- Didn't Danielle explain that to you?
The vampire's eyes were sad. I sighed. Yeah, we weren't together long (I mean alone) with Daniel, but it was enough for me to understand the alphabetical truths.
- Danielle looks at the world through the eyes of a true artist. And refuses to consider dirt as dirt. For him, the same Duchka is a poor vampire. And his misfortune in a society that has created a body and formed an ugly soul. You've seen his drawings, haven't you?
- Yes. And more than once.
- Danielle will always look for the beautiful in humans and vampires. And she will. He is an artist with a capital letter. As soon as Duke dared to torture him! Bitch! He's a bastard and a goat.
- Andre?
- Absolutely.
Red lights shining in my brown eyes. The reflections of the neon?
- So tell him about it. You talk to me - brave...
- I bet I'll tell you. - I immediately caught fire.
- What do you want to bet? - There was another scarlet spark in Boris' eyes. That's right, the neon from the sign.
- Clicking on the forehead and two rubles on top!
- Deal!
We slammed our hands and had a fun look. I think I made another friend. And if not a friend, a friend who finds me funny.
Chapter 7
Mecislav measured us with such a gaze that we shut up. But the smile didn't go away anyway. And in time. We entered the club. The people who walked and danced there looked at our five with rapturous looks. Especially women and especially Mieczysław. What's so amazing about it. But no one recognized the vampires as new guests, thank God.
- What guests in our club! Honey!
It's so good to see you!
That voice was well known to me. Duška decided not to stay in debt, so he came to meet us. And he couldn't do without a show-off, either. All dressed in white, embroidered gold, like a fairy prince. Behind him were four vampires in delicate blue suits embroidered with silver. The impression was spoilt only by the scars from the holy water on his face that had not fully healed. It turned out almost Count de Peyrac... All that remained is to find Angelique and make sure that she was not immediately eaten. I suddenly giggled.
- Something funny, Jane? - Mecislav didn't turn around, but was definitely waiting for an answer.
- I was thinking... We lined up a pig and they're a snake. It's a promising start. Pig snakes eat, you know.
- But the snake poison is fatal to any animal," Dyushka smiled at me.
- I'll take your word for it, I was just as cute. - Of course, you know more about filth and shit than I do.
- Of course.
I wonder who said nasty things to who? Did he tell me? Did I tell him? Or is it two or two?
- Please go inside," smiled Duchka. Oh, shit! His smile makes me nervous! He can wait, I'm pulling his teeth out without a dentist or painkillers!
- Yes, our affairs are better resolved without outsiders," said Mechislav, smiling in response. It's just molasses in sugar syrup. My grandfather was distorted. But he turned around and went inside the hall. Mieczyslaw followed him. Now I know what royal dignity is. It's not given to everyone. Only to the real kings. And from Mieczyslaw simply carried this dignity. And with Duška, it was different. He was cold and calm, too, but with an incredibly sharpened gut I guessed under that calm fear. But Mechislav wasn't afraid of anything. And I was once again glad that I was on his side. Even if I get killed, it's better to die in the same company as the people you like. At least in a purely physical way. Otherwise, you'll be in purgatory with Duke in company and they'll refuse to let you go to hell. So you don't have to terrorize the hell out of it.
We walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the regular door. The view. Then it opened, and I saw a familiar tambour from which Danielle had recently carried me. The blood had already been erased, and there was nothing to remind me of the man who had been killed. Or a werewolf? No, why didn't anyone tell me anything about the paranorms? How many, what, how? We got off with two words, that's it! A pig! What do you expect from vampires, though? It's hard to respect whoever you eat. I wouldn't respect a talking sausage. But sausage has no sense. Or does it? Hey, Jane, stop philosophizing.
Then we walked down the hall again in total darkness. If it wasn't for Boris, I'd have had my nose in the wall a long time ago. He held my hand, pressing me firmly against him (probably, if I had been pulled aside, my hand would have remained like that), and turned it around in the right places in time. Good, there were few turns. And on the stairs, he picked up his hands and took them down. I didn't protest. A vampire didn't try to touch me, and I would have ruined the whole game. And I broke both my legs.
Vampires saw great in the dark, I knew that for a fact. They were walking like sighted. Relaxed and confident. That's not how you walk in the dark. You could have lit the light for me, but I didn't resent the sassy attitude towards the beautiful half of humanity. It's not my game, it's Mecislava's. If he thinks that everything is going according to plan, so be it.
And then, all of a sudden, someone's hand really turned on the light. I really did. I was interrogated on my shaggy head. I squeezed myself blinded by the lights. And only ten seconds later, I risked opening my eyes. We were standing in a big hall, all tightened up with black cloth. Duke went forward and sat down in a chair with a high backrest. Four vampires stood on either side of him. The King's entourage is playing. The vampire looked stunning. Like an icy prince in the kingdom of darkness. And Mecislav looked more like a part of this semi-darkness. His clothes merged with the furnishings, his golden brown face and chest almost glowing on a dark background, giving him the appearance of a fallen angel. A shard of darkness, preserved on earth after the First Word.
For a few minutes, vampires measured their eyes. And I could feel the tension building up in the hall. Like under high voltage wires. It's like there was an electric current running through my skin. A little more, and I couldn't take it. But Duke couldn't take it before I could.
- What do you want in my town, Mecislav?
- You grab my friend, you torture him, and then you ask what I want from you?
- Your friend? That slutty little grease? But since when do you speak for him?
- He's my friend and he can't stand up for himself. That's enough.
- Really? And you're here to tell me that? You're either brave or stupid! Look!
Duke clapped his hands loudly. The black fabric fell off the walls. They were also painted black, but they had doors in them. At least nine doors, and they were now filled with vampires. Lots of vampires. There were at least 40 of them.
- Are you going to just kill me, Andre? - Mecislav was as calm as he was before the gunshot. And my hands got icy.
- What can stop me from doing that?
- Like me, my nerves cracked at the sutures and my anger came out. - You and I didn't get along so well, you white-headed goat! And I want an answer before Machislav rips your head off! Where's my friend?! What did you do to her?!
Mechislav looked at me like Lenin at the bourgeoisie, but kept quiet. Ripped his head off at home, a fact. But before that, I'll get my answers!
Duke raised his eyebrows mockingly.
- You dare to demand an answer from me, human being?!
- You little fang," I answered. - If there's no one else decent here, I demand your answer! And I have every right to it! What have you done to my friend, pig?!
Duchka didn't come down with a second time. Instead, he turned his gaze on our yellow and black in a carelessly boring way.
- Your mistress has been exposed, Mečislav.
- She's not my mistress.
The smile on Dyushka's face could only be called a pussy. My hands were itching to put something in it! Oh, come on! Am I, so reserved, so calm, going to get hysterical?! Yes, I'm going to! And not just yell, but beat somebody up with a special cynicism. Here you go.
- So she's our legal prey.
- In my dreams, I snapped. - Before you touch me with
a finger, I'll shove your cross somewhere and make you quack!
- Get her! - was ordered by Duke. And the boy won't change for a fight! I won't either!
One of the vampires came to me. I grabbed a water pistol and I shot him right in the forehead. And I hit him, of course. From this distance, even a blind man can't miss. There was a wild squeal. I wince, but I didn't take my eyes off it. I did it and I have to look. The vampire was decomposing in front of my eyes. Skin crawled from the skull with big untidy rags, meat became black and scattered in ashes, naked and the white bones of the skull immediately cracked. It was strange. It wasn't like that with Duke... For some reason he was alive and almost in one piece. Easy hints of scars on his right cheek don't count. Maybe vampires have different resistance to holy water and crosses. It's pretty real. Humans are born with different immunities, too. I thought, so I let another trickle of water out, now into the body. Then I came up and crossed what was wheezing on the floor. The vampire wasn't screaming anymore. He was just squirming, shattering with nasty black flakes. It's unstoppable. I smiled. Adrenaline was walking through the veins and arteries, dissolving the remnants of prudence. I was eager to yell, but instead I smiled. My grandfather could be proud of me!
- Do you still want to touch me, Duke? I'll sweep you in a trowel and throw you down the toilet.
- What did you call me?
- What, again? You were the one in France who was Andre, and here you can't get more than Duchka!
- Ster-r-va, a vampire spiked.
- Bitch," Mechislav suddenly agreed. - But she's under my protection, just like Danielle.
- I don't need anybody's protection," I finally fell off the thread. - I want my friend!
There's a disgusting smile on Duchka's lips.
- Do you want your friend? So win her!
- I don't gamble," I answered. - Why don't we play "Light the Vampire on fire"? I promise a nice marble monument. In the form of shattered goat horns.
- And who said that I offer gambling, - said Andre. - You refused to defend him. And you gave me the bill. So you have to prove your right. I mean, to win the fight. Or admit that I'm free in your life and death. Here with us, you have to answer for every word you say. We're not human. And we have different standards.
I think I got caught. But I have no choice. Or do I have a choice?
- What if I win?
- I'll grant you your wish," said the vampire. With such self-confidence that it became clear to me that victory is not worth dreaming about.
- Let's fight on holy water bottles? - I offered without much hope.
- Uh, no. You insulted me, and you called me in. The choice of weapons, as well as the choice of a fighter, is up to me. You will fight in a circle, until one of you dies. Will you tell her the rules, Mecislav?
- I will," said the vampire.
His face, when he turned to me, was a peaceful mask of indifference. A polite smile, the haughty cold of green eyes. And somewhere in the depths, a burning rage.
- Do you understand what you're asking for?
- If I understood, I wouldn't be here," I snapped. - So what are the rules?
- Now he's going to choose a vampire," Mechislav began to explain. - You will be enclosed with a big enough circle of aspen rods. If someone leaves the circle - it's an instant death. Even with one foot. All consecrated objects will have to be left here. Anything in the circle is considered a weapon. But I bet there won't be anything there. Andre isn't that stupid.
- That's too bad.
I thought for a while, then I sat down right on the ground and started slipping my boots off. Then I unbuckled my belt and stole my pants. It's gonna be a lot more uncomfortable to move around in them. I can't lift my leg or bend my knee. The skin... Beautiful, show-off, awfully uncomfortable. Even during the trip, they're so stuck to my ass, I was afraid to just get together with them. A vampire was watching me, surprisingly raising his eyebrows. I got rid of my pants and gladly felt the breeze on my bare feet. Now I was standing in front of all the people in panties (one name), kapron tights, and a silk translucent top. And I didn't even doubt that my view was unusually stupid. Well, I can't wear it all! Not a top model, but a biofaculty student. On the same Katya, this outfit would look very sexy. I wasn't flattering myself. If you see me as a model, any designer will succeed. Although I don't have the figure yet. It's a consolation of some kind. What nonsense is going on in my head! But it's actually my head. Whatever I want, I score. They're gonna rip it off anyway.
- Do you know any martial arts? - Mechislav hopelessly asked.
- From where?
- Somewhere.
- Alas. There are legends about my clumsiness. I can only kill anyone by talking to death. Will you cheer me up with a round of applause?
- It's out of the question.
- Why? - I don't get it.
- It is forbidden to help fighters in any way. And positive words or even emotions are also help.
- It's a shame.
- If you'd kept quiet in a rag, you wouldn't be offended," said Mecislav. - It's your job, isn't it? I wanted either to make a good deal with Andre, or just to piss him off so that he would call me to the fight. Then rip off his head - and no problem! And now you have to accept that challenge.
I wasn't scared. I just didn't know what to be scared of. Idiot.
- By the way, what if I don't want to?
- Then you'll just get killed. I mean, not for nothing, but slowly and painfully. Or they'll turn Andre over to his full possession. It's up to you to decide. I'll have to do it. The laws make me stronger and weaker. And I must obey the laws of the Council.
- And I don't stand a chance of turning my back? Not at all? Just a fight?
- Why is that? You can admit you're my slave or blood donor...
- In your dreams.
- You can't do this. Of course you can't. You're too proud for that. But dying for pride is stupid.
- It's stupid to die at all.
I felt like I was dreaming when everything seemed fun and easy. Even anger deep in the vampire's eyes didn't scare me. I felt it at the very edge of my mind like bubbles in champagne - and I loved it!
- We can also recognize Andre's power over himself and pray for his forgiveness.
I'd rather be choking.
- It's not funny. Are these all the exits?
- There's nothing else I can offer you. Except to win.
- That's very nice. Yeah, I should have ripped my tongue off when I was a kid. Okay, which one of these babies do I have to fight?
Mechislav turned to Dyushka.
- Who's coming out on the field on your end?
Duke put his hand on the shoulder of the vampire standing next to the throne.
- Vlad.
I whistled quietly. What a bullfighter! Higher on my head and wider on my shoulders, twice as wide. And all this at the expense of the muscles. And I have to deal with this guy? That's funny!
- And you appreciate me highly, Dyushka," I said. - You know, if you weren't a jerk, we could be friends. I like it when men are afraid of me.
- Mellie, Yemelya," Dyushka sieved.
Two vampires have already fenced the circle for us. It's wide. Five meters in diameter. That's good. It's gonna be a long way to go. And I'm going to fly a lot and a lot, I didn't doubt it. Unless my neck is twisted right away. Vampires carefully, with their hands in gloves, took thinly sliced aspen rods from a large basket and stuck them into the floor.
- Is a wasp bad for vampires, even if it's not stuck inside?
- Yes, - answered briefly Mechislav.
I took off the neck chain with a cross, removed from the wrists and ankles bracelets with crosses and images and gave all this good to Daniel, pre-wrapped in a silk jacket.
- Hold this, just be careful. Then give it to me.
The grey eyes looked at me with despair.
- I shouldn't have taken you with me! You shouldn't have!
- You can't change anything now.
>
- Jane...
I tiptoed up and kissed a vampire on the cheek.
- I like you, too, Danielle. And keep in mind, you owe me a big portrait. Full height, in paint and a nineteenth-century suit.
And I slowly walked into the circle. My opponent was already waiting. My whole body was overflowing with reckless ease. I had never experienced anything like it, so I didn't know what to expect from myself. Is it madness when no wounds are felt in battle? Or vice versa, will my self-confidence be scattered by the first slap and I become a common vampire sacrifice? I don't know. I don't know anything, but I don't expect anything good. I bit my lips. Okay! Honestly, I can't beat this guy. Isn't it fair? I've got nothing for dishonest play. Not even razors. Should I strangle him with tights or something? Can you strangle vampires? Too bad I didn't get a chance to ask. What else have I got? Insolence, clumsiness and unpredictability. Very much against strength, intelligence and combat experience... The very makings of victory. And yet there's one good thing about this Vlad. Confidence is a mile away. He doesn't take me seriously. By the way, I wonder if you warned him to Andre about my abilities - or not? About the fact that I can resist hypnosis? I don't think so. To say it means to sign not in your power (who believes in it?), but in your weakness. And a narcissistic brute like Andre will never do anything like that. He must have a breakthrough of well-wishers and virtues, who only wait for the right moment. So, I already have one plus. I don't succumb to vampire hypnosis. But it's in a fit of rage. What if it's just that? I think I'm gonna check it out now. Everything around me was slowly disappearing. Andre's sneaky smile, Daniel's desperate eyes, the glitter of rhinestones on my pants, carelessly thrown to the floor... That's what our freestyle wrestling coach taught me. As soon as you go into the ring to your opponent, you see only him. Or them. And the rest of the world disappears somewhere. I've never been able to do that before. I've never been able to fight like that either, so I was politely kicked out of the section by the end of the second month. It was only possible to focus on the opponent now. I didn't even notice at what point all the vampires disappeared from my sight. All that's left is Vlad. He suddenly smiled and lured me with his finger. The darkness came out of his gray eyes. That's how I saw it. A dark cloud enveloped me from head to toe. And his orders were as clear as my own thoughts. And his first order was to get down on my knees. I obeyed without reasoning. I was a fighter against the sheep. Even if I were three times on my feet, I'd do more harm to myself than a vampire. And if I can convince him of my innocence, I'll have a chance. Dead, weak, but a chance.
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