Polar (Prequel): The Turnagain Arm Read Online Free Page B

front of her. Aleksei snarled, unable to mask his distaste.
    “Everybody here thinks you’re something special, don’t they?” she asked, her speech slurred with drink. “But I know you’re not. I know what you are.”
    “And what is it that you think I am?”
    “A monster.”
    A surprised Aleksei took an involuntary step back. “What did you say?”
    “I said you’re a monster. You murdered Kenneth and took his job, I know it.”
    “Ah, Mr. MacNeil. That’s what this is about.”
    “Yeah, that’s what this is about.” Rebecca pointed her finger at Aleksei’s face. “You know what I’ve noticed about you? You never drink yourself. Why is that?”
    “I don’t drink while I’m working. I should think that would be obvious.”
    “Seems funny to me. You working here in a bar and all.” Rebecca stood up straight and squared her shoulders. “I’m watching you. You just remember that.”
    “I certainly will. And may I say I miss the days when I couldn’t understand your language, ma’am.”
    Rebecca scowled and turned away. She stumbled out of the bar, leaving Aleksei alone at last.
    “Nothing like peace and quiet,” he said.
    He finished cleaning the bar quickly, no longer bothering to hide his speedy movements now that he was alone. He wanted to find Rebecca before she found a fellow drunk idiot to be her companion for the night.
    Aleksei blew out the gaslights that dimly lit the saloon and slid out into the chilly night. His ears picked up the sound of Rebecca’s booze-filled laughter coming from the direction of one of the camp barracks. No mystery as to what she was looking for there.
    Aleksei followed the sound, feeling his skin tingle with anticipation at the upcoming kill. In the months since becoming a vampire, he had experimented with the sheer joy that came with taunting his prey. Like the cat who pretends to be letting the mouse escape, only to shoot a paw forward at the last second, trapping the doomed creature by its tail. Aleksei had always admired felines for their grace, their cunning, and their indifference to human beings. Traits he was now thrilled to emulate.
    He caught sight of Rebecca and darted through the trees to stand behind the trunk of one she had yet to pass. She was merely a few steps away from the barracks when he stepped out in front of her, blocking her path and staring down into her puzzled face.
    “What are you doing?” she asked. “Get out of my way, Nechayev.”
    Aleksei grabbed Rebecca’s arm and pulled her into the trees. “I don’t think so, Rebecca.” He used his other hand to cover her mouth and stifle her protests. “And don’t think I’m going to give you the chance to scream either.”
    Rebecca managed only mumbled garbs under the grip of Aleksei’s hand. He pushed her against the trunk of the tree and tore a sleeve from her ratty coat.
    “Now I won’t need to have my hand on your filthy mouth,” he said as he gagged Rebecca with the material. His euphoria grew as Rebecca whimpered and her terrified face erupted in tears and snot.
    “Do you know how tired I am of you staring at me? Do you?”
    Aleksei shook Rebecca and tossed her to the foot of the tree.
    “How sick I am of your accusations and your threats?”
    He fell to his knees, straddling her body and pinning her to the ground.
    “You know what though? You were right about me. I did kill your boyfriend MacNeil. I took his coat from his body after I killed him and tossed him into the Cook Inlet. The same place I’m going to toss you.”
    Rebecca screamed into her gag and tried unsuccessfully to wiggle out of Aleksei’s grasp.
    “You can’t get away from me, whore. You’re wasting your time trying.”
    As he watched the pathetic figure writhing beneath him Aleksei’s contempt intensified. He no longer wanted to play with her. He only wanted to quiet her and stop her pitiful machinations.
    “Remember how you called me a monster, Rebecca?” Aleksei bared his fangs and watched his