Bearing the Black Ice
Ice Bear Shifters, Book 4
By Sloane Meyers
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Similarities to actual people or events are entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Sloane Meyers. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Thank You For Reading!
About the Author
Chapter One
Alan Jensen flung his arms wildly, frantically trying to get a grip on anything that might stop his freefall. Snow, ice shards, and what felt like hundreds of tiny pebbles fell around him as he plummeted blindly through the darkness. For the longest three seconds of Alan’s life, he tumbled downwards with no idea where he would bottom out. He could hear Kat somewhere above him, screaming out his name in panic. The sound echoed from the walls of the cavern, and was joined moments later by the echoes of the loud “thud” that rang out when his body slammed into the floor of the pit.
Luckily, Alan landed on his back, on top of the backpack of supplies he was wearing. This cushioned his fall somewhat. A thick blanket of snow on the cave’s floor also helped. Alan sat up slowly, wincing from the impact but without any broken bones, as far as he could tell.
“Alan!” Kat screamed from somewhere above him.
“I’m okay,” he yelled back, then winced again as the effort of screaming caused a sharp pain to radiate through his body. He was definitely going to be sore tomorrow.
“I can’t see anything,” Kat called down at him. “How far did you fall?”
“Maybe a hundred, a hundred fifty feet?” Alan yelled. The mouth of the cavern appeared small and high above him. Alan stood up and looked around as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He walked slowly to the walls and started feeling around the edges. They were fairly smooth, and there weren’t any good spots to get a foothold to climb out. He found an opening to a tunnel that led further into the cave, but the tunnel was dark and didn’t look like it offered a better way out.
“Kat, listen to me. I need you to go get help. Get one of the guys, and bring some rope so I can use it to climb out.”
“I don’t want to leave you alone here,” she yelled out.
Alan sighed. The idea of waiting alone at the bottom of a cavern didn’t sound exciting to him, either. But Kat sitting far above him at the entrance to keep him company wasn’t going to help him get out of there any quicker. “I’ll be fine. We don’t have a choice, and the longer you wait the less daylight is going to be left.”
Alan glanced at his sports watch, pushing the small button on the side that would light up the watch’s face. The time read 6 p.m. Just over two hours of daylight remained, and it would take Kat at least a half-hour to get back to the cabins where his clan of polar bear shifters—the Northern Lights Clan—lived. By the time she got one of the guys and rounded up supplies to come back, daylight would be growing short.
“Kat, you need to go now.”
“Okay, okay. I’m leaving. But I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
Alan sighed again as he heard her trudging away. He hadn’t wanted to come out on this expedition in the first place, but Kat had been determined to find out where their rival clan, the Blizzards, had been hiding over the summer. Neal, the clan’s alpha, had insisted that Kat needed a bear with her to protect her, and, since Alan had the most flexible schedule in the clan, he had been nominated. He had initially protested that Tyler should have to go with Kat, since Kat was Tyler’s human life mate. But Tyler was working long hours, and Neal thought Kat’s investigations were important. So here Alan sat. Stuck at the bottom of some random cave after a day of babysitting Kat while she trudged around the Northern Alaskan tundra.
Alan shivered. The cave felt much cooler than the temperature above ground. While mid-September in Glacier Point had heralded the return of below-freezing temperatures, the cave felt about twenty degrees colder than the surface. And the piles of snow down here could not have all been from the few small snowfalls that had occurred this month. These snowdrifts were leftovers from winters past that had never melted away.
Alan briefly considered exploring the rest of the cave, but ultimately decided against it. Kat would be back soon enough with one of the guys. Spending the energy on trying to locate a different escape route would be a risky waste of time. Alan settled onto a large rock near one of the cavern walls and leaned back, closing his eyes in an attempt to doze off and get some rest.
Within thirty seconds, however, a woman’s screaming voice startled him awake. His thoughts first went to Kat. He growled, and started running along the walls again, looking for any type of foothold to help him up. Tyler would never forgive him if Kat was injured or killed out here. Not that Alan could have prevented his fall into this damn cave. The entrance had been completely invisible, covered in snow and ice, blending perfectly into the Alaskan landscape.
Alan circled the whole damp, dark space, but the walls remained just as steep and smooth as before. He was stuck down here. The screaming grew louder and closer, and Alan realized the voice didn’t belong to Kat. It was someone else, and, whoever she was, she was frantic. Her screams became more distinct the closer they got, until Alan could make out distinct phrases in her angry tirade.
“Get your hands off of me, you filthy bears!”
Alan’s ears perked up as all of his senses became instantly alert. Bears? The only clans he knew for sure were around here were the Northern Lights Clan and the Blizzards. But he doubted any of the Northern Lights bears would be dragging along a screaming woman.
Before he could process the situation any further in his mind, the screaming woman’s head appeared at the entrance of the cavern above him.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’ll never betray my clan!” the woman spat out.
“We’ll see about that!” a gruff voice answered, just moments before the woman let out another scream as her assailant shoved her into the hole.
Alan watched the woman flailing for a handhold on the way down, much the same as he had done. She landed with an unceremonious thud on the floor, and sat up almost instantly, looking back up at the entrance.
“Don’t think you’re going to get away with this forever, you disgusting animals!” she yelled.
The only answer that came from above was the sound of branches and snow being swept over the entrance. Whoever had thrown this woman in here was also determined to hide the entrance. That was bad news for Alan, who had been counting on a quick rescue when Kat returned with one of the guys.
“Ugh bunch of lowlifes,” the woman said. She had jet black hair, and her eyes appeared to be dark brown, although the lighting in the cave made it difficult to see for sure.
And she smelled like bear. This woman was definitely a bear shifter, although Alan wasn’t sure from which clan. He had never seen anyone that looked quite like her around here before.
Slowly, cautiously, Alan spoke. “Looks like we’re stuck in here together.”
The woman jumped, and whipped around to face him with a startled look on her face. “Oh, great. Another one of you,” she said rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.
Alan chuckled. “Well, aren’t you fired up? Another one of whom?”
The woman eyed him suspiciously, sniffing the air. “Hmm. You’re not a Blizzard, are you?”
“No. I’m not. And neither are you. Looks like we might both share a hatred for them, though.”
The woman snorted. “Yeah, well, don’t think that means we’re buddies. I’m not interested in making any new friends down here.”
Alan shrugged. “Fine by me,” he said, then leaned back and closed his eyes again. Whoever she was, she clearly wasn’t an immediate threat, and he didn’t particularly feel like being social. For several minutes, the sound of dripping water coming from somewhere down the tunnel was the only sound in the cave. But despite her proclamation that she didn’t want a friend, the woman seemed unable to keep silent for long.
“Did they throw you down here, too?” she asked.
Alan opened one eye and looked in her direction. “Who? The Blizzards?”
She nodded.
“No. I fell in. I was out scouting with one of my clan members and didn’t see the hole until it was too late.” Alan sat up straight and opened both eyes to get a better look at the woman. Almost no light seeped in through the snow that covered the cavern’s entrance, but from the little bit he could see of her she looked stunning. Not that it mattered. Alan had no plans of making a move on her, or any other woman. Since his life mate had died, the only emotion he had been able to feel was grief. Lust and love had both become foreign concepts to him.
“What clan are you from?” she asked.
“Northern Lights.”
“Ohhhh. I heard about your clan. Almost wiped out by the poisoning tragedy last year.”
Alan’s eyes darkened. “Yup. That’s us,” he said, then closed his eyes again and leaned back. He didn’t want to think about the poisoning. He spent every waking moment trying to forget that it had happened. Losing his life mate Tessa, and their unborn cub to the Blizzards’ heartless poisoning scheme had left a raw, open wound on his soul that felt like it would never heal. Whenever Tessa’s face flashed across his mind’s eye, the pain became too great to bear.
The woman seemed to sense his need for space, because she fell silent again for several minutes. When she started speaking again, Alan wasn’t entirely sure if she was talking to him, specifically, or just airing out her own worries and fears.
“Who knows how long I’ll be stuck down here this time,” she said.
“This time?” Alan asked, sitting up again. “They’ve thrown you in here before?”
The woman nodded. “I’ve been separated from my clan since the beginning of the summer. We were on the run, with the Blizzards hot on our heels. Everyone told us that they would leave us alone if we made it far enough south, because they’re so heat sensitive that they can’t handle even the mild Alaskan summers. But that wasn’t true. We couldn’t shake them. Eventually, they ambushed us, and managed to snag me and two other clan members. All summer, the Blizzards tried to force my clan members and me to give them information on where the rest of the clan might be hiding. We all refused, obviously. And, at this point, I literally don’t know where my clan is. They could be hundreds of miles from here in any direction. Every couple of days, the Blizzards pull me out and torture me, trying to force information out of me. When they’re done, they throw me back in here to starve for a few days and then start the whole process over again.”
Alan frowned. “My clan has been attacked a few times by the Blizzards over the summer. We can’t understand how they’ve managed to survive during the summer heat, either. That’s actually why I was out scouting with another one of my clan members. She’s convinced they’re in hiding somewhere around here and is trying to find out where.”
The woman snorted. “Um, yeah, they’re in hiding. And you’ve found their hiding spot. Congratulations.”
Alan furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you notice the cooler temperatures down here? This is an underground system of caverns. As far as I can tell, it’s massive. But they seem to have it mapped out pretty well. They’re down here, somewhere. I’ve seen the massive cavern where the majority of the clan stays. But I have no idea where it is. They always throw me in some remote branch of the cave when they abandon me. This cavern we’re in right now must be really remote, because it seems to be one of their favorites. They’re always tossing me in here. I tried once to follow that tunnel, but it must literally go on for miles. I got terrified of being lost in here for good and came back.”
“Hmm,” Alan said, his brow still furrowed. “What clan did you say you’re from?”
“I didn’t say. But I’m from the Frozen Claw Clan. We’re a smaller clan from the far north. At least we were from the far north. I have no idea where my family is now. I’m Hannah, by the way.”
“I’m Alan. Listen, don’t worry. The girl that was with me went back to get some of the other clan members and get some rope to pull me out of here. I’m sure my alpha will be happy to take you back and shelter you as well, until you can figure out where the rest of your clan is. Any enemy of the Blizzards is a friend of ours.”
Hannah sighed. “Well, that’s super sweet of you to say, but I doubt they’ll be here any time soon.”
Alan glanced at his watch and shook his head. “It’s only an hour round trip. Plus a little time to gather supplies. They should be back within the next thirty minutes, I’d say.”
Hannah looked at him with sad eyes. “Alan, the Blizzards covered the entrance and made it look just like the rest of the surrounding tundra. And I promise you they’ve painstakingly taken precautions to erase any trace of their scent that would lead anyone to the cave entrance. They’re determined to keep this place a secret. It was sheer, dumb luck that you found it. Or maybe luck is the wrong word, since I wouldn’t consider your situation right now lucky, exactly.”
Alan gave Hannah a longsuffering look. “Listen, I know my clan will find me. They’re used to dealing with the Blizzards.”
Hannah shook her head at him with a look of pity. “I hope you’re right, Alan, but I’m almost sure you’re not. Welcome to Black Ice Caverns. You’ve got a lot to learn.”
Chapter Two
Twenty-four hours later, Alan was forced to admit that Hannah had been right. Snow and ice still covered the cave entrance, and he hadn’t heard a single peep that might suggest any of his clan members had come even close to where he sat waiting. To her credit, Hannah didn’t act smug or tell him she had told him so. He got the feeling that she was almost as disappointed as he was that his confidence in a rescue had been misplaced. Alan couldn’t imagine the hell she must have been through. The Blizzards were not known for treating anyone with even a modicum of dignity, and she had been at their mercy for months.
But he didn’t have time to sit here and dwell on that right now. He needed to figure out an alternative escape route, since a rescue didn’t seem to be imminent. As far as he could tell, he had two options. He could explore the cave in an attempt to find an alternative exit, or he could try to somehow surprise the Blizzards and get out when they came back for Hannah. Since, from what Hannah said, Black Ice Caverns were massive and difficult to navigate, a surprise escape when the Blizzards came back seemed like the best plan. He had a few extra changes of clothes, an emergency flashlight, a large bottle of water, and a few protein bars in his backpack. Not enough to satisfy his huge bear appetite, but enough to give him a baseline level of energy for a few days. He was willing to bet that finding a nearby underground stream to replenish his water bottle wouldn’t be a problem. The damp, cool cave seemed like the kind of place where water flowed in abundance.
“How long do they usually leave you here before they come back?” Alan asked.
“Usually only a day or two. Three at most. But I have a feeling this time it’s going to be longer.”
“Why?”
“They cut their torture session on me short yesterday. They’d barely s
tarted going at it, when one of their bears came in and started going on about how he thought it was close to time for the cub to be born. They all started whooping and going on about how this was their chance to avenge their brothers’ blood. I don’t know. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me, but from what little I heard, I gathered that they’re all waiting on a baby to be born. Which probably means they’re going to forget about me for a couple extra days. Thank goodness.”
Alan’s heart dropped. “Oh my god,” he said, springing to his feet. “They’re going after Kenzie’s cub.”
Hannah squinted up at him in the near darkness, clearly not understanding the significance of what he was saying. “Kenzie?”
“One of our clan members. Kenzie. She’s a human life mate to one of our shifters. When the Blizzards tried to poison us, only five of us made it out alive. Kenzie’s pregnant with the first Northern Lights cub since the poisoning. Her baby is the hope for the Northern Lights’ future, and the Blizzards know it.”
Hannah seemed unimpressed by Alan’s explanation for his sudden panic. “Okay. Well, surely, your clan members are protecting her? They must know that Blizzards will be trying to take out any new cubs, since they’re so hell-bent on eliminating all of the other clans around here.”
Alan turned his angry glare in Hannah’s direction. “Yes, of course my clan members are protecting her. They’re also no doubt trying to find me. They’re spread too thin, especially if all of the Blizzards are out here in this cave like you’re saying. The temperatures are dropping, and it won’t be long until any semblance of warmer weather is gone and the Blizzards are completely comfortable with leaving this cave whenever they want. Their heat sensitivity isn’t going to hold them back much longer. I have to get back to my clan and help them protect Kenzie and the new cub.”
“How are you going to do that? There’s no way out unless someone lowers a rope down the entrance up there. Trying to find your way out through the tunnels is almost certain suicide. This cave is a huge maze, and the entrances aren’t easy to see. The reason the Blizzards named it ‘Black Ice Caverns’ is that the cavern openings are as invisible as black ice on a roadway. And even if you don’t die of starvation while wandering endlessly through the tunnels, you’re running the risk of coming across the Blizzards. There are dozens of them down here. It’s obvious just from looking at you that you’re a really strong bear, but you are way, way outnumbered.”
Bearing the Black Ice (Ice Bear Shifters Book 4) Page 1
