Polar (Book 1): Polar Night

by Julie Flanders

  “I’m so glad. Please, tell all your friends about us up here in Coldfoot.”

  “You know we will.”

  Aleksei’s friendly face turned to a smirk as he watched the family depart. If he wanted to, he could get rid of the whole lot of them and no one would ever be the wiser. Well, except perhaps for their driver. But he could easily get rid of him, too. Lucky for all of them, that wasn’t on his agenda.

  What was on his agenda was maintaining the impeccable reputation of the Snow Creek Arctic Asylum for the Criminally Insane. It wasn’t just his cover. It also made him a good deal of money.

  The Asylum was one of Alaska’s dirty secrets. In the years before mental health care became available, the Alaskan authorities had transported all of those deemed insane to the Asylum in Coldfoot, where they were warehoused in conditions much worse than those found in any zoo. As treatments for mental illness came into the mainstream, the Asylum was closed, and later turned over to the oil companies to provide residence halls for pipeline workers. The problem came when the pipeline workers refused to stay in the rooms. They insisted the entire building was haunted.

  Aleksei bought the old building when the town of Coldfoot started to thrive as the last truck stop along the Dalton Highway. He quickly realized that the pipeline workers had been correct. The building was haunted. After the cruelty that had been perpetrated on the inmates of Snow Creek, that was to be expected. But it was all the better as far as he was concerned.

  He refurnished the asylum, knocking down the walls between cells and turning blocks of cells into hotel rooms, and attached a bungalow that functioned as his own living quarters. Finally, he had turned the asylum kitchen and staff dining area into a restaurant. Once he started offering overnight tours of the “haunted” asylum, and advertising encounters with the ghosts of the mentally ill patients, business took off. Now, tourist trips to Prudhoe Bay always included a stop in Coldfoot and an opportunity for a tour of Snow Creek.

  Aleksei had hired a cook and hospitality staff for the accommodations and a caretaker to run the establishment during the summer months when Aleksei traveled. He couldn’t tolerate the long summer days in Alaska and sought refuge in the southern hemisphere, where he could find winter even in the heart of the North American summer. The snow covered mountains of the Australian state of Victoria were always a favorite destination, especially considering their proximity to Melbourne. There was something to be said for the nightlife in a big city.

  Aleksei and his staff all got along fine by ignoring each other most of the time. Aleksei had always made it clear he was a man who liked his privacy. And one of the reasons he loved Alaska so much was that those who made the Arctic their home nearly always felt exactly the same way.

  He picked up the Baileys’ dishes from their table and carried them to the kitchen for his staff to clean later. There was no hurry, as the Baileys would be Snow Creek’s last guests until the spring. He stayed open for Christmas, as he could always count on tourists wanting a Christmas trip package, but the Snow Creek would now close its doors until March.

  The weather was too harsh for tourist activity in the dead of winter. And this suited Aleksei just fine. December was always the start of his time. His, and his Natasha’s.

  He glanced around the kitchen and thought of Maria Treibel, safely locked away in the root cellar next to the Asylum. Had some of the screams the Baileys heard last night been hers? There was always a chance. But, that was the beauty of a haunted building. Screams could always be explained, couldn’t they?

  He smiled at the thought of Maria. When she got cleaned up, he knew how beautiful she would be. And how much like Natasha. He felt a stirring in his groin at the thought. He needed to make sure the Baileys were indeed on their way to Deadhorse, and his staff had finished their jobs and left Snow Creek for the long winter. Everyone would be gone.

  He’d be alone, except for Maria. And Maria would be his.

  Chapter 11

  As promised, Danny drove back to the library at 4:45, fifteen minutes before Amanda Fiske was set to close for the holiday. He pulled into the parking lot, which was empty save for a grey VW Mountaineer that he assumed belonged to Fiske. A light snow had been falling all afternoon and Danny’s tires slid in the untreated lot.

  He got out of the car and walked to the entrance, his boots crunching in the snow. He walked inside and shook the snow from his collar and hood as he stamped his boots on the carpet. His entrance was not unnoticed by Amanda Fiske, who watched him from behind the reference desk.

  “I told you I had plans for Christmas Eve,” she said.

  “And I told you I was coming back,” Danny said.

  He walked to the same table they had used earlier, removed his coat, and draped it over the back of his chair before he sat down.

  “So I’ll be waiting here when you get done closing up,” he said.

  Amanda pursed her lips and remained silent as she continued her closing duties. As she had not had a customer in several hours, it didn’t take her long to finish. She locked the front door and came to sit down next to Danny, making no attempt to hide her irritation.

  “Obviously you’re hell bent on harassing me,” she said. “But I want you to know I’m not happy about it.”

  “Duly noted. Believe it or not, lots of folks aren’t happy to talk with me. Kind of comes with the territory.” Danny leaned back, lifting the front legs of the chair off the ground. “It doesn’t bother me at all.”

  Amanda pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear and stared across the table at Danny. “So what do you want me to say? I already told you what I know and you made it clear that wasn’t good enough. So you’re gonna have to tell me what you want me to say.”

  “I want you to say what happened to you when you were almost abducted.”

  “I did.”

  “You gave me the Cliff’s Notes. I want the whole story.”

  Amanda looked down at the table and continued to fiddle with her hair. Danny could see her hands trembling.

  “I’m honestly not here to upset you,” he said.

  “You’re not? You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “I just want to know what happened to these women. And I think you do, too. That’s why you went to Detective Cobman when Anna went missing.”

  Amanda rolled her eyes. “Right. And as you so graciously reminded me, he thought I was a kook.”

  “Whatever he thought, I’m not him. And believe me, there are a hell of a lot of people who would call me a kook.”

  Amanda sighed and leaned back in her chair. She crossed her arms across her chest, and clutched the cross around her neck with her fingers.

  “You’re big on that cross necklace, aren’t you?” Danny asked.

  “What? Why do you ask?”

  “Because you’re always clutching at it or playing with it.”

  “Nervous habit.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got some nervous habits, too. Or one, anyway. I drink alcohol.”

  Amanda lips spread into a thin smile. “That’s probably a better cure for calming the nerves.”

  Danny nodded. “Sometimes.”

  For what felt like an eternity, the two sat in silence, with no sound in the room but the ticking of the clock on the library wall.

  “This cross is what saved my life that day,” Amanda said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Danny sat up and folded his hands in front of him on the table. “How so?”

  “I just happened to have it around my neck. My aunt gave it to me and I thought it was pretty, even though I wasn’t even religious. But I wore it that day, and now I’ve worn it every day since.”

  “How did it save your life?” Danny asked again.

  “Because it scared him. Or burned him somehow.”

  “Burned him?”

  Amanda nodded. “He’s not human.”

  Danny suddenly understood the late Detective Cobman’s reaction much better.

  “He’s not h
uman,” he said, repeating Amanda's words. “So what is he?”

  “I'm not certain, but I think he’s a vampire. That’s why the cross burned him.”

  “Oh, Jesus.”

  “It’s the truth!”

  Danny forced himself to keep from rolling his eyes. “Of course it is.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “Well I’m sorry, but you have to admit it’s a little far-fetched.” He glanced around the rows of books lining the walls. “Don’t tell me, you read Twilight? Ann Rice novels, maybe?”

  “You don’t believe it’s possible.”

  “That some guy’s a vampire? No, I don’t.”

  “I didn’t either. But when I was trying to get away from him I looked at him and somehow I just knew he wasn’t a person. Something told me to grab the cross and push it against his face and it worked. He screamed and leaped away from me.”

  Danny sighed and rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he had waited all day for this.

  “It was like it totally shocked him,” Amanda continued. “He was holding onto his cheek and staring at me like he couldn’t believe it. I started screaming, and ran away from him as fast as I could. Some customers from a gas station across the street heard me screaming and came towards me, asking if they could help. I guess that scared him off, because when I got over to the gas station I looked back towards the lot and he was gone. There was no sign of him anywhere.”

  Danny nodded. “So what happened then?”

  “I asked the people in the gas station to call the police. I was just screaming and crying, I don’t know exactly what happened next, but the police came pretty quickly.”

  “And when they did, what did you tell them?”

  “That I’d almost been kidnapped by a monster. I told them that he wasn’t human, he might have been a vampire…”

  “How’d they react to that?”

  “First they asked me if I’d been drinking. When I couldn't calm down, they ended up sending me for a psych evaluation.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  Amanda frowned and slumped in her chair. “You don't believe me either, do you?”

  “I believe something may have happened to you, or that you were traumatized by something. I don't know what but...”

  “You think I'm crazy?”

  “You tell me you were nearly abducted by a vampire, what the hell am I supposed to think?”

  Amanda looked away. “I knew I shouldn't have told you. You're no different than those other cops.”

  “If by that you mean I don't believe in vampires or werewolves or things that go bump in the night, then yes, you're right. I'm no different.”

  “It's so arrogant.”

  “What is? Living in reality?”

  “Thinking you can be so sure what reality is. Scoffing at anything that doesn't fit your own experiences. Vampire legends have been around for centuries.”

  “Legends being the key word.”

  “I told you, I used to feel the same way. But now I know better.” Amanda stared across the table at him. “There are all kinds of evil out there.”

  Danny blew out a deep breath and started to get up from his chair. “On that we agree. Believe me, Ms. Fiske, I know all about evil.”

  “So that's it? You harass me until I tell you my story and then you just walk away and totally dismiss what I've said?”

  Danny nodded. “That about covers it, yeah.” He held up his hand as Amanda opened her mouth to protest. “I'm sorry I took up your time. Enjoy your holiday.”

  He shook his head as he walked out of the library and headed for his car. Now he'd heard everything.

  The temperature seemed to have dropped 20 degrees in the time he'd been inside and the snow was falling at a much heavier clip. Danny zipped up his parka and pulled on his gloves and cursed to himself as he cleaned the snow from his windshield.

  He should have realized there was a good reason his predecessor had considered Amanda Fiske a kook. Maybe he'd lost his touch. He had been so sure he finally had a lead that would break the Alexander case for him and maybe find Maria Treibel too. Instead, he had a nut spinning tales about vampires. He could almost hear his former colleagues laughing at him.

  Danny got into his car and slid into the driver's seat. He turned on the radio, and immediately switched it off when he heard the opening notes of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Merry Christmas, indeed.

  He looked up and down the street at the now closed stores, their fronts decorated with wreaths and bows and mistletoe. He heard the bells of the nearby Catholic church playing “Silent Night.” An appropriate song choice, as the snow continued to fall and muffle what little sound remained on the nearly deserted street.

  Danny shivered and turned up the heat. All of the stores might be closed, but he knew Abe’s would still be open. It better be, anyway. He wanted nothing more than a drink.

  Chapter 12

  Aleksei opened the door of his cellar and peered inside, where he saw Maria curled up in the fetal position in the corner of the room. He was fairly certain she was awake, but he was curious to see if she would acknowledge him. He climbed down the stairs without speaking and set the tray he carried on the floor next to the now empty plate he had left earlier.

  The room had been dark when he entered, as the batteries of the small lantern he had left for Maria had obviously died. She must have let them run on high. He'd have to teach her how to conserve her resources.

  Aleksei sat on his haunches and balanced himself against the wall. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

  “I know you're awake,” he said. “I'm wondering how long you're going to ignore me.”

  Maria made no response.

  Aleksei clasped his hands together in front of him and cracked his knuckles. “I would think,” he said, “that you wouldn’t be so quick to forget our lesson on manners. Ignoring someone who is talking to you is most certainly bad manners.”

  A shiver went down Maria’s spine and her muscles tensed. The throbbing pain in her face and neck was a constant reminder of her captor’s opinion of her manners. She knew he had no plans to leave her alone. She had to respond.

  “What do you want?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

  “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

  Maria froze.

  “Sit up and look at me!”

  Maria pushed herself into a sitting position and gently rested her aching head against the wall. She looked across the room at Aleksei and immediately began to shake.

  “Why are you shaking? Are you afraid of me?”

  “Yes.”

  “There’s no need to be.” Aleksei gestured towards the tray he had placed on the floor. “I brought you food, and a pot of coffee. Also some more water.”

  Maria glanced over at the tray of food. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

  “You’re welcome. And, I’m so glad you’re remembering your manners.” He sat down on the floor and bent his knees in front of him. “Aren’t you wondering why I brought you a special tray?”

  “Why did you?”

  “It’s Christmas Eve. I thought you should have something to celebrate that. See, I even brought a red coffee mug and a green plate.” He smiled, as if proud of his thoughtfulness.

  Maria felt tears streaming down her face again. She had forgotten it was Christmas. Forgotten all about the party she was planning for Christmas Eve.

  She wondered what Nate was doing now. And her parents. Had they come to Alaska after she had gone missing? They must be worried sick..

  “You could at least say thank you,” Aleksei said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “I thought I did,” Maria said.

  “Well, Merry Christmas to you.” Aleksei gestured towards the food. “Go ahead, help yourself.”

  Maria slid over to the tray and grabbed a piece of bread. She steadied her hand and poured a small amount of coffee into the large red mug. She sat back again
st the wall and took a sip, savoring the warm liquid.

  “Is it good?” Aleksei asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  He watched her eat and drink, remaining silent until she had finished the chunk of bread and reached for another piece.

  Maria drank the last of her coffee and put down the mug. “So this is how you celebrate Christmas?” she asked. “Locking up women in your house?”

  “Well, kind of,” Aleksei said. “It is a tradition for me. But this is Christmas for you, not for me. My Christmas is different.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “In my home country, Christmas is in January. That’s when the Orthodox Christmas is celebrated.”

  “What’s your home country?”

  “Russia.”

  Maria nodded. So she had been right about the accent.

  “We have a big celebration to bring in each New Year,” Aleksei said. “We give presents on December 31, and celebrate all through the night and the following day. Then, we have the Orthodox Christmas a week later.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because you and I are going to celebrate next week. The Russian way.”

  “What??”

  “We’re going to celebrate. We’ll go upstairs and you’ll stay in my home. We’ll have it all to ourselves. And we’ll celebrate the New Year.”

  “And what if I don’t feel like celebrating?”

  “That will be a shame for you.”

  “Why? Because I’ll have to stay down in this room if I don’t?”

  “No. It’s more serious than that.”

  Maria felt a chill run up her spine. “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll explain it to you. See, this is a tradition for me, bringing a woman to my home for the holidays. Since New Year’s is our most important holiday in Russia, it’s important for me to celebrate it with my guest. It’s like having a touch of home. A Russian New Year, with my Russian princess.”

  “I’m not Russian.”

  “Not right now, because you haven’t listened to what I told you yet. But you will be. You’ll be my Natasha. We’ll celebrate.”