Beautiful Monster-The Exchange Read Online Free PDF Page B

in a
forest. The night smelled of damp earth and the start of decomposing foliage.
Fall was in the air, and soon the shadowy trees that surrounded them would be
bare. He noticed a swath of mown-down grass just a few feet away. Alexei headed
toward it, leading them along the gloomy path until they stopped at a set of
intricately designed wrought- iron gates, standing like sentinels guarding the
long driveway on the other side.
    The house at the end of the driveway was daunting, all
turrets and garrets, giving it the look of a Victorian castle. Lev tested the
barred entrance. The gates were locked.
    “Up and over?” Alexei said, and the three of them linked
hands and in unison leapt, though Carly managed more of a float. They cleared
the gates in one bound, landing on the crushed stone of the driveway as
delicately as a cat pouncing in grass.
    “I hope you have a plan, brother,” Alexei said as he
eyed the towering stone mansion in front of them.
    “I…I was counting on you, Alexei. After all, you know the man.”
    Alexei was silent for a moment, then laughed so hard he
doubled over and clutched his belly. When he regained his composure, he said,
“So, what am I supposed to do? Knock on the door and ask Boris if he could
please help you and Carly stay together? Explain how she has a soul and you
don’t? Tell him she can move on to the other side and you can’t? Do you really
think he’ll give a rat’s ass?” Alexei cocked his head, a smirk played on his
lips. “I have a feeling he’s going to be more interested in the fact I’ve come to see him, than he will be in helping you. I’m only here because you gave
me no choice, and, so you can see for yourself who, or maybe I should say, what you will be dealing with.”
    Lev thought back to the moment they’d had before leaving
to come find Boris. The hug they’d shared. Did it mean nothing to Alexei?
    The double doors to the mansion flew open, snagging
their attention. All three turned their heads as a huge man stepped outside
with shoulders so wide he blotted out the light shining from behind him.
    Even from a distance, Lev saw that he was grinning.

CHAPTER NINE
     
     
    Carly let out a shriek and took cover behind Lev. “Can
he see me?” she asked, her voice shaky.
    Alexei answered for his brother, “Oh yes, my dear. I am
sure of it.”
    A towering, barrel-chested figure started slowly down
the front steps, but then, in the blink of an eye, he was suddenly there,
standing in front of the trio, his gaze glued on Alexei.
    Yearning emanated from Boris. Lev felt it pulling at
him—a stark contrast to the fierce-looking brute peering down on them. He wore
a tattered old suit with sleeves that were too short, and the seams of the
threadbare jacket threatened to rip apart across his great chest. A hole worn
through the top of one of his shoes offered a peek at a white sock over his big
toe.
    “I knew I’d see you again, comrade.” Boris’s voice was
as big as he was—booming and deep. He clasped Alexei’s shoulder, and Lev
noticed his brother flinch as Boris’s nails curled into his leather jacket.
    Reluctantly, as if not wanting to take his eyes off a
prize, Boris turned his bulbous head toward Carly and sniffed the air like a
dog. Lev heard the whistle of the man’s breath as he inhaled.
    An eyebrow shot up in a question mark. “You are dead,
yet you are not one of us.” Boris’s words were more of a question than a
statement. “What kind of creature are you? There is no pulsing of blood in your
veins.” He scratched his nearly bald pate in puzzlement.
    Lev stepped protectively in front of Carly, who’d been
peeking out from behind him. “She’s not among the living. She is, well, I guess
she is what people call a ghost .” He knew Carly wouldn’t like him
describing her with that word, but it was the only thing that came to mind.
    “Are you serious?” Boris reached around and pulled Carly
out from behind Lev by one slender arm, giving her a