- You're a fool, and your vampire's a jerk and a bastard. And I'm gonna tell him that now!
- Nadia!
It's no use. A friend flew out the door. And the Great Wall of China couldn't have stopped her. I flew out after her. Mecislav is not Dyushka. Although I wouldn't dare to be rude either. Normally, I wouldn't have dared. And the fact that I went to his face... He just pissed me off, and I didn't know what I was doing.
The vampires were sitting in the living room. I noticed that Danielle looked pretty shabby, too. It felt like he had been peeled off with a dusty bag. But there were no marks on his face. Mecislav looked calm and beautiful, as always - a kind of picture from a magazine about the hard life of ordinary British aristocrats. Nadia flew up to him.
- What the hell do you think you're doing?! Who let you do this to my friend?!
The vampire didn't even lead with his eyebrow. From the outside, he seemed to care more about the crease in his jeans than furious Hope.
- Your friend didn't mind.
- Didn't she mind?! You took advantage of her confusion! How could you only have a conscience?!
- What does my conscience have to do with it?
- Indeed! What's that got to do with anything you don't have?! Well, there you go! You can go to hell! I'm not letting go with you anymore! That's enough!
- Nadia! - I resented.
- Why, Nadia?! What - Nadia?! - ...made a girlfriend by throwing herself at me half a turn. - Don't you get it?! That jerk is just using you! And he's just gonna set you up! You're not going anywhere! It's safer here with me!
- It's not safer here with you," said Mieczysław. - What can you do if Andre finds you? Jame him, like me, to his face? Unlike me, he's not as merciful and forgiving.
Mecislav got up and took a few steps to his friend. Nadjushka noticeably turned pale, but did not back down.
- You gonna rip my throat out or just drink it down like some ghoul?
- I'll think about it. And keep in mind, Jane is allowed to do a lot of things that you're not allowed to do. Or Daniel. Whoever is her master, he - or she - will do no harm to Mistress Leoveren. It's not like you're going to break up the car you drive. You will pamper her, cherish her, care for her...
- Jane's not a car," Nadia snapped at him. - Do you have any idea that there are living people here?
- There's an equal number of us here. And alive and undead. Shall we divide into parties and start to elect deputies?
- It's better to choose a stronger aspen for one of the batches, - muttered Nadyushka.
- We'll discuss that if everyone stays alive. However, if all goes well, I can take care of my friends.
- The carelessness of you is so great," I snapped.
- Jane, what are you not happy about? You got into this mess, it was your conscious choice. You wanted to help your friend?
- I didn't help her either, and I let my family down.
The fighting spirit has disappeared somewhere, if I remember about Katka. Goss, your zebra's behind your nose, what a dope I was! Going there, I don't know where, behind what, I don't know what... knowing nothing, understanding nothing... knowing nothing... idiot... idiot... round idiot and idiot...
I covered my face with my hands and turned my back. There was no force to look at vampires. They could die because of me, too... and Nadia... and Mom and Grandpa...
- Quiet, my love... Don't despair...
Danielle?
I turned around and stuck my nose in a vampire's chest. Danielle hugged me by my shoulders and pulled me closer to him.
- Cry, baby. And don't blame yourself. You didn't know anything then. You just couldn't see it coming, that's all. Nobody could have known or anticipated what you were going to face. No one. And you acted the way you could. In the best way possible. If you had made one mistake, none of us would be alive anymore. None of us would be alive. Your grandfather and your mother are wonderful people. And they raised you beautifully. But they did you a bad favor. You're only nineteen years old, and you feel like you've already got a couple hundred behind you. And you have to understand, understand, anticipate... But you can't do that. And you're torturing yourself because no one can predict. Jane, you're not a god or a hero. You're just a child for now. A wonderful, intelligent, brave and brave girl who has yet to be a great woman. But yet to be. Don't judge yourself for something no one would dare judge you for. And when you tell your family everything, I'm sure they'll say you didn't just do your best. You're doing a lot more than that. And I'm happy to have found you. I love you so much, my dear girl...
Danielle gently guided his palm through my hair. Then he tilted his head and kissed me on top. And a wave of gratitude came over me...
My dear...
He also knows that I'm worse than a monkey with a grenade, but he tries to help, support, at least in words... How much I love him...
Inside me, the familiar light of the Force flashed. And I reached out to Daniel, trying to convey all my love and tenderness.
A warm wave came from fingertips to hairtips. And Daniel's chilly wind blew towards me. But there was no ice and no cruelty like Mieczysław's. Mieczysław was the north wind, with all its cruelty and cold. Daniel was the western wind. Sweet, light and gentle. And I swayed on his waves, generously feeding my beloved with my strength - and receiving from him the reciprocal power and tenderness. There was a rivalry with Swordfather. With Daniel - a holistic system in which we supported and complemented each other.
- That's enough!
I flew away and almost fell. Mieczysław and Daniel, clutching, rolled on the carpet. I tried to break up the fight, but only flew aside and almost smashed my head against the wall. Well, at least the carpet is thick...
- Stop it now, Nadia screamed. - We DO NOT draw attention to ourselves!
It worked, though not right away. Mieczyslaw somehow twisted, and Daniel was pressed against the carpet.
- What have you fools done?! - A vampire growled. - How did you do that?! Mother...
It was followed by such a matt rewind that I only slammed my eyes. Man, why is there never a recorder on hand?! Especially if you need one!
Finally, Mecislav took his soul and got up with Daniel. He lifted his friend up by the skin like a terrier rat, shaken it up - and threw it into a corner. I tried to go to Daniel, but it wasn't there. Mechislav just threw me in the chair - and hovering over me with the whole mass.
- And what do you have to say for yourself, Junior?!
- What are you going to tell me?! - It was me, but I was immediately slammed back into the chair.
- Sit down. Don't you understand what's going on?!
- She didn't understand," Nadjushka gave a voice from the corner. - And in general, why are you suddenly mad? Did you overdo it?
The answer to her was even more of a mate. At last, Mieczyslaw calmed down and shone his eyes at Daniel.
- You should have your head ripped off, traitor!
- What did he betray you in?! - I'm sorry. - What the hell is this nonsense?!
- What did you just do? - A vampire turned to me again. - Why don't you explain that to me, Curly?!
I patted my eyelashes. And the truth is what?!
- I only replied to Daniel's love," I honestly confessed, deciding that this was no time for modesty. - It was an answer with my strength - to him, with my feelings - to him. And that was it.
- ALL?! Give me your hand!
The order sounded so decisive that I did not even wake up before I slipped my hand to Mieczysław.
- Now relax.
- It's easier said than done. I'm scared to close my eyes. If you're not even for an hour, bite me, then treat me for rabies.
Shit. Am I not stupid?! To piss off an already pissed-off vampire! He's gonna rip my head off. And Daniel will not defend - in battle he's not an opponent of Mieczysław, in a fight - neither. That's cruel. Full and castrained.
The vampire held back. Only the cheekbones were playing.
- Close you
r eyes and think of something nice. Danielle!
- What?!
- Come here. Give me your hand, too... idiot!
Mecislav clutched my hand with his left hand and clutched Daniel with his right hand. And the next moment, something slipped between us.
Something?
The wind. Ice like the power of Mieczysław, cool like Daniel's fingers, hot like the fire inside me...
And the next moment, it all turned into pain. It was as if a string was stretched out and burst, whipping its ends at me and the vampires.
The beast from the mirror roared furiously inside me.
- What are you doing?!
But Nadia wasn't listening. Everyone was trying to catch their breath. Mechislav was the first to wake up. Apparently, he got the least of it. Or he's just stronger than me and Daniel.
- Well, now you get it, chillers?
- Yeah, what am I supposed to understand?! - I literally moaned. - WHAT?!
- At least that our dear Danielle, taking advantage of the fact that you know nothing about vampires or your SILE, has put you the First Seal.
- What?!
- Yeah, now you're tied to two vampires at once. How do you like that, Curly?
I didn't like it very much.
- Is it true? - Nadia asked loudly.
I translated the look at Daniel. The vampire lowered his eyes, then lifted them up and looked at me.
- Jane, I don't know how this happened.
- It's very simple. - Mechislav translated his amazing green eyes on me: - Today, curly, I could feel everything that was happening between you - and understood. You can't achieve such a degree of intimacy without a metaphysical connection.
- And love can't replace it?
- And prayer can replace penicillin? - a vampire squinting.
- Two times. But how? We didn't have anything like that!
- And I thought I couldn't get a family name," Danielle supported. - Don't forget, I'm much weaker than you...
- That's right. Say, Curly, when you and Daniel were fucking...
- Don't you dare say that," Danielle whispered.
Mieczysław slightly wrinkled his nose and looked like a naughty boy. So he pulled an apple into him. With an oak. Zhigulevsky. Two fists the size of a fist.
- Okay. When you had the union of souls and bodies, Curly, did you give him your blood?
I nodded like a puppet at the fair.
- Yeah. Why...
- And here's the one. The blood served as a guide. The catalyst for a reaction without which nothing would have happened is Daniel's desire that you belong to him alone.
- I love," Danielle just said.
- That's why you're also alive.
- I'm alive because Jane may not be able to withstand my death," the vampire snidely clarified.
- It's a good thing you're so sober about the situation... for some time, - you didn't owe Mečislav. - Okay. We had a desire - and on both sides, there was blood binding you, and Jane invested her strength. That was enough. Next, it all worked out not through the brain, but through another place - did not refrain from nasty vampire.
- Is it jealous? - Nadjushka got in.
Mecislav answered her with a look and a make-up worthy of the Snow King.
- Other people's fools aren't jealous.
- Stop arguing, I couldn't stand it. - Mecislav, tell me, am I more connected with you or Daniel now?
- With me, curly.
- Why? I love Daniel, don't I?
- My power is greater and I am older. Not to mention the fact that my Seals are two and Danielle only gave you one. He'll still have horns and legs.
- What if Danielle gives me the Second Seal?
- If he's strong enough. Purely theoretically, a surname can't have two masters. Human consciousness cannot accommodate their seals. It will simply collapse.
- Mine's not ruined yet.
- You got three Seals, but not eight.
- Yeah, I don't want to do this experiment anymore.
- Especially since you are the guinea pig and not Uncle Vanya the postman," said Nadia. - Or do you not care about your own skin anymore? Has Christ risen? But you're not going to resurrect.
I shone my eyes at her.
- Nadia, I'm not little. I know you are. So, these three damn Seals of yours are gonna stay on me forever?
- I'm afraid it's irreversible, Curly. Unless one of the three of us dies.
One thought gave me the creeps. Losing Mieczysław? And never see those green eyes again? Impossible! But to lose Daniel?! Higher Powers! NO! I took a few steps forward, fell on the carpet and pressed my cheek to Daniel's knee. A vampire gently lifted my face by my chin and tried to look me in the eyes. This time I didn't take my eyes off it. Yes, I'm angry at him, I'm offended, but the mere thought that I might lose him makes me so terrible that all my feelings, except love, dissolve and sink into a lake of fear. The cold screaming horror soared in me, and I hid it under the mask of eccentricity.
- You've been a great comfort to me.
Mecislav looked at us with the same indifferent puppet and barbican expression. It was impossible to understand anything about his face, but I didn't care about his feelings. Daniel's hand slid on my shoulder, pulled, lifted - and I was on his knees, pressed my whole body and somehow cozily put my head on his shoulder.
- I wasn't going to comfort you, Curly.
- Can't all these seals be taken off like a spoilage or a jinx?
Nadia was determined not to let forget herself. Mechislav looked at her a little tired.
- Put this on, it's not a brand-name glasses sticker that you can glue or reattach. Seals are put once and for all.
- And no one's ever tried to take them off?
- No. Why?
- Well, if it works out like Julie's...
- Like our fluffy, no one's ever done it before.
- You have no idea how pleased I am," I squeaked my teeth. - And what could a connection with two vampires threaten me with?
- At best, like now. If we try to use you at the same time, it'll hurt everyone. At worst, it's madness and death. Nothing particularly new.
- Really, what little things...
- And I'd like to put you and Seal Three.
Now, I'm gonna iron my shoelaces...
- To interrupt what Danielle put up?
- It's about that.
- You bastard.
- No. Just a vampire who doesn't want to die.
I didn't want to die either. But I didn't want to get in touch with the third seal, either. I unwittingly looked at Mieczysław. Gods, how beautiful he is... Is it really so scary to be tied to him? Will I still love someone else?
- Jane, where's your pride?
Nadia. The question made me blush. And at the same time, get off Daniel's knee and walk up to her. The vampire didn't try to hold me back. Love, trees... And I love him, too. And a little thing like the First Seal, I forgive you without looking. Although I will show you how offended I am. But I don't think I'll be able to lie to Daniel. I love him too much.
- As always, in front of me. - And, completely off topic, I sighed: - Who knows how much I don't like all this.
- If you don't like it, throw your head down from the ninth floor, curly! - for the first time, something like annoyance was heard in Mieczysław's voice. - In case you haven't noticed, I'm all alone, on someone else's territory, there's a war going on, all the evil of this city is hunting me, and if I've decided to tie my body, mind and soul to a brainless girl, it's not for an empty whim!
- Thank you for "brainless," I bowed. And the anger spilled out. I was angry with myself, and I was taken over by Mieczysław. - Just keep in mind that I have no information at all. I don't even know what the Seals are threatening me with. I don't want to go to Mr. Andre! He won't hide anything from me! I'm an idiot, yes! I'm an idiot because I got involved in all this, knowing nothing about anyone or anything! That's where I'm stupid! And I'm even stupider because I didn't give you al
l away to the IPF! And what a temptation! If I had a badge with cute burning fangs in my pocket, Duchka would have touched me! I'd have made that badge a reality in no time! But now I don't know what kind of half-mystical shit is! Vampires, werewolves, Seals - and in the middle of all this one particular fool whose life is very dear to me! Do you like it?! - I was almost screaming. - How do you like it?!
Nadia stood next to me.
- Jane, calm down. Now we'll just get out of here. And at home, we'll decide what and how we do.
- Nobody's going anywhere, - Mechislav didn't even move, but I felt that I couldn't move my leg. - I'm sorry, Curly, I should have explained something to everyone earlier, but I wanted your friend not to disturb me.
- Are you in the way? - I don't get it, Nadia.
- It's too late to hide anything. But keep in mind. If you say anything to outsiders, I will rip your throat out.
Nadia hasn't even flinched.
- Don't scare me. Scared. You better say what you want.
- I can tell you again what I wanted. I need Seal Three.
- No, I cut it off. That's enough.
- I can do it without your consent.
- Yes, you can. But you don't know the consequences either.
- They didn't ask you at all," Mechislav cut off, not even turning to his friend.
- Well, you'll have to. Now I have official rights to Jane. She's my last name, too. And you dare not make any decisions about her without consulting me.
- I can do that. And I won't ask you.
- What am I, a bone that two dogs can't share?! - I barked.
- I'm not. But to our dear Daniel, Mecislav gave it to us. - Is it true that he has the power to wake up?
- Don't you dare! - Daniel rushed to the vampire, but Mieczysław intercepted his hand and turned it out at an unnatural angle.
- You didn't get enough?
There was a sharp crunch, and Daniel's left hand hung like a whip. The vampire was silent. Instead of him I shouted - and I would have torn off the head of Mieczysław, if Nadia hadn't wrapped me across the body.
- Take it easy, Japeka, take it easy!
Mecislav turned to me. His face was just as beautiful, calm and cold.
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