Grimm - The Icy Touch by John Shirley Read Free Book Online Page A

consultancy, was something he didn’t want getting around. “No, never heard. Cooked you said?”
    “Burned—word is, it was a Daemonfeuer.”
    “Daemonfeuer! A dragon?”
    “They got a few enforcers in town. Stuff that’ll make you sit up and pay attention. Hasslich. Daemonfeuers Couple of rogue Blutbaden, too.”
    “Yeah? Who’re the Blutbaden?”
    “I don’t know their names. From out of Chicago, I guess.” Smitty cracked his knuckles nervously and looked in the side-view mirror.
    “You think they’re out here looking for you?” Monroe asked.
    “Looking for me anywhere they can find me.” He sighed. “I need a smoke. And a drink.”
    “You wanna come back to my place? We can stop on the way, get you a pack of smokes. I’ll provide the drinks.”
    “No, I appreciate it, but... I couldn’t do that to you. You were always a good guy.”
    “Whatya mean, ‘do that to me?’”
    “They’re after me, man. Because I wouldn’t play ball. They wanted me to smuggle shit for them. And act as guard for the stuff too. Meaning if anyone walks in on it, I’m supposed to go full woge and kill ’em.”
    “Really. Who are these guys?”
    “They call it... I can’t pronounce the French name. In English it’s Icy Touch.”
    “Icy Touch. You give that a ring like La Cosa Nostra.”
    “That’s the idea. But they’re Wesen. Most of ’em. Some humans. But the humans work for the Wesen.”
    Now it was Monroe’s turn to look nervously in the truck’s side mirror.
    “Any chance that ogre knows where you are now?” he asked.
    “Doubt it.”
    “Kinda surprises me that they kill the uncooperative types with Wesen weapons, teeth and claws and... fiery breath. I mean—you’d think they wouldn’t want to draw that much attention.”
    “They’re trying to scare their way into power with the cartels. I hear it’s working. And maybe... they got something else planned. Who knows. Maybe some of them are tired of staying hid. I know I am.”
    “I’m just used to it.” Monroe reflected for a moment on the double life he’d lived for so long. It had been a relief to “come out” to Nick and Hank. And, finally, Juliette. They were humans who accepted him as he was. “So—how can I help you, man? No way these guys are going to let me talk them out of trying to recruit you. And no way, to be honest, I’m going to try. I don’t want them to know about me.”
    “They probably do know. They seem to know about pretty much every Wesen around. Made it their business to know. They got some Hexenbiest who’s helping them out on that.”
    “Hey, that’s just wonderful.”
    “So, uh... I was hoping you could get that cop friend of yours to help me. Maybe protect me or... get me outta town or something. I’m broke, haven’t got a car, figure they’ve got people watching the bus. I don’t know what else to do...”
    “Dammit! Does everyone know I’ve got a friend in Portland PD?”
    “Naw. But word gets around. Some Eisbiber guy...”
    “Oh. Him. Crap. Let me think...” Monroe shook his head. “My friend in the PD’s not a bodyguard. This ogre—you know his name? Where he is?”
    “Don’t know where he lives. His name’s Bonfield. Charley Bonfield. People on the street call him Snarfer.”
    “Snarfer? Why? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Let me talk to my guy, see what he can do. Can you stall these guys?”
    “Naw. I already told them I wouldn’t play ball. They gave me some time to think but... they’ll know, when they see me. You know. Wesen instincts. They’ll know. I’ve been sleeping out here...” He hooked a thumb toward the docks. “Sleeping in a shed, Monroe, on a big coil of cable.”
    “Ouch. Okay, bro. Go home, pack your stuff up, I’ll pick you up and, I don’t know, rent a car and loan it to you. You can drop it off for me down south somewhere.”
    Smitty gave him a long, grateful look.
    “That’s taking a big chance on me. Something happens to that car...”
    “I’ll