Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  Danielle lifted my face up by my chin and touched my lips with a gentle kiss. I couldn't even feel my fangs.

  - You're absolutely right, my lovely.

  - Is that what you're calling me now, too?

  - You know, Mechislav's hit the spot. You're really pretty. You're really pretty. And not so much outer beauty as inner beauty. Soul, mind, heart - if people could see it, you'd be one of the most beautiful women on earth.

  The compliment was nice to me. It meant that the vampire calms down, and then, am I a woman or not?! And women love with their ears!

  - Thank you, Danielle.

  I got comfortable on the floor with my hands around a vampire's knees.

  - We'll be here till morning. And then I'm gonna need your help. Danielle, can you move around in the afternoon?

  - I'll give it a try. If there's no sun, I'll feel much better. But even in the sun, if it's necessary...

  - I won't ask for anything that won't be necessary. Higher Powers, how tired I am!

  - Come here, a vampire picked me up from the floor, and I curled up on his lap. - What were you talking to Andre about?

  I bit my lips. The diploma of a tradesman...

  - You know that Duška wants me. I offered him a deal.

  - Yeah? What kind of deal is that?

  - If he beats Mieczysław in a fair fight, he'll get me.

  The vampire rolled around laughing.

  - Your dead body?! Is that it?!

  - Well, at least it is! What surprises you?! He doesn't know that Mechislav put the Seals on me!

  - Did you lie to him?

  There was respect in the vampire's voice. I wanted to say I lied, but I immediately changed my mind. If Danielle believes me, she'll wonder if I lied to him, and she won't be able to work actively. It's not a case.

  - I threatened him with your advice. He said the Council would not listen to me. And I responded by saying that I would be heard as your surname.

  - It never occurred to him that you could stand the Seal of Two Vampires.

  I thought that Andre just didn't think that Mechislav would let someone touch his surname (in the metaphysical sense) with at least his fingertip. All the more so for Daniel. But it was not worth telling him that. It would have turned out as if Daniel was a sturgeon of the second freshness, a vampire would have offended me, and we have nothing to fight about.

  - And you haven't put all eight Seals on me yet. Do you think I could stand them? And you didn't go crazy? It's hard to believe!

  - I don't know, curly.

  - And nobody knows. And I don't want to experiment on myself. Should I ask the emissary of the council?

  - What if he doesn't know either?

  - Yes, you gave me a task, I gave it to you. And at least repent, you fucking teeth! - Danielle...

  - Yes, curly?

  - Would you mind telling me more about the Seals?

  - And what exactly are you interested in, Curly?

  - A lot of things. I've already realized that there are four Seals. One is the Seal of the Body. And why is that?

  - Because the seal of the body is much easier to put than the others. You don't need almost anything for that. Just sex and blood.

  - Medislav and I didn't have sex.

  - But there must have been something.

  - A kiss. And some blood.

  - It's enough sometimes. If a vampire is really strong. And the Second Seal? How did he give it to you?

  - It's the same. Danielle, what do I get from these Seals and what does Mecislav get?

  - You're a human being. If I hit you with a stake of aspen, you won't get hurt. Well, some will, of course, but you won't die from it. And I could die if things go wrong. And now Mecislav gets a certain resistance to aspen and silver.

  - And the holy water? Or the crosses?

  - No. No surname is gonna get in the way of that. If you splash holy water on the same Mieczysław - he will die like any other vampire. Well... with a rare exception.

  - And what do I get?

  - You get stronger, faster, you see better in the dark, you heal wounds easier, by the way, you won't change your appearance. No wrinkles, no old age... In time, these properties will become brighter.

  - Oh, I see. Say, in two years I'll be healing bruises faster than I am now?

  - It's rough, but sure.

  - And the Mind Seal?

  - It's more complicated than that. When a vampire puts a Second Seal on someone, the connection gets much stronger. The Seal of Mind connects you with an invisible thread. You can now gain strength and knowledge from each other. It will not manifest itself immediately, but sooner or later you will become much closer to each other. I, for example, saw the surname talking to his master a few kilometers away. He talked and listened. And the vampire would answer him.

  - And the dreams?

  - Dreams?

  - Yes! I dream of Mechislav talking to me, and I answer him.

  - Dreams are much more serious. You see, the First Seal is in itself, but for the body. The second is also the power of the mind itself, and together they give much more. Dreams you can't see right away. It's supposed to take a few years for that to happen.

  - So we're lucky.

  - I'm not sure. - The vampire's face got sad and anxious.

  - Why aren't you sure?

  - Cause... It's for your best, but for me...

  - Explain," I demanded, "with my eyes in the face of a vampire.

  - There's a legend among vampires. Hardly anyone believes in it, but sometimes I thought it was true.

  - Which one?! - I exploded. That's interesting!

  - It is believed that every man on earth has his half.

  You've discovered America, too! Everyone on the planet is talking about it.

  - So what?

  - Don't interrupt me, okay?

  - I'll try. The other half, what's next?

  - Vampires lost it when they stopped being human. But sooner or later, you can find her again.

  - How romantic," I couldn't help it. Danielle glinted at me with his eyes, but continued:

  - They say your other half is walking on the ground. He or she is human. You can recognize her right away, and you can walk past her. You can kill, you can make a vampire. Or you can make her a family name. And if you make your other half your last name, you'll immediately be as close as you've been getting for years and centuries. The intimacy of bodies, minds, souls. It's... it's like a spark of life divided into two. Nothing is impossible for a perfect surname. He or she shares with the master every second of his life and every second of his death. It's not even intimacy. They may not see each other for years, but when they meet, they won't notice the separation. Time and distance don't matter. It is inconvenient, as if you were cut in half and your half placed a few kilometers away, but even so they can communicate with each other. These are chains that cannot be broken by any force, chains that are worn willingly and proudly. It's happiness, Jane. What people have been achieving for millennia. Love to an infinite degree.

  I was shaking my head.

  - Wait, so what kind of morality do I have to pull by the ears to the surface? Are you saying that Me and Mieczysław achieved such intimacy and so quickly, precisely because we are such perfect halves?! Are you serious?!

  The grey eyes were calm and serious.

  - Jane, my experience is a little more than yours. And I know how much effort vampires have put into even just putting their surname in a trance. Tonight, Miecislav did it in seconds. And it wasn't hard for him. You volunteered to go into a trance, but even on your own, it took a lot of time and effort. And what happened after Mieczyslaw brought you to consciousness! Yes, the surnames of three or four days lie after the first time! And you?! You're not just in good shape! You bear much more than a normal person! And your dream? You just fall asleep in the car, without any concentration, no one and nothing helps you - and you're in a trance! At the same time, Mecislav is wounded and needs help to survive! Your
story terrifies me! Believe me, you are incredibly talented!

  - That's for sure. I don't know about Mieczysław, but I'm a genius!

  The vampire didn't respond to my attempt at a joke.

  - Jane, I don't like this.

  - And why is that? Yes, I'm Mieczysław's surname, but I'm not his slave! I still have my head on me! And it's for the best. - And now a little balsam for the offended ego: - You know, with Mieczysław I'm calm for myself. Well, almost calm. But I wouldn't want to be your last name.

  And silence. Now it's time for Danielle to ask questions.

  - And why is that?

  - Because I love you already. What's next?! I can't stand your indifference! I can't stand your indifference... I don't care. I'd treat the walking Kamasutra the same way. Danielle, promise me something, please!

  - And what is that?

  - If you decide to leave me, you'll tell me right in the eye. But you won't cheat and hide in the corners. - Higher Powers, what nonsense I'm talking! But that's about what Danielle expects of me! And then, the best way to trick a vampire is to believe what you say. And right now, I believe what I'm saying. Sincerely, verily! Believe and love! - I don't want to... I can just turn around and walk away, love! I can do that. It's gonna hurt, damn it, but I can take it. Just don't lie to me, okay? I can't take the cheating!

  I stuck my face in a vampire's shirt. My lips were blurring in my smile. Danielle stroked me in the hair and said something. I think about how beautiful I am, how good I am, how he loves me... Well, let him! It's even better. Oh, my God, why is this happening?! Stupidity is what all men do. What if I just told Daniel the truth?! "Darling, you acted like a boy, you didn't think about anything, and I'm stupid because I trusted you. So I decided to fix it and offered Duke our heads in exchange for another fang head! Simply put, I set you up. You didn't deserve it, but we don't have a choice either. So we're gonna act to save our hides. And when it's over, I'm gonna think about whether to stay with you or leave you alone! I love you, though. I love you selflessly, like the last fool! "Is that what I'd get in return for this truth?! It's no good! I'd lose my last trump card against Andre.

  Vampire lips slipped through my hair. I froze and raised my head.

  - Danielle?

  - Jane...

  There was a desire in the grey eyes. But I didn't want to have sex in such a freezer... I don't know how it is with increased stamina, but as a biologist I promise myself clenched kidneys and appendages, if I take off my pants in such a frost. It's minus fifteen or even more. And in this shield house, it's minus ten. First we warm up, then we cool down, a vampire has a henna, but me...

  - Danielle, do vampires feel cold?

  - They almost don't feel it. Why?

  - But I can feel it. In fact, it's better to make love in a more comfortable environment. With a bathroom nearby. And our prisoner...

  - I can take him out to the car.

  - And get a water supply in here?

  - Easy!

  - Well, when you do...

  - As you wish, curly.

  Yeah, that's what I wanted you to do.

  - Danielle, I need to try to sleep. Mecislav can call me at any time, but it's easier to do in my sleep. It's much easier.

  The vampire seemed dissatisfied, but the practicality was first. It is at the age of fifteen you can make love under a bush, and when you gain some experience, somehow you prefer not to have ants crawling up your ass at the most interesting moment. And when you've had three hundred years back?

  - Okay. Try to fall asleep. I'll postpone your dream.

  - By the way, Danielle, you said you could go into a trance with someone or something. What did you mean by that?

  - It's easy. You're a family man now. A light drug or even just alcohol helps you get into a trance.

  - Well, no, I've had enough habituation!

  - What's that got to do with anything?! Jane, you're the family man! Most human diseases are no longer a threat to you. And drug addiction is no threat to you either!

  It didn't comfort me much. I'm not going to experiment with it.

  - What about someone? Can somebody help me get into a trance?

  - Hypnotist. Or another vampire.

  - Like you?

  - I won't take any chances. We are bound by the Seal. There's a good chance you and I could be dragged... into the fifth dimension.

  - What's what? What's the fourth one?

  - It's just a title, Jane. The fifth dimension, or twilight state. It's a game of our consciousness. If we sink too deeply into ourselves or lose a lot of strength in a trance, we may not go back. It's not death, but much worse. Your body is on its own, and your mind is on its own. It's scary.

  - Can you do this on purpose?

  - I've never heard of such masters. Why did you suddenly ask?

  Really, why? Just like that! It's vampires looking for forty-three meanings in everything, and I have one meaning-- I'm curious!

  - I don't know. You can't help me with trance, right?

  - All right.

  - Then try not to get in the way. I'll try it myself.

  - You can't. It's too hard for a man. We have to wait for Mecislav to call you.

  And if he doesn't? And remain helpless in front of Andre? I couldn't take that chance!

  - You said yourself I wasn't human. I'm a family man.

  - Jane, you can't take that risk.

  I had a bad look.

  - You should have thought before. Now... Take your head off, you don't cry in your hair. I must feel that Mecislav is alive! And if I can get any information - it's even better!

  - Believe me, if he dies, you'll be the first to know. Right after the killer.

  - That really cheers me up. Okay, I swam.

  - Well, try it," Danielle blessed me. I sent him a mocking smile. Supreme Powers, what is happening to me?! I'm turning into some kind of Nikita! On the other hand, why not? Sometimes I think that's a natural property of a Russian man. It's especially noticeable in an institute. During the session. Until the very last moment, we walk across the sleeves without even looking at the textbooks. And during the last two days we tear our veins, stay awake at night, cram and write spurs like obsessed ones - and come to the exam with red eyes, completely on time! And so in all Russians, in all affairs and at all times. And nobody can understand this yet. Though we cannot understand Russia with our minds... We must believe in it! So I believe in myself. Even I believe in myself. And that's why I can do it. Yes, you will.

  I took off my sheepskin, wrapped myself in old blankets, covered my leg with sheepskin and stretched out on the bed. Let's try to fall asleep. Danielle sat next to me and looked at the light of the lantern. I looked at him, and I was sad. I really love him. I love him very much. And I only got into all this because of him. But everybody's got a point. I can't be disrespected. Grandpa always taught me to respect myself. He used to say to me, "You start to respect yourself, Jane, and everyone else will walk on your back legs! And if you let once you wipe your legs against you, then do not be judgmental - for life stains will remain, you will not wash". And I was in agreement with him. Memories of the house caused a slight rush of heat - and I felt that everything was going well. The half-moon brain was working at the speed of the computer. It was either a hypnotist or drugs. And what do alcohol and drugs do? Basically, they turn a man into an animal. But if the surname doesn't get addicted, does it only get pleasure?! Does it or does it not? Did I find the key to getting into a trance - or not? Every hypnotist offers to relax and think about something pleasant! The brain must enjoy its thoughts! And then I'll feel better. My reasoning was very confusing, but I instinctively felt it was right. And I tried to cling to the first pleasant thought. It'll be summer, and I'll go to the summer cottage. I will live there for a week, away from all people, in silence and peace. I will pick up in the garden, grow strawberries, take care of roses, have breakfast and lunch with some vegetables and every day run a few kilometers to the city to buy a
portion of ice cream and an interesting new book. And in the evening I'll lie on the stove or sit by the fireplace with a new book. The logs will crack, and I'll look at the pages and the tongues of the fire. And then I will stretch on the hide in front of the fireplace, wrap myself in an old black blanket, which my grandfather bought on the occasion of fifteen years ago - and I will sleep to wake up in the morning from the singing of birds. I'll swim in the river, pick mushrooms, and pick my first strawberries. And look out the window, waiting for the prince to appear on a white horse! And running under thunderstorms. And admire the lightning. All this is bound to happen! Just live to see it! I beg you very much to live!

  I was slowly sailing away. My consciousness was dissolving and fading. It became warm and cozy under the blankets. Yes, it'll be summer. And there will be everything I dream about! It sure will be! I swam in the golden glow of the sun. Or was it not the sun? Candles? Yes, definitely candles.

  ***

  I was standing in the middle of a huge room again. Only now it was decorated in bright red for a change. Scarlet carpet under my feet, so thick, my feet were drowning on my ankle. Scarlet draperies on the walls. A huge bed, with scarlet bedspreads and pillows. And a canopy above it, made of the same bright, scarlet gas. And I myself was dressed to the tone of this room. Something black, extremely tight and translucent. A lace black jacket barely covered my chest, and in such short shorts I wouldn't even leave the house. A black lace negligee was worn on top of the entire ensemble.

  An outfit for a night with someone you love. Or just for a stormy night.

  - Do you like it here, Curly?

  The voice belonged to Mieczysław. Well, of course, who else could I meet in my sleep? Just Fedya Kruger and King Kong. The vampire caught me by surprise again, I flinched - and gave away the first thing that came to mind.

  - I would never dare sleep under a canopy. Not only does it collect all the dust, it can also slap on the head. Get out of these rags later!

  - Sweetie, you're not romantic at all - the vampire's voice was shaking with hardly contained laughter.

  - What a fucking romance! Danielle scared the hell out of me," I answered without turning my face to the vampire.