Free Beautiful Monster: The Hunt (Book 2) by Jeanne Bannon

shoes. “Don’t. I can’t hear that right now. Just give me that book. I’ll get that damned spell memorized if it’s the last thing I do. It’s only two friggin’ lines long. If only it were in English, I’m not that stupid, but Latin?” He slid to the floor, book in hand and repeated the incantation over and over. After what felt like forever, he lifted his head. “I think I’ve got it. Wanna test me?”
    He handed the book back to Alina but she didn’t need it. She’d long since memorized the binding spell. It was too bad she couldn’t be the one to cast it. But she needed to be far away from Boris right now. He’d be on the lookout for her. Besides, she needed to stay behind to prepare for Boris’s annihilation. She was in for the fight of her life if Jack didn’t get him back to the apartment on time.
    Jack repeated the spell word for word. Alina nodded as if keeping the beat to a song.
    “Good! You did great. Just remember time is of the essence. You’ll have to get the words out as quickly as possible before Boris catches onto what you’re doing.”
    “Yeah, and don’t let me leave here without that spell to keep him from reading my mind. Shit man, there are a lot of things that could go wrong.” He began to pace and ran a hand through his thick mane. “I thought us creatures of the night were supposed to be fearless! Why am I scared shitless?”
    “Because you’re young. This life hasn’t hardened you yet and you still feel . Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Remember, all you have to do is bring him to me and I’ll do the rest. Once Boris is here, I want you to take ZoZo and get out. Go as far away as possible. I don’t want either of you in danger.”
    Jack’s brows lifted. “But what if you need me?”
    Alina laughed. “You’re no match for him, Jack. He’d kill you with little effort. And, if I’m not properly prepared, he’ll kill me. It’s important that I set everything up and get ready.”
    “How?”
    “What do you mean, how?”
    “How will you kill him? Is it like in the movies? You know with the wooden stake through the heart? Or a silver bullet or some shit?”
    Alina took in his boyish naïveté. In some many ways, he was a man-child. But he was fortunate to have been turned so young. He’d always be handsome. He’d always have that long, lean physique. Only his mind would change. He would harden in ways that could not be seen. Jack, the way he was right now, was a fleeting kind of special. She appreciated it though and at one time she might have even loved the boy. She may have savored him and not wanted him to change. But she was one of the ancients and tender feelings were hard to come by. The only being on the planet capable of eliciting any form of emotion from her was ZoZo and even that she suspected was because the girl was important to her .
    “Those are tools for mortals,” she answered. “And silver bullets are for werewolves, you fool. And werewolves don’t even exist.” She tossed her thick mane and planted her hands on her hips. “My past is littered with corpses, Jack, both mortal and immortal. I will kill Boris with the few tools I have at hand. But if you manage to get him to me with the binding spell still intact, then it will be easy.” She held up her hands, dainty and feminine, yet strong enough to bend steel. “Maybe I’ll twist his head around like a corkscrew until it pops off.” She smiled then and excitement began to build. She had to admit that she did enjoy violence and now that she knew it wasn’t really Alexei she’d be dealing with, but a vile brute who’d stolen his body, she’d enjoy it all the more.
    “Okay, I’ll leave the details to you. I’ll make sure to grab Zo and get her out of here. Maybe I can take her to the park. She seems to like it there.”
    He was like a dog that needed petting, Alina thought; a good companion, loyal and steadfast. It was fortunate that Jack had ventured onto her path. She’d make sure