“Can you really read my mind?”
Alina slapped him and he laughed. “What am I thinking right now?” Jack smiled and threw her a flirty wink.
“I wouldn’t have to be a creature of the night to read your mind right now,” she said returning the wink. She was giddy and even a little turned on. Jack was going to get lucky tonight. A reward might solidify his commitment.
He sat down on the floor beside her and she took no time in straddling him, pushing her body close enough to his to feel his budding erection through his jeans. Jack pressed her even closer; his hand sliding up her back to entangle in her dark mane, a moan escaped him when their mouths met. Alina’s fangs fell into place and she pulled away for a moment to sink them into his neck. She tasted his youth and it was heady in its sweetness.
Jack threw his head back in abandon and let his hands roam her body, fingers expertly undoing buttons and zippers. Alina did the same until they were entangled on the dusty floor, flesh on flesh, feeding on each other, enjoying their lusty encounter. It was a paradox, a puzzle—the fact their earthly desires were still intact when those desires were meant for creating life. Why that yearning had not been stolen from creatures of the night was something Alina often wondered about but nonetheless, was grateful the urges hadn’t died along with the rest of her. It made death so much more interesting.
Spent, they rolled onto their backs and stared up at the pockmarked ceiling.
“So, you’ll do it, then?” Alina asked.
Jack didn’t answer but she felt the almost imperceptible nod of his head. She smiled. It meant everything to her. She wouldn’t be able to slay Boris without Jack’s help. A dark notion snuck up on her. What if Jack died in the process? The thought came and went as fleetingly as the remnant of a dream upon awakening. But it roused something in her. What was it? Worry? Dread? Disappointment? Alina’s emotions were a knotted mess but she pushed them from her mind. She thought about him in that convenience store earlier that evening and how quickly he moved. She’d never seen anyone so fleet-footed. He was a blur even to her keen eyes. So, even if the spell did wear off, surely he’d get away. She comforted herself with that notion and gathered up her clothes.
“Time for sleep, Jack.” She toed the raft with a foot and laughed. “See you at sundown.”
Chapter Sixteen
Alina and ZoZo strolled through Central Park while Jack was away on a mission of sorts. This was the fourth night in a row that she’d sent him off to follow Boris, to watch from a distance so he could learn of his habits. She’d used her tried and true cloaking spell on Jack and warned him of its fallibilities. She also advised him to keep his distance. “Stay out of range. You don’t want him picking up your scent or reading your thoughts.”
At first, Jack stood open mouthed and looking scared but she admired the fact he was still willing to do as she’d bid.
It was a dangerous plan and a bit thoughtless, she realized. Alina was not the type to be unprepared but, this time was different. This time, she was dealing with an unknown so what could she prepare for? She hadn’t expected this Boris creature, a being she knew nothing about, she’d expected Alexei. Sweet, easy to seduce, Alexei. The plan had been a simple one, seduce him and then kill him. Then leave town.
As they walked the meandering paths of Central Park, ZoZo occasionally wandered off onto the grass and to the edge of a pond.
“Careful, my love,” Alina called. Obediently, the child backed away and found her safety at Alina’s side again. They strolled past vagrants, and couples walking hand-in-hand, lone joggers and dog walkers. The park it seemed was alive even in the wee hours of the morning. New York, the city that never sleeps. It was true. And how she loved it. This place had spoiled her for her native Romania but she reminded herself, eternity stretched before her. She could come back anytime she liked. She corrected herself...eternity awaited her only if she was able to complete her mission.
Alina threw an imperious chin into the air. I will not fail, she told herself then gripped ZoZo’s hand firmly and headed out of the park to the street, where Jack said he’d meet her. She and Zo stood on the sidewalk by a low wall on West 72nd Street. Alina sat on the wall and pulled ZoZo onto her lap, wrapping her slender arms around the girl.
“When Jack come?” ZoZo asked excitedly.
“Soon child.” Alina wondered just why the girl loved him so much. ZoZo had never taken to anyone like she had Jack. Was it his boyish good looks? Did her little Zo have a crush? Or was it something more? Jack had a way about him that she had to admit was endearing, charming even. And he especially seemed to be good with children, a skill Alina lacked. Even when mortal, she had no maternal instinct. Her own mother had been cruel and harsh, wearing a skin as leathery and thick as a crocodile’s, over her icy interior. Alina hadn’t ever been able to penetrate that skin to know the woman beneath. Perhaps, she thought, that was the reason she was the way she was, incapable of true love and empathy; that and of course, being a creature of the night slew all human emotion.
“Jack!” ZoZo called, sliding from Alina’s lap and running awkwardly toward him.
He ran too, toward her, holding out his arms for the girl to jump into.
“How’s my girl?” Jack asked hugging ZoZo.
The girl hugged him back and wrapped her stubby legs around him as best she could. “I good, Jack. I good.”
“Well?” Alina asked impatiently.
“Why couldn’t you greet me like ZoZo just did?” Jack said with a shake of his head. “I know which one of you loves me!”
“Me! Me love Jack!” ZoZo exclaimed and planted a wet kiss on his cheek.
“Love you too, squirt,” Jack said setting ZoZo atop the wall where Alina sat.
“Enough dicking around, Jack. Tell me about Boris?”
Jack wagged a finger and gave Alina a crooked smile. “Not until you kiss me first.”
Alina walked toward him, her glare made the smile slid from his lips. “What did you find out?”
“Okay, okay. Calm yourself. I watched him, followed him until I figured that spell of yours had worn off. He was up to his usual tricks. You know, randomly swooping down on unsuspecting folks and murdering them.”
“You’ve been doing this for a few nights now, is there a pattern? Think Jack! Does he have a routine?”
Jack held up a hand, his expression darkening. “Why can’t you give me a little credit? Or respect for that matter?” He sat beside ZoZo with a huff.
Alina threw her hands up in disgust. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to beat the words out of you?”
“There does seem to be a pattern. He never wanders too far from home. He always leaves at the same time. So far, I’ve watched him go to three different locations but they’re all within minutes of each other. Makes you wonder about the dumb ass cops. You’d think they’d have more patrols out waiting and watching—”
“Are you forgetting who we’re dealing with? Boris can control them. He can control everything and if some cop did approach him, he’d be Boris’s dinner.”
“Yeah, okay, I get it. Anyway, there you have it. He’s a creature of habit. Or, maybe he’s just lazy and like you said, since he can control things, he doesn’t feel the need to wander far from home.”
Alina smiled. “Good job. Now it’s time to implement the second part of the plan.”
Jack swallowed. “Shit.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jack pounded his forehead with the palm of his hand. “I’m sorry. Say it again,” he said to Alina, who sat on the side of Jack’s raft/bed with the Book of Spells open on her knee.
“Try it phonetically. Maybe it will help if you look at it for yourself. Read it over and over again and then I’ll test you on it.”
“Okay. I think it’s because I’m nervous as hell. What if I mess up?”
“You won’t. I have faith in you,” she cooed.
He gave her a knowing grin. “You can’t shit me. I’m your only hope. You need
me.”
She laughed but it was without humor. “It’s true, I do need you. Actually, my life depends on you getting this right and of course, Zo’s life does too.” She nodded toward the bathroom where the imp was tucked into her bathtub bed.
Jack’s gaze fell to his shoes. “Don’t. I can’t hear that right now. Just give me that book. I’ll get that damned spell memorized if it’s the last thing I do. It’s only two friggin’ lines long. If only it were in English, I’m not that stupid, but Latin?” He slid to the floor, book in hand and repeated the incantation over and over. After what felt like forever, he lifted his head. “I think I’ve got it. Wanna test me?”
He handed the book back to Alina but she didn’t need it. She’d long since memorized the binding spell. It was too bad she couldn’t be the one to cast it. But she needed to be far away from Boris right now. He’d be on the lookout for her. Besides, she needed to stay behind to prepare for Boris’s annihilation. She was in for the fight of her life if Jack didn’t get him back to the apartment on time.
Jack repeated the spell word for word. Alina nodded as if keeping the beat to a song.
“Good! You did great. Just remember time is of the essence. You’ll have to get the words out as quickly as possible before Boris catches onto what you’re doing.”
“Yeah, and don’t let me leave here without that spell to keep him from reading my mind. Shit man, there are a lot of things that could go wrong.” He began to pace and ran a hand through his thick mane. “I thought us creatures of the night were supposed to be fearless! Why am I scared shitless?”
“Because you’re young. This life hasn’t hardened you yet and you still feel. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Remember, all you have to do is bring him to me and I’ll do the rest. Once Boris is here, I want you to take ZoZo and get out. Go as far away as possible. I don’t want either of you in danger.”
Jack’s brows lifted. “But what if you need me?”
Alina laughed. “You’re no match for him, Jack. He’d kill you with little effort. And, if I’m not properly prepared, he’ll kill me. It’s important that I set everything up and get ready.”
“How?”
“What do you mean, how?”
“How will you kill him? Is it like in the movies? You know with the wooden stake through the heart? Or a silver bullet or some shit?”
Alina took in his boyish naïveté. In some many ways, he was a man-child. But he was fortunate to have been turned so young. He’d always be handsome. He’d always have that long, lean physique. Only his mind would change. He would harden in ways that could not be seen. Jack, the way he was right now, was a fleeting kind of special. She appreciated it though and at one time she might have even loved the boy. She may have savored him and not wanted him to change. But she was one of the ancients and tender feelings were hard to come by. The only being on the planet capable of eliciting any form of emotion from her was ZoZo and even that she suspected was because the girl was important to her.
“Those are tools for mortals,” she answered. “And silver bullets are for werewolves, you fool. And werewolves don’t even exist.” She tossed her thick mane and planted her hands on her hips. “My past is littered with corpses, Jack, both mortal and immortal. I will kill Boris with the few tools I have at hand. But if you manage to get him to me with the binding spell still intact, then it will be easy.” She held up her hands, dainty and feminine, yet strong enough to bend steel. “Maybe I’ll twist his head around like a corkscrew until it pops off.” She smiled then and excitement began to build. She had to admit that she did enjoy violence and now that she knew it wasn’t really Alexei she’d be dealing with, but a vile brute who’d stolen his body, she’d enjoy it all the more.
“Okay, I’ll leave the details to you. I’ll make sure to grab Zo and get her out of here. Maybe I can take her to the park. She seems to like it there.”
He was like a dog that needed petting, Alina thought; a good companion, loyal and steadfast. It was fortunate that Jack had ventured onto her path. She’d make sure he got the recognition he deserved from Those on High when all was said and done.
“Yes, the park. Great idea.”
Chapter Eighteen
The wind whipped eddies of the crispy remains of autumn’s discarded foliage, around Jack’s feet as he stood outside Boris’s house waiting. The beast would soon be leaving for his nightly hunt. Jack rehearsed what he’d say; how he’d convince Boris he was a fan of sorts. That he’d heard of him and was attracted to him—which, in actuality wasn’t far from the truth. Before Jack met Alina, he’d been doing just that, admiring and watching Boris from afar, trying to work up the nerve to approach him. A dangerous thrill ran through him when he thought of Boris; how handsome he was, how stealthy and unconcerned about his behavior. He’d known Alexei of course, the real Alexei and he’d heard of his demise and even though Jack knew for certain Boris was only taking up residence in Alexei’s body, he was still irresistible.
Yet, Jack never did approach him. He thought on that now, perhaps it was instinct that kept him at bay? He’d chosen only to stand in the shadows, watching as Boris killed and fed. That had been a bit of an issue. He had his own problems with feeding and tried never to kill. Jack had a system—he had his “regulars”, those crazies who willingly let him feed on them. They got a kick out of being a meal for a creature of the night. They also got something else, a high. Jack remembered how it had been with the real Alexei, how many times Alexei had come calling when Jack lived in a decent apartment in Soho. He’d spend the night, they’d make love, and Alexei would feed. It always left Jack high as a kite, as if he’d just done a bump of cocaine.
Then there was the night Alexei went too far. Jack tried to shake the memory away. There was no horror to compare it to. His transformation from human to monster was instant. At first, Alexei laughed as Jack writhed in the pain of transformation but he stopped when Jack turned his rage on him. They’d fought, and Jack was a worthy opponent, with the adrenaline of newborn fury boiling in his veins. Alexei fled, leaving Jack alone in his new life as a creature of the night, all alone to find his way in his new world.
The creak of a door opening snapped Jack from his thoughts, his brimming anger now replaced by fear. Quickly, he went over the spell in his mind, repeating it a few times to make sure fear hadn’t pushed it from his memory. It was there, fully intact. Jack squared his shoulders and as quick as a breath, he was on Boris’s walkway, standing in front of the man who lived in his maker’s body.
“Forgive my intrusion, but I think I know you,” Jack said with a smile so big it almost split his face.
Boris’s eyebrows smashed together in a look of discontent. “Who the hell are you?”
“You don’t remember me, Alexi? I know it’s been many years but...” He tried to look demure.
Boris’s expression relaxed and slowly, a smile bloomed. “Forgive me, comrade, I do not remember your name.” He waved a hand. “There have been so many—”
“No need to explain. I’m Jack.” He held out a hand. Boris took it in an iron grip and pulled him close. Jack could smell him now, the musk of desire leaking from every pore. Boris clasped his other hand over Jack’s.
“So you came for a visit?” Boris said in a voice lined with silk. He sounded like Alexei though there was more of an accented edge to his voice.
Jack licked his lips seductively. “If that’s what you want to call it.” Probes like tendrils tickled his brain. It was as if Boris was trying to crack open a walnut to look inside. Jack hoped with all that he was that the masking spell was strong enough to keep Boris from learning the real reason for his visit.
“I was on my way out but now that you’re here, maybe it would be better if you came inside. We could ... catch up.” Boris kept a grip on Jack’s wrist and pulled him up the walkway and into the house.
Chapter Nineteen
Alina flicked on the small lamp she’d set up on the floor. Its glow was harsh and yellow but ev
en her eyes weren’t keen enough to be able to see what she needed to in the usual darkness of the apartment.
She sat down in the middle of the dirty floor and unrolled a rectangle of worn leather. Inside were small slots where she kept her tools of the trade. There were only three items. The first was a slender rod, its tip as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. The second was a branch cut from the oldest tree grown in the soil of the most ancient of all creatures of the night and the progenitor of all her kind, Vlad the Impaler. It was twice the thickness of a regular lead pencil but harder than any diamond. Its tip was fashioned into a needle-like point. Like the slender rod, it only had to pierce the flesh of a creature of the night to obliterate them.
The third item was the most lethal and the one even Alina feared. It was the tool of last resort—a simple syringe but it was not meant to be used on the victim, its contents were to be injected into her. If all were lost, she’d do just that. There would be no beating her with the blood of Vlad running through her veins but once only a minute had passed, it would be useless having run its course.
In all her years working as an assassin for Those on High, Alina had only once ever needed a tool to do her job. It had been on her first assignment. She’d been scared and plunging the slender rod into the heart of her target had been easy. Actually, it had been too easy, stealing the fun from her job. She’d vowed to always kill with only her bare hands from that point on. But disposing of Boris was different. First, the element of surprise was already gone. He’d know she was coming for him. Second, and more importantly, he was one of the ancients and much stronger than she was. Face to face, hand to hand, she didn’t stand a chance.
ZoZo wandered into the living room from the bathroom, pudgy hands rubbing tired eyes. The girl had witnessed Alina’s work several times and she was so used to it that she didn’t even ask questions anymore. This time, however, ZoZo was intrigued by the leather pouch of tools, something she’d not seen before. She plopped inelegantly to the floor beside her mistress and reached out, her fingers grazing the leather before Alina shot out a hand and caught the child’s hand.
Beautiful Monster: The Hunt (Book 2) Page 6