Read Online Beautiful Monster-The Exchange by Jeanne Bannon - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeanne Bannon
Ads: Link
brother’s eyes. “I have to
die, and the only one who can kill me is my maker.” He turned toward Boris who
seemed as giddy as a child on Christmas morning.
“But why would Boris want to kill you?” he asked Alexei,
wanting to add—it’s obvious he’s in love with you. He didn’t have to give voice
to the question; Alexei answered it as if he’d read Lev’s thoughts. “If Boris
kills me, he gets something he covets more than my soul—”
Boris finished for him, “His good looks!” He laughed and
rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Look at that face! That body! It would not
just be mine, it would be ME.”
Lev jumped to his feet. “I can’t let you sacrifice
yourself for me.”
“But without you by my side, brother, I would not want
to live. You said it yourself—that if I would not help you, you’d leave. You
said that knowing I wouldn’t be able to go on without the only person in my
life that I love. I am not like you, Lev. I am corrupt. I have killed and I
have turned others, but you, my brother, somehow you’ve managed not to do those
things. Your soul is pure. I can feel it inside me. Sometimes I think it’s the
only thing keeping me from running wild, murdering, and turning everyone in
sight. Think about it, Lev, if Boris takes my life, your soul will be released.
It will return to its rightful owner. That is…” Alexei shot Boris a warning
glare, then continued, “That is if Boris keeps his word and allows it. Then you
will be free to find Carly.”
Hollowness bore into Lev, dwelling side by side with the
happy thought he may be able to be with Carly after all. It was bittersweet.
Was he giving up too much? He let his thoughts become a question. “I will have
to die too?”
“You will be mortal again, my brother. You can either
wait until the time of your natural death or…” Alexei trailed off, averting his
gaze.
Lev understood what his brother was trying to say, and
he’d already decided he would go right away. Still, how could he allow Alexei
to sacrifice himself?
“I…I’m not sure,” Lev choked out in a thin whisper.
Boris playfully punched Lev on the shoulder. “It is what
your brother wants, comrade. Can you not see that?”
Lev let his head drop into his hands. The weight of his
decision was too much.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Would you leave me and my brother alone for a while?”
Alexei asked Boris.
The big man was happy to oblige, leaving the room with a
smile. The brothers got to their feet as soon as he’d gone, and Alexei embraced
Lev, whispering in his ear, “You know he may be able to hear us?”
Lev nodded.
Alexei continued, “We must try our best to speak sotto
voce. I am sure Boris is more than a little interested in what we are about to
discuss.”
Lev nodded his reply.
“Most of us do not know where our makers have gone to
over the years, but I needed to keep track of Boris. I’ve known for a long time
what he’s wanted from me. Hell, look at him. Would you want to spend all of
eternity looking and smelling like that?” Alexei wrinkled his nose, and Lev had
to stifle a laugh.
“If you’ve managed to stay away from him for so long, I
don’t understand why you’re willing to sacrifice yourself now.”
“Brother, I am not as good as you make me out to be. Am
I afraid of Boris? Hell, yes. Do I really want to die? No,” he said in a
furious whisper.
Lev’s eyes widened. “What—”
Alexei muted him with a hand. “You must give up your
fantasy, brother. Carly is gone. She is not coming back. She cannot come
back, and you cannot get to her. But, with your help, we can get rid of Boris
once and for all, and I won’t have to live in fear.”
Lev had no words. He’d been sucker-punched. “You liar!”
Alexei held a finger to his lips and looked back over
his shoulder to make sure Boris hadn’t returned. “Shhh.”
“I should tell him your plan,” Lev said, no longer
keeping his voice down. “Besides, you can never kill
die, and the only one who can kill me is my maker.” He turned toward Boris who
seemed as giddy as a child on Christmas morning.
“But why would Boris want to kill you?” he asked Alexei,
wanting to add—it’s obvious he’s in love with you. He didn’t have to give voice
to the question; Alexei answered it as if he’d read Lev’s thoughts. “If Boris
kills me, he gets something he covets more than my soul—”
Boris finished for him, “His good looks!” He laughed and
rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Look at that face! That body! It would not
just be mine, it would be ME.”
Lev jumped to his feet. “I can’t let you sacrifice
yourself for me.”
“But without you by my side, brother, I would not want
to live. You said it yourself—that if I would not help you, you’d leave. You
said that knowing I wouldn’t be able to go on without the only person in my
life that I love. I am not like you, Lev. I am corrupt. I have killed and I
have turned others, but you, my brother, somehow you’ve managed not to do those
things. Your soul is pure. I can feel it inside me. Sometimes I think it’s the
only thing keeping me from running wild, murdering, and turning everyone in
sight. Think about it, Lev, if Boris takes my life, your soul will be released.
It will return to its rightful owner. That is…” Alexei shot Boris a warning
glare, then continued, “That is if Boris keeps his word and allows it. Then you
will be free to find Carly.”
Hollowness bore into Lev, dwelling side by side with the
happy thought he may be able to be with Carly after all. It was bittersweet.
Was he giving up too much? He let his thoughts become a question. “I will have
to die too?”
“You will be mortal again, my brother. You can either
wait until the time of your natural death or…” Alexei trailed off, averting his
gaze.
Lev understood what his brother was trying to say, and
he’d already decided he would go right away. Still, how could he allow Alexei
to sacrifice himself?
“I…I’m not sure,” Lev choked out in a thin whisper.
Boris playfully punched Lev on the shoulder. “It is what
your brother wants, comrade. Can you not see that?”
Lev let his head drop into his hands. The weight of his
decision was too much.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Would you leave me and my brother alone for a while?”
Alexei asked Boris.
The big man was happy to oblige, leaving the room with a
smile. The brothers got to their feet as soon as he’d gone, and Alexei embraced
Lev, whispering in his ear, “You know he may be able to hear us?”
Lev nodded.
Alexei continued, “We must try our best to speak sotto
voce. I am sure Boris is more than a little interested in what we are about to
discuss.”
Lev nodded his reply.
“Most of us do not know where our makers have gone to
over the years, but I needed to keep track of Boris. I’ve known for a long time
what he’s wanted from me. Hell, look at him. Would you want to spend all of
eternity looking and smelling like that?” Alexei wrinkled his nose, and Lev had
to stifle a laugh.
“If you’ve managed to stay away from him for so long, I
don’t understand why you’re willing to sacrifice yourself now.”
“Brother, I am not as good as you make me out to be. Am
I afraid of Boris? Hell, yes. Do I really want to die? No,” he said in a
furious whisper.
Lev’s eyes widened. “What—”
Alexei muted him with a hand. “You must give up your
fantasy, brother. Carly is gone. She is not coming back. She cannot come
back, and you cannot get to her. But, with your help, we can get rid of Boris
once and for all, and I won’t have to live in fear.”
Lev had no words. He’d been sucker-punched. “You liar!”
Alexei held a finger to his lips and looked back over
his shoulder to make sure Boris hadn’t returned. “Shhh.”
“I should tell him your plan,” Lev said, no longer
keeping his voice down. “Besides, you can never kill
Similar Books
