The Secrets of Darkling Manor

Thirteen: Aleksander Morozova

Thirteen: 

Everything about this was wrong. He had had sex with her without using a condom. She was a virgin. He didn't even know if she was taking birth control. But there were some women that took it to regulate their periods...surely she was one of them? He would have to talk to her about it later. But when it came to her, he became a man possessed. He couldn't think of anything else around her. What's more, he needed her if he was going to keep Genya as his ward. Aleksander had never had a true, whole family before. He liked the little one that he had built for himself. With Genya, and Alina.

Right now, with Alina in bed before him, all he could focus on wasn't what was right or wrong. He could only focus on her, naked, and how he really wanted her. All of the time. "What do you want, Alina?" he asked. "You're untied now, and you've got me at your disposal. Tell me your request, precious."

Alina blushed. She was still laying on her back. "I don't know where to even begin."

"What's your biggest, darkest desire?" Aleskander asked. "Your biggest fantasy?"

Alina tapped her chin thoughtfully, a big smile on her face. "How about----"

She stiffened under him; her eyes wide as she looked at him. "Alina, is everything alright?"

She was frozen, but Aleksander could feel her trembling.

"Alina, what's wrong? Did I scare you off by tying you up? Where did you go?" he demanded.

She pointed up at the ceiling, covering her mouth with one hand. Slowly, he looked up at the ceiling. There was nothing there. "Alina," Aleksander said, "Alina, what's wrong?" She wasn't responding to him. At all. But she did look as if she was seeing something that he wasn't. "Alina?" he called out.

Alina tensed. A shudder seemed to run through her. Then, she looked directly at him instead of looking past him. "Hello, lover. Long time no see." Her voice had changed. It was Alina, but not Alina.

His brow furrowed together. "Luda?"

She smiled. Well, Alina smiled. But not Alina. Luda in Alina. "Nice to see you're up to your old tricks again. Seducing innocent girls. At least this girl is of age."

"Luda, I never touched you before you turned eighteen."

"No," she said, "no, but you did make me fall for you. And then it was impossible to leave you. Because you had the money, and I had nothing. And all I could do was drown myself in that pond when you started sleeping with her."

"I didn't!" Aleksander insisted. "I never did. You only thought that I did. You never believed me."

"Because," Luda said, "you are the villain, Aleksander. You ruin young women. That's what you do. You're going to ruin her. Pretending to be her husband? Forcing her to have sex with you when you're not really married?"

Aleksander shook his head. "I'm not forcing her to do anything. She consented."

"Under false pretenses. Is that really all you know how to do?"

"Get out of her," Aleksander demanded, "she doesn't deserve this."

Luda laughed. Cruelly. It wasn't Alina's laugh, despite it being Alina's body. It was a deep, raspy laughter that was so different from Alina's that it made her skin crawl. "She doesn't. But you fucking do, husband mine."

"Luda----get out of her."

She smirked at him, then caressed his face. "I'll get out of her. But next time, you won't know when I'm in her. Of course...you always did like the way I could make you feel. That was why you wanted me around, wasn't it? Eternally? Why you made the deal with the witch in the pond instead of just letting me die? I'm trapped here because of you, Aleks. And Alina will be trapped here too if I have anything to say about it. Perhaps we'll start a club. Bitches who got fooled by a Morozova."

"I'll kill you!" he declared.

She threw her head back harshly, Alina's head, so hard that it hit the headboard. "Alina!" he cried.

There was a swirling, black cloud that came from Alina, and in it, Aleksander could hear Luda's voice cackling. The black cloud disappeared.

"Ow!" Alina hissed. "Aleks...I thought you said that you were going to be gentle with me?"

Aleksander reached out and gently checked her head. "Oh Alina. My dear girl. I'm sorry. I don't---I don't know what happened. Let's get you dressed, I'm going to call the local doctor here."

"Aleks, I can dress myself."

"Alina, you're recovering from a concussion. And you've just hit your headboard and I've got to keep you safe."

"Safe?"

"You know what I mean," he said, "come on, get up, carefully." He helped her up, then rummaged through her suitcase and got out a whole outfit for her.

She dressed carefully, and Aleksander helped her steady herself. "Lay down on the bed," he said, "I'm going to go get the doctor. Don't let anyone in. I'll knock three times when I'm back, alright? Don't open the door unless I knock three times."

Alina furrowed her brows together. "Aleks," she said, "what's wrong?"

"You're hurt," he said, "and I don't want anyone seeing anything that you shouldn't."

"What do you thinks going to happen?" Alina asked.

"Genya," he lied, "I don't want Genya to see. You know, after the whole bird incident.... please, Alina. For me."

"Alright," she said, "I'll stay here. I'll keep the door closed."

He kissed her forehead. "Good. I'll be back soon." He left the room, and closed the door, locking it. He leaned up against the door for one second. As he was walking away, he felt a cool breath on the back of his neck making his hair stand on end.

"Stay away from her," he demanded.

He might not have been able to see Luda, but he knew that she was there. He took out his cell phone and called the local doctor. "Doctor Minsk?" he said. "Hi, this is Aleksander Morozova. There's been an incident with my wife. She.... she hit her head on the headboard, and I just need to make sure she's okay."

"Alright, I'm coming. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Thank you doctor," he said, "thank you...oh and doctor?"

"Yes?"

"We're having a problem with some of the Darkling's around here. If you come across any, please don't worry about it. We're taking care of it."

There was a pause. "Alright, Mr. Morozova. I will keep them in mind. Has your wife been near the birds?"

He took a breath. "Yes, she has been near the birds."

"Alright, Mr. Morozova. I'll come as quickly as I can. Perhaps, if you have any of those birds about, you might want to bring one."

"But she hit her head."

"Yes," said the doctor, "that's what I'm worried about." The call ended, and Aleksander swore.

He needed to take care of Alina, but he needed to keep her in the dark. He had no idea how he was going to do this.