check her pulse and find only a faint, irregular beat.
    “Don’t die on me, you cranky vamp.” I kiss her cold lips, but there is no response. Sweeping her up into my arms for the second time that night, I run like hell.
    Meg is a featherweight for my bear, but not so much for me in my human form. My body is working to keep warm, run, and carry her, which is leaving me winded. I stumble once, then twice, barely keeping us both from plowing headfirst into the snow. The snow is hip deep in places. Even following in my earlier tracks is tough. The wind drifts fresh snow over my steps.
    Tightening my hold on Meg, I press forward, running till I’m dizzy, then panting for a few steps, then running again. Finally I stumble back onto my property. I blink at my cabin, fearing I’m dreaming.
    Tristan is still here. I sense him.
    I call out to him, but the wind washes my voice away in its howl. I slow. With my arms stiff with cold, it’s difficult to hold onto Meg. My body isn’t responding to my directions. Did I only a short time ago relish the wild elements? Ironic, since they are now going to kill me and Meg is probably already dead.
    “Ash! Ash!” Tristan hurries out of the blizzard, brandishing a lantern.
    “Take her,” I say through numb lips.
    Tristan gathers Meg into his arms, then hurries back into the cabin.
    That selfish bastard . My mind works slowly. Has he wanted her to himself all along?
    Then Tristan is back, pulling me to my feet. He throws my arm around his shoulder. “What are you doing, running around naked? Is Trudy OK?”
    My lips work enough to produce “Trudy fine.” I lean on him all the way into the cabin. He continues half carrying me to the fireplace, where Meg is lying stretched out on the woven rugs with two blankets piled on her.
    Tristan throws a blanket on me. Then he goes to my bedroom and returns, dragging all the blankets from the bed.
    After every blanket is on Meg, he motions for me to lie down too. “I’m gonna get you something that’ll help more.”
    Stiffly, I lie down next to Meg. I am warming up enough that I can feel the blankets against my bare skin.
    “Drink this.” Tristan hands me a cup. I sip and feel the burn of the whisky sliding down my throat. My insides start to hum to life.
    He props up Meg, tilting her head back to give her a sip. A few drops of the whisky disappear before she erupts into a cough.
    Thank God she isn’t dead. Please don’t die. Please don’t die.
    “Have a bit more,” Tristan coaches, tipping the cup up. But Meg’s hand shoots out, slapping it away. The liquid sprays across the air before some of it falls, hissing, into the fireplace.
    “Give me blood,” she croaks.
    My cousin’s eyebrows rise. He looks at me.
    “It’s in the fridge,” I say.
    Synthetic human blood is available for vampires to purchase. Especially for physician vampires, it is their dietary staple. The synthetic stuff is half as potent as true human blood.
    “Bring two!” I call.
    He returns with two packets. Opening one, he seems partly fascinated and partly shy. “Should I warm it up? Put in a cup?”
    “Pour.” Meg opens her mouth like a bird.
    “I’ll do it.” I’ve warmed up enough to move now. I gather Meg in my lap, tipping the packet at one corner. Her dark eyes meet mine as I support her head against my shoulder.
    Tristan rearranges the blankets around me. “I need to get back to Trudy. We’ll talk later, Ash.”
    I nod. “Thanks.”
    Within seconds, the front door closes.
    Returning my focus to Meg, I relish the opportunity to be close to her. Making her face death wasn’t what I had in mind.
    “Why do you have to be so stubborn?” I tip the rest of the packet into her mouth as she drains it. Her red tongue licks her