Polar (Book 1): Polar Night (14 page)

Amanda nodded. “Okay. I didn’t mean to pry.” She finished her wine and put the empty glass back on the coffee table. “I think I’ve had more than enough wine now.”

“Really? I’m just getting started.”

Amanda rested her head on the back of the couch, and turned her face towards Danny. “You know something I just realized? This is the first time since I got attacked that I’ve ever been able to talk about it without people calling me insane.”

“What about your family?”

“They didn’t want to talk about it. They thought I was nuts too.” Amanda paused. “Ever since, we don’t really talk about much of anything.”

“There’s something to be said for that. I’m not a big talker.”

“Seems odd for a cop.”

“Why? I get other people to talk about themselves. I never have to talk about me.”

Amanda let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. “The wine is making me sleepy.”

Danny poured himself another glass, finishing the bottle. He wasn’t even feeling buzzed. Is this what people meant about getting to the point where you need alcohol just to feel normal? Maybe so.

Amanda opened her eyes and watched him as he sipped the wine. “Thanks for believing me,” she said.

“You don’t have to thank me. I wouldn’t have believed you if I hadn’t seen this asshole with my own eyes.”

“It still means a lot to me though. After all this time…You just have no idea. So thank you.”

Danny turned his face towards hers. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry about what happened to you.”

Amanda closed her eyes again. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Danny grabbed a throw from the back of the couch and covered her with it before getting up and heading for the window. He looked outside at the snow, and could barely make out his car on the sidewalk in front of Amanda’s house. He really didn’t want to drive home in this.

He finished his wine and picked up the empty bottle from Amanda’s coffee table. He walked to the kitchen, and thought about cleaning up the dinner dishes. But he really didn’t have the energy. He looked at Amanda’s wine rack and debated whether he should open another bottle. Why not? He’d pay her back.

He decided to switch to white, and grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay. He walked back into the living room, where Amanda was now snoring softly.

Danny sat down in the chair next to the couch, and put his feet up on a matching ottoman. He opened the bottle of wine and filled his glass, lifting it in a toast to the sleeping Amanda.

“Cheers, sweetheart,” he said.

Holding the wine bottle in one hand and the glass in the other, he rested his head on the hard back of the chair and closed his eyes.

Chapter 31

Maria’s hand shook as she
brought the spoon filled with chicken soup to her lips. She clasped hold of her wrist with her free hand to steady herself, frightened of the consequences if she ended up spilling the soup.

Aleksei watched her from across the table. “How’s the soup?”

“It’s good. Thank you.”

“I thought you would want something hot since you were so cold earlier.”

“It is nice.”

“I’m normally not the cook here, I admit. But the cook is gone for the season so I manage.”

Maria nodded and forced herself to smile before taking another spoon full of soup. She grabbed a roll from the basket in front of her and dipped it into the steaming broth before eating it. In spite of her terror, it felt good to eat a hot meal. She hoped she could get some of her strength and energy back.

She glanced at Aleksei, who had no soup of his own, and instead merely sipped a glass of vodka. “You’re not hungry?” she asked.

Aleksei shook his head. “I am, but I’ll eat later. I don’t eat what you do.”

“You mean you don’t like soup?”

“Is it necessary for you to talk constantly?”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t understand what you meant.”

“I meant exactly what I said. I don’t eat what you do.”

His sharp tone told Maria all she needed to know about continuing the conversation. She looked down at her bowl and focused on eating the rest of the soup.

The dining room was large and ornate, with a rectangular mahogany table in the center of the room. Four matching chairs with red pillows surrounded the table, and it was covered with a pristine white linen cloth. Aleksei had lit two tall red candles in the center of the table. The dishes looked like antique china and the napkins were starched and folded. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and gave the room its light.

Maria felt as if she had traveled back in time when they had entered the room. Not only because of the furniture, but also because of her clothes. Due to her height, the skirt and jacket didn’t fit her well, and were too short on both her arms and her legs. She felt restrained by the suffocating tights underneath the long tailored skirt. The shoes were also too small and her feet were pinched and cramped. Maria knew Aleksei had not been pleased with how she looked in the outfit he had chosen for her.

Maria stared out the arch windows that were spread along the wall, watched the falling snow, and realized it felt good to be able to see the outdoors, even if she couldn’t see anything but a blanket of thick white flakes against the dark sky. She was also glad to see that at least one of the rooms in this house of horrors had windows. She may be able to use them to escape.

She took another roll and picked up her knife to spread butter on it. She glanced at Aleksei, momentarily thrilled to see that he was now watching the snow too instead of watching her. This could be her chance to slide the knife under her sleeve and bring it back with her to her room. It wasn’t sharp, but it was better than nothing. At least it was a tool.

She barely moved her fingers to push the knife and immediately froze at the sound of Aleksei’s voice.

“I really wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Do what?”

“Don’t insult me by playing games. You were trying to hide the knife under your sleeve. Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“I wasn’t…”

“Stop lying!”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry. I’m sorry.”

Aleksei rolled his eyes. “What did you expect to do with that anyway? Cut me? With a butter knife?”

“I don’t know what I thought I could do with it.”

Aleksei finished his vodka and placed his glass on the table in front of him.

“I thought I made it clear to you down in the root cellar the other day, but apparently you’re quite dense. So let me say it again, and for your own sake, I hope you get it this time.”

He leaned forward against the table, and stared directly at Maria, his blue eyes ice cold.

“If you try to take me on physically, you’ll lose. Every time. There is absolutely no doubt about that.” He sat back in his chair and folded his arms. His voice dripped with disdain. “If I were you, I’d get that through my thick head sooner rather than later.”

Maria put down her roll and stared back at him. “I thought I was just disoriented when we were down in the cellar. But now I remember the way you moved. You were so fast, I couldn’t even see you. How is that possible?”

“Because of what I am.”

“What are you?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about. Honestly, it’s not worth my time to explain it to you.”

“Who was Natasha?” Maria asked.

Aleksei stared at her, his disdain turning to barely masked hatred. “You were supposed to be her. I don’t think that’s working out too well though.”

“You loved her, obviously.”

“Yes, I loved her. I still love her. But no matter how many times I try, I can’t find her again.”

“How many times? So you’ve done this before?”

“More times than you can count, I’m sure.”

Maria stared at him, chilled by his words. So there had been others in her shoes. Her terror increased exponentially with the realization that he was even more of a monster than she had already thought.

Aleksei grabbed the napkin in front of him and dabbed at his mouth. “Are you done with your soup?” he asked.

Maria had lost whatever appetite she had. “Yes,” she said.

“Good. I’m bored with this conversation. It’s time for you to retire for the night.”

Before Maria could respond, he was out of his chair and next to her own. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up. “Let’s go,” he said.

He walked her down the hall to her room, never once loosening the painful grip he had on her arm. He nearly knocked her to the ground as he pushed her into the room. “You’ll find a nightgown on the bed,” he said.

He shut the door behind him without another word.

Maria shivered and walked to the bed, where she saw a heavy blue flannel nightgown. She looked at the dresser across from the bed, wondering if there was anything to be found in the drawers. She opened one, and was grateful to find a few pairs of thick socks. The room was very cold, and she couldn’t seem to stop shivering. She opened the rest of the drawers and found old-fashioned corsets and lingerie, more flannel sheets, and a blanket. She took the blanket and a top sheet and carried them to the bed with her.

She pulled back the lavender comforter and started to remove her clothes, anxious to get out of the ill-fitting ensemble, when she remembered the walk-in closet Aleksei had gone in earlier to get the outfit. She crossed the room again, and opened the closet. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.

Maria walked into the closet and pushed aside the dresses, jackets, and skirts hanging in organized rows. She ran her hands along the walls of the closet, hoping for the impossible. A hole maybe, or if she was really dreaming, another door. As she expected, she found nothing. There was no way out of this room.

Maria returned to the bed and finished getting undressed. Trembling from the cold, she quickly pulled on the gown and socks and slid under the sheets, putting the extra blanket and sheet she had taken from the drawer on top of her and pulling the comforter around her neck. In spite of her fear, she was relieved to be in a bed instead of on the floor of the root cellar.

She wondered how many women had been in this very bed, under these same circumstances. Aleksei’s cold voice echoed in her head. “More times than you can count…”

Shivering, she forced herself to block Aleksei from her mind. Focusing on her fear accomplished nothing. She had to think about how to get away from him.

She wished she had some clue where she was. Was she still in Fairbanks? She didn’t think so, but she couldn’t be sure. And why had Aleksei seemed so familiar to her?

Her eyes opened wide and she sat straight up in the bed. She knew why he looked familiar and where she had seen him. She could see herself in the lobby of the Snow Creek Inn with Nate back at Thanksgiving. Hear Aleksei’s voice as he gave them the tour of the haunted asylum.

Aleksei, the Russian owner of the Snow Creek. He had been so cordial and charming to her when she and Nate had stayed at the hotel. She had even joked with Nate about how hot she thought Aleksei was. She shuddered now as she realized he must have been stalking her since that trip. Aleksei must have chosen her then.

Maria lay back down in the bed and pulled the covers up around her again. The room was too cold to be without them. Her mind raced as she rested her head on the downy pillow, and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Was she back at the Snow Creek? She must be.

For the first time since she had woken up in the root cellar, she felt a sense of hope. Would Nate be able to point the police in the direction of Coldfoot? Would he tell them about the Thanksgiving trip? In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t likely that the trip would even come up, as Nate would have no way of knowing that it was significant. But she forced that from her thoughts. It would come up. It had to.

Maria closed her eyes and imagined the police showing up at Snow Creek and arresting Aleksei. Someone was going to find her, she was sure of it. She didn’t allow herself to think that she might be dead before they did.

Chapter 32

Aleksei headed for the Snow Creek
kitchen and opened his private refrigerator. He took out a bag of blood, and poured it into a crystal glass. He was so grateful for Alaskan blood banks. He could always make sure he was well stocked on food for the winter.

He felt himself relax as he sipped the blood and fed his hunger. He could have gone out to hunt, as there was an Inupiat tribe not far away, but he didn’t feel like working tonight. He had neither the energy nor the ambition.

He returned to his study and to the comfort of his leather armchair. Staring at the wall, he went over the evening in his mind.

There was no longer any doubt that Maria was not making the grade. Not only was she too talkative, and too damn nosy, but she couldn’t even wear the clothes he had given her with any sense of elegance. She was simply not suitable.

Besides that, he couldn't stop thinking of the Irish detective and his rude invasion of Aleksei's home. In the back of his mind, he knew the detective was on to him, and he'd figure out a reason to come back to Snow Creek eventually. He was thankful that at least all of this had come about early on in his cherished winter season. He would have to abandon his New Year's plans, but he had plenty of time to put his new plan in motion and enjoy the rest of the winter.

He would have no trouble finding Maria's replacement, since he had all of her family’s contact information in his cherished guest book. It would be a piece of cake. And this time, he was going to make her his permanent companion. He knew it was time.

He finished his dinner of blood and put the glass on the table next to him. His groin tingled with anticipation.

He would bring Katie here, and she would be his. He shook his head, almost imperceptibly. No, it wouldn’t be Katie at all.

It would be Katerina.