Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  The vampire moved first and rolled on my back next to me. I tried to move my hand, but it didn't work out well. It was better to lie down for a few more minutes. But my tongue was working.

  - What happened to me?

  Danielle and the werewolf, as if conspiring, took their eyes to the side. Vadim embarrassedly (!) coughed.

  - Well, anyway, that's...

  - What? I don't get it.

  The vampire shrugged his shoulders.

  - It's not the ability of all vampires, but you can experience orgasm from the bites of some. If you let a vampire into your mind.

  - Oh, shit!

  It's come to me now. How naive I was before! I thought I couldn't experience it without making love. It wasn't there! One bite, and I melted like a creamy ice cream. Vadim literally told me to my face that according to vampire standards, and maybe even human ones, Me and Mechislav had sex in front of all the people. And Danielle saw it! Supreme Powers!

  Mechislav opened his eyes and now he was looking at me. And I couldn't understand their expressions.

  - You should have warned me!

  There was a familiar lazy smile on his face.

  - To speak so officially to your lover, curly?

  The vampire's voice slipped through my skin like a velvet shred. Now I felt it all much clearer. It was like I had all my nerve endings open at once. And the vampire knew it very well. Other times I would have exploded, but now I just didn't have the strength to do it. There were waves of pleasure walking all over my body. They were just leftovers, but they reminded me of what I got in exchange for the blood and the Force. And then, we'll still have time to argue when we're alone.

  - I don't consider it sex," I said. - It was more of an act of mercy. Sex for me is something that happens willingly and with the consent of both parties!

  The vampire frowned.

  - You're ruining my fun, Curly!

  - HOORAY! - I answered honestly. - How are you feeling?

  - Much better. Some of the wounds have healed.

  - Are there any who haven't been healed?

  - To heal all the wounds, I'd have to kill you, Curly. And even then your blood wouldn't be enough. And then, I got a few more scratches on my back. You're a very passionate woman, curly. Very.

  He said the last word so I was thrown in the fever. My cheeks are pounding.

  - I don't think you'll get a chance to check it out!

  - I've already checked, Curly, there were funny sparks in the green eyes. - It's about us repeating it all in a more intimate setting.

  Mieczysław's voice slid across my body like tender hands - stroking, caressing, awakening desire. I unwittingly flinched. My skin gave me the creeps. It was hard for me to resist the temptation before, but what happens now? When I know what I'm giving up?

  - Are you still going to hypnotize me or are you going to take advantage of our new friend's generous offer?

  - Yes, we still have a lot to do tonight," sighed Mechislav. - Valentin?

  A werewolf obediently knelt down next to a vampire. Now Mecislav was a businessman himself. No hint of sex.

  - I can bite your neck without taking control of your mind like hers. But a vein on your arm would be fine, too. The choice is yours.

  Valentine gave him a silent hand. The vampire took his palm and put a wide wrist to his mouth. I didn't see him put his fangs in the werewolf. All I saw was Valentine's body strain. But the werewolf didn't make a sound. The vampire greedily drank blood, and I watched the changes that were happening to him. I couldn't see with my second sight, but even what I saw was amazing!

  The skin of a vampire in front of his eyes got a healthy color. The elbow fold wound I saw was healed and covered with new skin. There wasn't even a scar left. And something new was added. I was beginning to feel the power coming from a vampire. The power that was pumped out of him along with the blood. Now it would replenish, envelop the vampire's body like a well-made garment, and begin to fill the space around it.

  Mecislav came off the werewolf's hand and looked at me.

  - I'm quite recovered, Curly. How are you feeling?

  Nasty. But the hell I confess my weakness!

  - Like after an orgasm," I snapped. - Or don't you know?!

  Mechislav sparkled his fangs in a lazy grin.

  - I know. But I really wanted to hear it from you. Will you kiss me for good luck?

  I really wanted to send him to Siberia, cedars to do something, but I did not dare. In front of the whole crowd, I had no right. Our lives depend on my behavior right now. I need to be calm and discreet. But Mecislav couldn't have abused it.

  - You bite me again, and I haven't healed my last bite yet.

  - I promise not to bite," the vampire raised his hands.

  I sighed and closed my eyes.

  - To hell with you, kiss!

  Mieczyslaw slowed down for a few seconds, then quickly punched me in the tip of the nose and jumped on my feet. I flashed my eyes offended. Wasn't he a creep after that?!

  - Andre? Ramirez? It's good to see you here!

  - It's good to see you too," Ramirez said. - What is this girl like you, Mecislav?

  - My last name.

  Slut. The bucket tipped over unexpectedly.

  - WHAT?!

  Andre's jaw fell off, exposing a full set of fangs.

  - Well, yes, my surname, - confirmed Mecislav. - It's not complete yet, but it will soon accept the rest of the Seals.

  - But she said she was Daniel's last name?! - Andre was outraged.

  - In order to save my life, I would have said something else," I said. - Vadim, help me get up!

  A vampire gave me his hand, and I climbed up on my trembling legs. They held me badly, but even so, it was better than lying on the floor.

  - So you lied to me?! - Andre got mad. - And I didn't feel it?!

  I gave him a smile.

  - How pleased I am to think that you will soon feel nothing at all!

  I neither confirmed nor denied his suggestion.

  - You amaze me with your talents, Curly," Ramirez said.

  - She always surprised everyone, that's how she was," I said.

  Danielle came up and supported me at my elbow. Now I was standing between two vampires.

  - I've been surprised since we first met. I expect everything from her. Even the most impossible and unbelievable.

  - Danielle is telling the pure truth," supported him by Mecislav.

  We took a dangerous turn, and I sighed with relief. I shouldn't have told the emissary of the Council that I could stand the Seal of Two Vampires. It would make me too vulnerable.

  - I assume we have a third fight ahead of us? - Ramirez shone a smile. - Then one more little thing, and I can go back to the council.

  Two vampires began fencing the circle with aspen rods. I ate my lips. Now Mechislav will go inside and something will happen between the warriors. Has he recovered enough to stand up to the fight? Or will we die? Danielle held my hand tighter.

  - You're worried about him, baby. Do you love him?

  I shook my head. No. I don't. It's just that I'm attracted to him like a magnet. But that's different, isn't it?

  In the meantime...

  I turned around, reached out to Daniel and stabbed my nose in the dimple between my collarbones.

  - You're the only one I love. And you know that very well. And if you dare to insult me again with such suspicions, I... I... I will bite you personally! You know what your buddy is capable of! What happened between us now means nothing to me. I swear to you.

  Danielle lifted my face up by my chin and looked me in the eye. I don't know what he wanted to see there, but the vampire's face relaxed, the tension went away.

  - I love you, too.

  Our kiss was long and tender. And I can swear on anything - it gave me no less, or even more pleasure than everything that has just happened to Mieczyslaw.

  Chapter 12

  Last fight

  We only broke away from
each other when Vadim's coughing was heard.

  Mechislav stepped into the circle. Andre repeated his movement. Now two vampires were standing against each other. They were both beautiful, but in their own way. Mieczysław wearing the same swimsuit, the strip of which only emphasized the thick copper color of his skin. The perfect figure. Wide shoulders, thin waist, narrow hips... With such a figure you can walk at all without clothes. His muscles poured with every movement, waves went under the skin like a big beast of prey. Black hair was shattered on his shoulders. I remembered under my fingers their silkiness. And even one memory gave me a cramp at the bottom of my abdomen.

  Andre was dressed as a nobleman of the beginning of the century. A white lace of shirts was puking out from under a black surtuk. The vest shone with pearls of buttons. Blonde hair seemed even whiter on black fabric. The face was dead-white. And I felt the doom coming from it. If Mechislav went to kill, Andre was afraid of defeat. And I could feel it. I just didn't know if it was through the Seals or by myself. The servants closed the circle - and the vampires remained standing against each other. The cold wind of the Force slowly swam the hall. I could feel it with all my skin and wondered why it was not so obvious to everyone else. From there, everything was very fast and dirty. Andre waved his hand. I felt a pain in my shoulder and looked down. Nothing happened. And Mechislav? He was standing with his back to me, and I couldn't see his face. But even if he was in pain, the vampire was standing flat. And then, in turn, he waved sharply. And Andre's throat blew bright scarlet blood. Incredibly bright on white fabric. There was so much of it, I was scared for a moment. There was so much of it, and it didn't run out, whipping tight jets out of the severed arteries. Turns out Mieczysław also knew how to strike at a distance. He turned to us, and I saw a stream of blood flowing down the copper skin. Andre slowly knelt down. He tried to clasp his throat with his hands, but Mečislav repeated his gesture several times, leaving the enemy no hope. That's how it happens in real combat. One lucky blow, that's all.

  Andre also fell slowly to his side. Mecislav leaned towards him. He knelt down. Then he pressed the chest of a lying vampire with one knee and took his head with two hands.

  I heard a sharp crunch. The muscles on Mieczysław's back were shoving. I screamed when the vampire lifted Andre's head by the hair. Then I picked up a handful of his blood and put my palm to his lips. The blood drops were coming off his fingers and falling to the floor.

  - Life for life, blood for blood, strength for strength.

  He slowly drank Andre's blood and fell to the floor like a slope.

  I rushed forward, but Vadim held my hand.

  - Victory, baby!

  I looked at him with incomprehensible eyes.

  - WHAT?!

  - Victory!

  - But why then...

  I couldn't find the words, but Vadim already understood me very well.

  - It always is. If one Prince conquers another, all the obligations of the defeated are transferred to him. Nothing has happened to the tread. Don't you feel he's in a trance?

  - In a trance? What for?

  Vadim rolled his eyes to the ceiling, as if waiting to see detailed explanations. He did not see and began to explain to me the alphabetic truth.

  - Jane, every vampire is somehow connected to his tread and creator. And their health and lives depend directly on their master. If my tread gets killed, I can handle it, but I will be... unviable for a long time. I will become like a predatory animal. All I will do is kill. A few hundred or a thousand years until I'm strong enough to maintain my sanity. Or I can never be the same at all. I wouldn't want to check that out. And that's even though our clan is made up of quite powerful vampires. As for Andre, I see a lot of vampires in his clan that will go crazy if they don't keep in touch with the protector. And for them, the tread is the Prince of the City. That's the connection that Mecislav is trying to take over. He has to deal with it by morning. Then everything will be all right.

  - And if not? - managed to squeeze me out.

  - He will succeed," said Vadim. - He is strong enough. I could feel it. And he has you. His surname. You will share the Force with him, won't you?

  I nodded. I'll share. If there's anything to share.

  - So nothing else is gonna happen to him? - I'm gonna check it out again.

  - I will guard him, and I would advise you to stay here for now," Vadim responded. The same feasts were rushed out of the aspen rods, and the vampire stepped towards his tread. - He must be at the place of the fight, next to the corpse of his opponent. Sooner or later, tonight, he'll regain consciousness and you can go home. You'll lie down in the tub, pour yourself some wine, have a ladies' affair... That's what you dreamed, isn't it?

  I nodded.

  - Hurry up.

  I suddenly felt incredibly tired. My whole body was some kind of stiff and disobedient. My hands were freezing, my fingers were cold as ice, and when I put them on my forehead, my skin just seemed to be burning.

  - Won't you invite me, love? - Danielle asked.

  - You, Mr. Artist? Do you need an invitation?

  - In your house, yes.

  It was like we were playing some kind of game. But now I didn't understand what it meant.

  - Then I'll invite you. It doesn't matter if I've already discovered the mind and body and soul.

  - It's just, who cares?

  I punched Daniel on the shoulder with my fist.

  - Stop winding my nerves! I will never impose on you, and you know it! Yes, I want you to come! Yes, I'll be happy! But just... Don't come to me out of a sense of duty! I can't stand it anymore! Either come with me because you really want me, or we'll postpone until the next meeting!

  - There will be no next meeting.

  Ramirez's voice stabbed the silence surrounding us. I twitched and turned to him.

  - What do you mean by that?

  - I was talking about another little business, Curly. This case is before you. Princess Elizabeth is very unhappy with the behavior of her vampire. She accuses him of betrayal and provides ample evidence. She wanted to come here on her own, but when she heard I was coming to your town, she persuaded me to carry out the execution in her place.

  - WHAT?!

  - Carry out the execution instead, Curly," the vampire repeated, as if addressing a complete idiot.

  - What execution? - I was surprisingly stupid today.

  - Execute a vampire named Danielle, curly.

  I slammed my eyes.

  - But for what?!

  - Princess Elizabeth accused her servant of treason," the vampire gloomily explained. His voice was unspeakably sad. It was as if he had read something that had been read a hundred times and tired of teeth cramps. - According to her, he was spying for the benefit of another Prince, and in our country it is punishable by death. By the way, is it really so?

  His eyes are stuck with Daniel.

  - I wasn't snooping, the vampire took offense. - Mechislav asked me, and I answered if I knew.

  The vampire looked at him, and an unspeakable sadness was read on his serious face.

  - Liar, young man, and quite inexperienced," Ramirez looked at him with obvious disapproval.

  - But this is stupid!

  I couldn't think of what was going on. Danielle didn't do much! He could spy on Napoleon for the Turkish sultan! What does it matter if Miecislav is now the Prince of the City and can free Daniel by his own will?!

  - No foolishness, Curly," Ramirez assured me. - The Princess has power over the life and death of every vampire she has. Yes, she would not kill Daniel without good reason, but he betrayed his lady. That's more than enough.

  - But he was helping a friend!

  - This betrayal will not be a noble act.

  - I don't understand anything! - I woke up. - What's going on?! I don't want to!

  - You don't have to understand anything, Curly," interrupted me, Ramirez. - Now we're going to execute this vampire, and then when your master wakes up, I'll talk to
him about your arrival at the Council.

  I shone my eyes at him.

  - You don't even have to say it! If I got into this case because of Daniel, do you really think I'm gonna take one step in the right direction after he dies?! I swear to God, I will not be seen in any council!

  - It's not up to you, Curly, but to your master.

  - Jane, Vadim's hand was on my shoulder. - Calm down!

  He was right. If I start to freak out, it won't save Daniel. I took a breath and tried to talk sense. I'm not three years old to stomp on my feet and yell, am I?! You're not three years old, are you?