Heart of Frankenstein

by Lexi Post

  “Sas. Sas! Wake up. You need to drink this.”

  He opened his eyes to find Timber’s hand on his shoulder and a cup of steaming liquid in front of his face. “What?”

  “Drink this.”

  Seeing no reason not to, he took the mug and sipped the chamomile tea. The scent of venison filled the cabin, and his senses came more alert. “Food?”

  Timber, back at the stove, scraped the skillet. “Yeah, food, so that whiskey doesn’t make you sick. You need to sober up, my friend.” He brought a plate of hot venison and vegetables to him. “Here. Eat.”

  He set the mug on the end table next to the couch and took the plate. He picked up a hot carrot and stuck it in his mouth, sweet honey sauce flowed over his tongue.

  “Uh, Sas? Use these so you don’t get my furniture sticky.”

  He looked up to find Timber holding a knife and fork. He took them and set the plate on his lap as he cut into the venison steak. Everything had honey sauce on it.

  When he finished, he set the plate on the end table and drank the tea.

  “How do you feel?” Timber’s voice from across the room, reminded him he wasn’t alone anymore.

  He preferred to be alone. He nodded.

  “Good.” Timber strode forward and pulled a chair from his table over and straddled it. “It’s time for you to talk.”

  He looked away. Talking was useless.

  “Sas, I have some very good news for you, but a lot of people went out of their way to help you, and we deserve some answers.”

  He snapped his head back to stare at Timber, hoping his gaze would stop him from continuing.

  “Don’t give me that scary stare of yours. I’ve known you too long. You wouldn’t hurt a hair on my head.”

  He wanted to deny it, warn him of what he could do, but even as he opened his mouth, he knew in his gut he’d never hurt the older man.

  “Now that I have your attention. I want to know why you have scars all over your body and how come you can walk around half naked in below zero temperatures and why you can wrestle with a grizzly and take a bullet to your chest and not have a scratch on you?” Timber raised one eyebrow. “Well?”

  He looked away. It didn’t matter anyway. He couldn’t stay in Alaska any longer. It was time to move on, away from his memories. “I’m immortal.”

  Timber slapped his leg. “I knew it!”

  He snapped his gaze back to find Timber smiling like a jackpot winner.

  “Oh, don’t worry.” Timber waved his hand. “We’ll keep your secret. It’s not every day we have an honest to goodness Sasquatch living among us.”

  His brain focused on Timber’s first word. “We?”

  “Just me and Sturge. And Ginny. But we won’t tell anyone else.” Timber chuckled. “Actually, I’m honored to call you a friend.”

  He lowered his brows in confusion.

  “If you’ll live forever, how come you have so many scars? You look like you were torn apart and put back together? Were you abducted by aliens or something?”

  He shook his head, still off balance from Timber’s reaction. “You don’t think I’m a monster?”

  “Hell, no. Why would I think that?”

  Angel does. The thought came unbidden to his mind and a wave of misery hit him so hard he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth against the howl that threatened.

  Timber laid hand on his shoulder. “Listen, Sas, I know you’ve had a rough past. I don’t need to know it all to see it in you. I know you’re hurting since Angel left. That’s why I went to Sturge to ask for help for you.”

  “Help?” There was no help for him. His existence stretched before him, miserable and tormented unless he could revert back to how he’d been his first few days of life. Primal.

  “Yes. I was worried about you. You were going wild on me, and I didn’t want to lose you, so I contacted Sturge and he made a run to Savik to make a radio call.”

  He still didn’t understand what this had to do with helping him. If they wanted him to talk to a psychologist, they didn’t know him at all.

  Timber sighed. “Sas, Sturge went to call Angel.”

  Angel? “No.”

  “Yes, but guess what? He didn’t have to. She had called Grubber and told him the first window in the weather and she would be flying in to Savik, with or without Charlie.”

  His heart skipped a beat. “Why?”

  “She said she wants to talk to you. No surprise there considering how that woman likes to talk.”

  He frowned at Timber. “You talk more than she does.”

  Timber chuckled. “Well, there is that. I think maybe she wants to come live here.”

  His heart leapt, but he squashed it. “Did she say that?”

  Timber looked down at his thumb, suddenly finding his fingernail very interesting. “No, but why else would she want to talk to you?”

  He stared at the older man, anger simmering inside him. “To ask me questions like why I didn’t die from a bear attack? To determine if I’m really the monster she thought I was? Just tell her I am and save her a trip.” His heart twisted in pain. If she came, it would destroy him. But wasn’t that what he wanted?

  Timber picked at his nail, clearly uncomfortable. “I told her you would meet her in Savik.”

  Rage poured through him. This man, who claimed to be a friend, wanted him to lay his heart bare again? “No.” He barely kept from shouting. Instead, he stood and strode toward the door.

  Timber jumped up and followed him. “Listen, I’m only trying to help. Maybe if you could talk to her, she’d want to stay. You two are meant for each other.”

  He snarled at Timber and yanked the door open. “I’m meant for no one.” He ran out of the cabin and through the trees, heading north toward his mountain.

  Anger boiled inside him. He’d finally blocked all feeling, reverting to existing only, and now the woman he’d loved—he did love—would return to torture him anew. He couldn’t see her. He needed to leave Alaska. Now.

  When he reached his cabin, he stepped inside and the scent of mint filled his nostrils. It was like the claws of the grizzly tearing through his gut all over again. He slammed the door behind him and stared at his bed, a bed he hadn’t slept in since Angel left. He would burn the place to the ground. It was the only way to escape her.

  Moving to the stove, he stirred the ashes until the banked coals beneath glowed red. Throwing in pieces of kindling, he waited for them to catch before pulling one out. He walked to the bed and held the fire over it.

  Memories filled his head of them making love, her body against his as she slept, her mouth opening as he fed her, her green eyes lighting with pleasure as he answered one of her innumerable questions.

  She’s coming back.

  He would be gone.

  And miss the chance to see her again?

  The fire on the wood licked at his fingers as it burned down.

  He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t kill the memories of the happiest time of his life. They were all he had. He dropped the wood on top of the stove where it burnt out.

  Moving back to the bed, he lay down, the scent of her enveloping him, making him remember everything. His memories were vivid, filling his heart and torturing his soul.

  He would rest then pack a backpack of supplies and books. It was better to leave than let hope ignite again.

  ~~*~~

  Angela zipped up her jeans and after three tries, she finally got them buttoned, too. Her hands were still sore and they looked awful, but that she could use them somewhat was exciting. Seeing Sas again was exciting, too.

  Charlie had called her yesterday, finally agreeing to fly her in. He had been a little put out that she was willing to use another pilot. Who knew bush pilots were territorial? Or maybe it was just him. The people in Savik really liked him and that had to feel good.

  A knock on her door had her looking up. “Nancy.”

  The woman’s dark eyes twinkled. “So today’s the day. About time.”
r />   She laughed, her spirits lighter than they had been since the grizzly attack. “Yes, it is.”

  “I’m so excited for you, going back to the man that took such great care of you.”

  She grinned. “If he’ll have me and if he answers my questions.” She turned away and added the last of her clothes to a small bag. Her brother had bought her a few more items after her surgery.

  “Angela, did your brother tell you the results of all your tests and which ones we couldn’t do?”

  She turned. “What do you mean, couldn’t do? He told me that all my tests came back good except for those that were taken just before the surgery. Was there something else?”

  Nancy frowned. “How about something you might want to discuss with the man who took care of you?”

  “Sas? Why would I need to talk to him about—oh. Do I have an STD? We didn’t exactly have protection. Should he get tested?”

  “Uh, no.” Nancy patted the bed. “Sit down.”

  Oh, God, it was bad. She sat on the bed, a new fear growing in the back of her mind. “What is it? What didn’t my brother want me to know? He’s too protective. Tell me.”

  “Oh honey, it’s not bad. It’s just that you’re pregnant.”

  “Pregnant? But how…”

  At Nancy’s knowing look, she blushed, memories of her and Sas making love flooding her mind. It made so much sense. “Wow.”

  Nancy lifted her eyebrows. “Wow? That’s it?”

  “It’s such a shock. I didn’t expect it. I probably should have, but I didn’t think the timing was right and I had my pills up until, I mean, I almost died and…wow.” She placed a stitched hand on her abdomen. The fact was, she’d lost track of time and now she was pregnant. She was going to be a mother!

  “Are you going to tell him?” Nancy’s smile had faded.

  “I have to, but I don’t want him to want me just because of a baby. Shoot, a baby? I never even thought about whether I wanted children.”

  Nancy’s smile returned. “That’s not something you have to think about now. It’s a done deal.”

  It was. She would be a mommy. “I don’t know how to be a mother. Mine died when I was six.”

  “All you have to do is love that little one with all your heart. The rest you figure out as you go.”

  She gave the nurse a half-hearted smile. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “I just wanted to make sure you were aware. That was the test I was worried Michael hadn’t told you about. Your brother reminds me a lot of mine. He’s very protective.”

  At the mention of Michael, she squinted her eyes. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me!”

  “Now there was a lot going on with you between the surgery and your emotional state. Trust me, what your brother did is nothing compared to mine.”

  Her curiosity piqued, she had to ask. “What did he do?”

  Nancy chuckled as she pushed the monitor back towards the wall and rolled the tray away from the bed. “Let’s just say that the last guy who broke up with me got a knock on his door and a gun in his face.”

  “Oh, my God. He didn’t shoot him, did he?”

  “No, more’s the pity.” Nancy laughed. “But he did scare the bejesus out of the asshole.”

  Angela felt her heart calm down. “Thank you for putting things into perspective for me.”

  “My pleasure. I’m going to miss you. I don’t often get patients in this wing who aren’t addicted to one thing or another. If you’re ever in Fairbanks again, look me up and we can go shopping. Trust me, if you decide to live up past Savik, you’ll be dying to go shopping.”

  Angela hopped off the bed and gave Nancy a hug. “Thank you for everything.”

  “You’re welcome.” Nancy wiped at her eyes, which were suspiciously watery.

  Angela turned away, not wanting to cry, too. She picked up the letter she’d written for her brother. Yes, she was a coward to sneak away without telling him, but it was what she had to do, and he’d ask far too many questions, or worse, insist on going with her. “Could you give this to my brother when he comes in?”

  “I’ll be happy to.” Nancy glanced at the clock. “He won’t be here for another four hours. Will that give you enough time?”

  She grinned. “Yes, I’ll be halfway to Coldfoot by then.”

  “Good. Now get the rest of your stuff packed. The wheelchair will be here any moment.”

  “I had hand surgery. I don’t need a wheelchair.”

  Nancy headed for the door. “Hospital policy.” She opened it then turned and winked. “Nothing but the red-carpet treatment for my friends.”

  As the door closed, Angela grabbed up a tissue and wiped her own eyes. Hopefully, she’d be able to take Nancy up on her shopping offer. Of course, that depended on whether she ended up living in Alaska or back in San Francisco.

  She licked her lips. Would Sas even be willing to see her after the way she’d left? Her heart tightened for the eightieth time in the last two days. Now that she knew his history, she viewed her last moment with him from his point of view, and it was heart-wrenching.

  Then there was that sliver of doubt that she was completely wrong and he wasn’t the creature Victor Frankenstein had created. Those doubts weren’t strong though because of his scars.

  There were only two other explanations she could think of for those. The first was that as a child he’d been purposefully scarred to look like Frankenstein’s creature, but that didn’t explain how his body healed instantly. The other explanation was that he was an alien and that was as hard to swallow as Sas being three hundred years-old. The only way she could discover the truth was to make him talk.

  She straightened her shoulders. Getting Charlie to fly into Savik near the end of November was a cake walk compared to getting Sas to talk, but she had to…for their baby’s sake.

  Placing her hand on her abdomen, she took a deep breath. She could do this.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Sas closed the door on his cabin for the last time. Someone else would come across it and move in or it would be a good shelter for a traveler. He hadn’t realized how peaceful his life had been.

  On one hand, he wished he’d never found Angel, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he tossed it away. Wherever she was, he wanted her to be happy. He’d saved her as fate decreed. It was time to move to a new place. He hadn’t been to Russia yet.

  He strode up the incline from his ledge and crossed over to the adjacent mountain, where he’d found Angel. When he reached the spot, he stopped. The vision of her as she’d lain there rose to meet him. Relief that he’d seen the reflection off her phone that day surged through him.

  As much as he’d hoped for something else, her leaving was for the best. How could they have a life together with him hiding the atrocities he committed which she would never be able to forgive? Even worse would be explaining why he didn’t grow old with her then watching her die in his arms after years of having her in his life.

  He had to focus on that. If it hurt this much to have had her in his life for a month, what would it feel like to lose her after decades of happiness? The same reasons for not growing close to her in the first place were still in play. If he hadn’t been so weak, he wouldn’t hurt so much now.

  But she loved you in return. She wanted your body in return.

  He shoved the thoughts away. She didn’t really know him. He’d never told her everything. And when she discovered his immortality, she did what any other human would do. She ran. He should have expected no less, but he’d been blind, weak, greedy.

  Forcing himself to turn away from the spot that had changed his life, he continued up the mountain. He’d head north and take the arctic ice over to Russia, find an isolated spot and continue to exist. He was resigned to his fate. He had nothing left to fight it. Three hundred years had worn him down.

  He focused on putting one foot in front of the other, the early afternoon sun and unusually warm weather making the climb uncomfortable.
Stopping, he shrugged off his wool shirt and packed it up, then continued north.

  Twice he discovered his steps headed west instead of north. He needed to keep what little shadow he had to his right and not leave it behind him. It was as if he was being drawn toward Savik.

  Luckily, the sky was clear, though clouds were gathering in the west at a slow pace, not unusual for an evening dusting, though with the warmer temperatures, he wouldn’t be surprised if he saw rain. Determinedly, he adjusted his course for a third time and trudged on.

  The sound of a plane in the distance halted him. It couldn’t be? Charlie didn’t fly after the first week of November.

  He turned toward the sound and scanned the sky to the east, blocking the sun with his hand. His heart raced as he searched the blue expanse. To the east, it was as clear as a shallow stream, but a tiny flash brought his eyes to a dot.

  Without blinking, he kept his gaze on that spot until a white shape became visible. It could be any plane, bush pilots were a common sight in the Alaskan skies, but his gut said it was her.

  When Timber said she would be back as soon as she could, he hadn’t believed it, especially not now.

  What did it matter? They were still far too different. How could she want to be with a monster? Why would she want to grow old while he stayed young? Had she even thought about that?

  She must have. She knows and still she returns. The voice of his younger, more impulsive self, caught him off guard.

  That was true. She knew exactly what he was, or close to it. She was aware of his body’s ability to keep death away, if not always pain, and still she came.

  She wants you.

  He shook his head. She still didn’t know everything and as Timber had warned him, secrets between them would ruin anything they had.

  Then tell her.

  Talk to her? See her again? He couldn’t do it. Yet even as he made up his mind to turn away, his feet headed west, toward Savik, and Angel. Unable to resist the pull on his soul, he led his shadow down the mountain.

  He checked the sky as he walked, the outline of the plane becoming clearer. Yet even as he moved westward, it would take him until dusk to arrive in Savik. Charlie would need to leave before then. He could be too late.