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look that said, “No need
to worry. I won’t hurt you.” It was the look a man gave a suffering animal
caught in a trap.
    He studied her as if she were merely a sculpture,
letting his gaze roam from head to toe. “How is it I can see you? I’ve never
seen a ghost before. Hell, I did not think they even existed.”
    “I don’t think many… people can see me,” Carly
said, “other than the three of you of course, but that’s because you’re, well,
you’re… special .” Her voice trembled. “But since you can see things
mortals can’t, how would you even know if you’ve never seen a ghost before?”
She smiled. Her eyes crinkled, making her look more like a child than a grown
woman.
    Boris returned her smile. “Smart girl. But truly, will
wonders never cease? I am still amazed by you.” He touched her hair, lifting it
and letting it fan back onto her shoulders as he walked a circle around her.
“And that dress? Going to a party perhaps?” He laughed.
    Carly tipped her head in a gesture of respect. Boris moved
away from her then and turned his attention to Lev. His smile broadened,
showing crooked, stained teeth. Fangs poked through leathery gums—tissue time
had hardened. “You are as beautiful as your brother. I did not know you
existed. Alexei never spoke of you.” He stepped closer and nuzzled his face
into Lev’s neck, sending a shiver of repulsion down Lev’s spine. He wanted
nothing more than to move away, yet instinct rooted him to the spot.
    Boris ran his tongue up Lev’s neck. It had a sandpapery
feel like that of a cat’s. Then he took a breath, inhaling Lev deeply. “You
taste and smell divine. I am disappointed it wasn’t me who had the privilege of
turning you.” He flicked his tongue once more, dragging it farther up Lev’s
throat, then licked his lips. “But that does not mean I cannot have a taste.”
    Lev’s stomach did a flip-flop, and this time he did step
backward, though he did his best to cover his distaste for the man. With a weak
smile, he said, “Perhaps later.”
    The large man’s expression turned serious. His smile
faded and was replaced by a furrowed brow. “Why have you come?” His question was
directed at Alexei who did a nervous little side step, his gaze trained firmly
on the ground. A moment of silence passed as Alexei seemed to be thinking, then
suddenly Boris, perhaps growing bored, let the question go.
    The big Russian laughed. “What kind of host am I?” He
was a changeable man. “Please, come inside. We will be much more comfortable.”
He started slowly striding toward the front doors of his house. The trio eyed
each other and reluctantly followed.
     
    The house was huge, larger than anything Lev had ever
seen. Their voices echoed in the cavernous rooms, even though they were filled
to overflowing with furniture and an assortment of knick-knacks. Boris was the
undead’s version of a hoarder, thought Lev.
    They followed him into what he announced with a grand
gesture was the great room. It was a large sunken living room surrounded by
couches on all sides. A fireplace so massive a man could walk right into it
without even ducking was the centerpiece, and in it a fire blazed.
    Overflowing bookcases decorated the walls, and the large
wooden coffee table in the middle of the arrangement of couches was cluttered
with magazines, bottles, glasses, and piles of books. There were bags of potato
chips on the floor and empty beer bottles lying on their sides on an area rug
that had seen better days, making it look as if a raucous party had just ended.
Lev wondered why a creature such as Boris, who needed nothing but blood to
survive, would have food and drink around the house. Perhaps they were for the
pleasure and entertainment of others, he thought…human others.
    With one sweep of his thick forearm, Boris whisked
everything from the table onto the floor. “Gerry?” he bellowed. A moment later,
a skinny, young man with a large nose and close-set eyes