Chapter 13

“I like your lilt. It’s musical. It’s better than my accent. Russian is a hard-edged language. Yet it is the language of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. We are a dark people. But, I am half French-American. The Americans and the French are not so dark, I think. I am a dichotomy.”

“Dichotomy?”

“Light and dark, two opposing forces…”

Donal’s hand trembled. He carefully lowered his fork. “I’m getting anxious. Is that part of the withdrawal? Maybe the candy would work.”

“I sent Vasily out to the corner store.” Alexei dug in his pockets and produced a Milky Way. “Do you like these?”

“Oh yes, they used to be my favorite when I was a kid. Can I have half?”

“Take the whole thing after you finish your supper.” Alexei had to thank Vasily for picking the right candy.

“I can’t. My teeth aren’t really good anymore. I couldn’t go to the dentist or brush my teeth. I tried to clean them. Julio gave me a toothbrush that I hid from Apuso, but if I eat too much candy, I’ll hurt.”

“My poor little mouse. You will go to the dentist as soon as you get well enough to go outside. Soon after that it will no longer be a problem.” Alexei put the candy on the bed stand.

Alexei sat at the end of the bed as Donal finished his food. “I didn’t think I could eat all of that.”

“It is good to eat after you have been deprived, but it is hard. You have to do it a little at a time. You finished the chops and the borscht.” Alexei got up and set the tray aside then sat back down on the edge of the bed.

“Oh, you mean the soup. It was good, sort of sweet.”

“It’s made from beets.” Alexei wiped Donal’s lips with the napkin.

An odd but pleasing tingle filled his body. “I used to like beets. They made my lips red.”

“Your lips are red now.” Alexei stared at Donal’s lips in longing.

The nurse came back in. “Alp…er…Mr. Davidoff, I can remove the IV line if Donal wants a bath. He’s probably too unsteady for a shower. Grigory says he took a cab to Bloomingdale’s and bought some sleep pants, sweats, sneakers, socks, and underwear for Donal. He told me to tell you Katya already washed and ironed them so they will feel soft.”

“Do you want to take a bath and change into your new clothes?” Alexei asked him.

“Could I?”

“You’re unsteady on your feet. Either the nurse or I have to go with you to make sure you don’t fall.”

“Could you come? She doesn’t know about Apuso. I don’t want her to see,” Donal whispered.

“See what?”

Donal spoke, his voice low and trembling, “The burns. I have cigar and cigarette burns on my legs and feet. He stayed away from my face and what the johns could see, but below my knees, my legs and feet were fair game. They’re not pretty.” 3

Master suite, bath

Sunday, 6 P.M.

The nurse disconnected the IV line, and Alexei helped Donal to the bathroom. His Mate was so frail, it made Alexei’s chest ache.

“Could I sit for a moment on the uh…”

“I’ll be right outside. Call me when you’re finished.”

Alexei left the bedroom for the gallery and called Armand. “He burnt him, with cigarettes and cigars. He has scars from shackles and chains. He addicted him to drugs and wouldn’t even let him clean his teeth. In the Russian gulag, they let me clean my teeth. He wasn’t allowed to clean his teeth, Armand. How can I live with myself if I don’t kill this man?”

“We can’t hurt a human. But, I can hurt his business. Let me investigate. I won’t let it slide. This is cruelty on an unparalleled scale.” Alexei grew silent on the other end of the line. “If you take your revenge, the gods would make me fight you. Don’t make me do that. We willfind another way,” Armand reassured him.

“Alexei?” Donal called from the bathroom. “I’m finished.” The toilet flushed.

“I have to go, he needs me.”

“Remember that he needs you before you do anything stupid, Alpha Davidoff.”

Alexei deflated. “Yes, Alpha. I promise.”

“I’ll be there in the morning with Sean. The others have school.”

“He kissed Katya. His eyes are bad, and he hasn’t been able to read for a while. She had Boris buy him a pair of cheap reading glasses at the corner market, and he kissed her. She’s going to bring up Colin’s shifter books.”

“Let him read them. They can only help your cause.”

“I mustn’t leave him for too long, Alpha. Your pardon.”

“Go ahead, Alexei; we’ll be there in the morning. Have Grigory buy a coffeemaker. Tell him Keurig with K-Cups. Buy the K-cups with Columbian coffee.”

“I’ll tell him. Goodnight, Armand.”

“Goodnight.”

Alexei pressed End Call on his phone and entered the bathroom after pasting a smile on his lips.