Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  First blood. But it's like the creature doesn't even notice the impact.

  - I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm stronger than you...

  One more punch. This time to the chest. Throw it away, knock it down... it's useless! Too strong an opponent. Even for him.

  He could take out the spider web, but it takes at least five minutes. And no one will give them.

  The fight. And the vampires are rolling on the carpet. How much time does Mieczysław's mind have in those few seconds.

  Vadim is no helper. He's wounded.

  Kostya, Dasha is no helper. Under the influence of magic.

  Ramirez is trying to break his arm out of his joint. Turn around, respond to the reception.

  Yulia!

  Completely helpless, on the sofa!

  Go away, silly, you'll die!

  But there's no time to even scream.

  Ramirez hits the stomach with force. Someone could've punched a blow like that through. Mecislav strains the abdominal muscles and responds with a strong blow to the chest.

  And suddenly everything changes.

  Ramirez screams hoarsely. And Miecislav realises that his grip has weakened.

  The first is to turn away from the grip, hit his throat and his eyes... a blow to his eyes is no longer necessary. Ramirez is squirming on the floor. But how?!

  Mecislav looks back and unwittingly flinches.

  Of course, Julia.

  It's as if an invisible vortex is twisting in the room. And in the center of the vortex, like in the eye of a hurricane, stands his crazy surname. Now it doesn't seem fragile at all, but rather scary. Her hair is blown by an invisible wind; a black dress, a silver vortex around her, arms up.

  Mecislav realises that the disappearance of the web is the work of Julie. She just drinks...

  power

  from an abandoned spell - and Ramirez, too, since he's set up. She's pulling her into herself like a vacuum cleaner. Pulling harder and harder because she's scared, too. She was afraid. For him. To the guys.

  And understanding comes.

  Julia can fight, argue, fight... She can do anything. But for those she considers her friends, she can destroy even herself. And that's what's happening now. Ramirez is stronger, so what?

  "I'll die, but they'll bury you too, you bastard, with me!"

  A detached and calm face is frightening. But it gets even scarier when it shows an expression of unearthly pleasure. And when the contours of a girl's body begin to blur, disappearing in a whirlwind...

  strengths

  Mechislav is terrified.

  He knows what's happening now.

  Anyone who takes too much from the world...

  strengths

  ...has to pay off sooner or later. People like that don't die. They just dissolve into...

  power

  like a piece of sugar in a hot tea. They become part of the world.

  But he can't let that happen!

  The solution comes in lightning speed.

  There's too much power for Julie. But for him, for all his vampires... as long as he can take part

  strengths

  into himself...

  Throw. Just as long as you don't mind

  power

  spinning around a girl...

  The vortex doesn't bring down the direction. A vampire just goes through it like a paper wall. But Mecislav strongly suspects that no one else would come near it. But he can. They're bound by blood. A vampire and a surname.

  And the fangs fit into his thin wrist.

  Julia's not trying to fight back. She doesn't do anything at all, she just drinks.

  power

  . It's greedy, hungry, mostly reminding you of a vampire at this point.

  (No way!)

  And Miecislav starts pulling her.

  power

  into himself. Like every time he drank this girl's blood.

  He expected resistance, indignation, anything but that he would be thrown into a stream of mad burning energy. The vampire's body bends in a paroxysm of acute pleasure.

  Sync by honeybunny

  . Life. God, how alive he feels at this moment! But even in this dazzling second, he doesn't lose control - and he quits...

  power

  by the invisible threads that bind him to vampires.

  And they greedily drink an unexpected gift, a hop from an unexpected and all the more delightful power.

  Vadim rises from the floor.

  Sync by honeybunny

  ...walking around rushing to heal his injuries. Kostya and Dasha shake off the remnants of the spell and grab Ramirez. But there's nothing to do with him anymore. In their hands, a creature resembling a mummy of Pharaoh, who died more than three thousand years ago, fights in convulsions. He can't hurt anyone anymore.

  Mecislav sees the threads that once connected the formidable emissary of the Council with Julia, and strikes them with a force blade. Tear them apart or at least weaken them... a little more - and he can't stand it either. Too much power, too much life even for a vampire... especially a vampire who's been dead for so long.

  And the threads will be broken obediently.

  Sync and corrected by honeybunny

  strengths

  dries up, and Julia helplessly sags in his arms.

  Mechislav touches her forehead with his lips. But no, the girl is alive and well. The vein on her thin neck is beating madly, but the rhythm is gradually slowing down. She is resting.

  Thank God.

  * * *

  The vision broke. I took a deep breath.

  - I looked good from the outside.

  - Delightful," said Mieczysław in a gentle voice. - If I saw you, I'd wash my pants for a week.

  - Come on, I'm not worthy of such praise," I muttered.

  - I'm not worthy of such praise," said the vampire. - But this is not the time to flog you.

  - You've got jokes, sex and S&M," I didn't approve. - At least I'd read the jokes.

  - You'll read it to me later. Aloud and with an expression," the vampire snapped at me. - And now we must prepare for the arrival of Ivan Tulsky.

  - Your zebra!

  I tried to get off the sofa. It was moving a little bit. Yeah. My legs are working, my hands are working too, and I'm getting stronger.

  - You're going to meet him, - Mechislav printed.

  I wanted to say no, but where is it going?

  - I can't go there. It's not right. I am also the Prince of the city. But for you, it's perfect. You're my last name, my other half. And that's one of your duties.

  I rolled my eyes.

  - Okay," the vampire consoled me, "don't get upset. I'll send Vadim with you.

  Well, at least someone will cheer me up.

  * * *

  Ivan Tulsky was... inspiring. A meter-high, tall and powerful vampire, he moved with the grace of a great predator. And there wasn't a single gram of fat in his obvious hundred pounds. Even his face was as if several muscles had been placed on the bones of his skull and smoothly covered with skin. Dark brown hair, black piercing eyes, a hooked nose, a high forehead and sharply defined cheekbones complemented the picture. A short beard covered the mouth and slightly softened the shape of the chin, but not much. The first bearded vampire I saw. The overall impression was... scary. If Andre had been this sweet uncle, I certainly wouldn't have been able to argue with him. Or could you? The hell with him! I wouldn't give up my friend. But I'd piss myself in fear, and that's a fact, too. He looked like his uncle was trying it on, like ripping your skin off or torturing you for a few months? And he's leaning towards "tormenting."

  I got into Vadim's hand. Oh, and, uh.

  this is .

  am I supposed to greet you?

  - Yulka, can you handle it?

  The vampire's voice was genuinely disturbing. And it he
lped me pack up. I am Leoverenskaya. Even if I'm scared before... before the diaper change, I can handle it. This is my home. I'm his guardian. And if someone naively hopes to intimidate me with their looks and then use this... Ha!

  Elephants are even bigger, but I'm not afraid of them, I just won't get under their feet. And if you paint an elephant in three paints, they'll be scarier too. Come on, get it together! Your grandfather went through the war, your great-grandfather fought on Sakhalin with the Japanese, and if you dig deeper, one of the great-grandfathers and under the command of Kutuzov Napoleon beat! My ancestors never gave in to fear! And if anyone had succumbed, they would have been killed on the spot. And I wouldn't have been there! Don't you dare insult their memory!

  Five seconds was enough for me to make a decision.

  He's scary.

  I am afraid.

  There's nowhere to run.

  The conclusion is we have to fight.

  How?

  Arrogance? It doesn't roll.

  Disrespect? Negligence? Pride?

  Next to that iceberg? I'm not even gonna look like a guy who's wet next to an elephant.

  Cheeky? Mechislav will pull my legs out later. And this guy's gonna start smearing me, and I can't help it, I'm gonna start cheating and arguing. How's it gonna end? It doesn't matter. It's all about nothing good. Here you go.

  To be hospitable?

  This guy's gonna rub me in powder, wipe my feet and get all the information out. Even the information I don't know myself. And I'll also have to escort him to town. And ride in the same car as

  hereby

  ?!

  The hell it is!

  О!

  The idea was so sudden, I flinched. And I remembered, a friend of mine. I mean, a classmate with all the male teachers who were just afraid to take exams. She's such a cute girl.

  Anyway... It's already worked out once with Ramirez. But Ramirez knew me. And this one only heard stories. So it's okay to play. Let's break through!

  - Yulka, we have to go, - whispered Vadim.

  I raised my hand, and the vampire is silent. And I've gathered my thoughts once again.

  This option may work. And, perhaps, it's the only thing I can do.

  I swore.

  - If anyone dare interrupt me, no matter what I say, write a will at once. In triplicate.

  The men have looked over. Then Vadim nodded unsurely.

  - If you say so. And what exactly are you going to say?

  I wasn't going to reveal my idea. It's too good.

  - Vadim, if I start to get lost, or if I'm too rude, you can step on my leg," I strained. - And now, offer the lady a hand. Otherwise, you'll have to go with this giraffe, and I do not have the neck of the state so bullied head.

  A vampire slammed me on the shoulder.

  - Yulka, keep it up!

  I sprayed my neck and armpits with perfume from a bottle. The stench went all over the salon. French perfume, you know: a drop is a fragrance of paradise, half a bottle is a thermoed. The surroundings were coughing up.

  - Who and what place?

  - Bummer! - Vadim offered me a bent elbow.

  - Bimbo. You're a boor.

  We swam to the runway.

  As we approached, Ivan Tulsky, standing there with such a view, as if it were all his possessions, slightly bowed his head sideways and began to look at us. I immediately felt like a bug under a microscope and got angry. Every vampire has its own, only its own quality. With Mecislav, well, it's clear - it's sex walking. Daniel had his paintings. And Ivan Tulsky has arrogance. Not even arrogance, but the ability to make it clear to others that they are not even worthy to lie under his feet with a mat.

  Nuh-uh.

  If I depended on him or owed him something... even if I gave in to fear, he would have made me. Dry.

  But I wasn't afraid anymore. Would he kill me? I don't think so. And everything else... we'll survive, we'll chew.

  There was a joyful, idiotic smile on my face.

  Three meters. Two meters.

  The play is on! Action!

  - Oh, - I splashed my hands and shrieked so that the whole entourage wince. - It's you! The same Ivan Tulsky! Terrific! Terrible! Frightening and terrifying! I can't believe it! You're a taco sweetheart!

  The last phrase was pronounced with the distinct coquettish intonation of Boris Moses.

  Someone grunted quietly from behind. A werewolf? A vampire? Well, you bastards, if you ruin my play... Ur-r-r-r-roy! R-r-r-r-r-r!

  I turned around.

  - What?! Who dares to tell me that cute man... oh, I mean, sorry, a vampire is scary and terrible?! - And again to Ivan Tulsky, who even though he kept a mask of greatness and contempt on his face, but his eyes were so fucked up... - Can you imagine, Vanechka... Oh! - Again squealed at the limit of ultrasound. - Oh! Forgive me, please! I certainly shouldn't call you that! But you're so handsome! My tongue just slipped off! You're not gonna kill me for this, are you? They scared the hell out of me, didn't they? - The round eyes of an enthusiastic idiot fan were particularly good for me. Although Ivan's entourage had eyes not worse: big, round, bulging... I wanted to check - maybe they have a mustache, like crayfish? I wouldn't let mine out like that. - Are they just terrible things about you... oh... or you? What's the right thing to do?! Don't you remember?! There's a fly on you! Oh! Not on you, on you! That's right! No, it must be right to say what they said about you! And that you're terrible! And you like to be feared by everyone... oh! How can I be afraid of you if you're that man, just... oh!

  The vampires have already twitched on my next squeal, somehow. But I had no choice: either I switch to another topic, or tell Ivan Tulsky, who was also called the Terrible, that he's just a dummy. And after that, I urgently flee. Because no vampire, except Vadim and Mieczyslaw, will ever forgive me that. Especially not in death.

  - It's not like I greeted you in all your uniforms! What a horror! But I know everything, Ramirez told me everything! I, as a surname, am much lower than you on this... what about her... Oh! Social vampire ladder! I mean, I'm considered younger... although I'm younger than you, I guess... Oh! Greetings! I should be setting your neck, really! And you can bite or you can't bite! It's just like the Animal Planet dogs, isn't it?!

  Dogs were the last straw in the vampire's fucking bowl.

  - Shut up!

  I awoke, rolled my eyes and whispered darkly:

  - You're so... formidable... so pretty... and so sexy...

  And she hangs on Vadim's arm. The vampire was standing with a completely stone face. He clearly understood my comedy, but he couldn't even rust - it would be considered impolite to the guests. And some insults are better not to be insulted, you'll be healthier.

  - Vadim, what is it, and where is Mechislav?!

  The vampire carefully removed me - I was literally sawing Ivan Tulsky with my eyes, hinting that from one of his formidable views I was spilling into a puddle of ice cream - and bowed.

  - My lord. Mecislav sent his surname to meet you. Let me introduce you: Julia Yevgenyevna Leoverenskaya. My lord's surname and trustee.

  A vampire had several thoughts on his face. Where did the imperturbability go?

  "Is this fool a surname? How did this happen?! Mecislav is a fool!?! Why the hell would someone need such an idiot?!"

  And the most sacramental:

  "What should I do so that I don't get embarrassed in the end?!"

  Help him or something? So he can get his bones in the car and we can finally move. Otherwise, I'm gonna have some bodies behind me. And I'll discover a new way to kill a vampire with laughter.

  - Yeah, that's what I was saying. - Can you believe I'm a family man? I don't like that word, it's so familial... hi-hi...

  I succeeded in laughing and it was particularly nasty. Like a knife on glass.

  The vampire twitched.

  - Yulia Yevgenyevna...

  - Oh! For you, just Julia!

  Ivan Tulsky wasn't even mad that he was killed. That's right. Say
thank you that I don't have much time. Otherwise you would have jumped over the ring and back at my place like a trained seal. There you go.

  - Julia. Say hello and give me your orders. We have to go.

  - Oh! Yes, of course! - With enthusiasm the fan was bequeathed by me. I jumped up close to the vampire and slipped my neck as close as I could. Vadim coughed up in the back. He couldn't stand my charm. Ivan Tulsky leaned slightly from the height of his two meters to my neck. Oh, I'm sorry, I just gave her a soap brush today. But I didn't spare the perfume.

  Ivan almost tilted his head - and on the sensitive nostrils of the vampire sledgehammer hammered the aroma of French perfume (by the way, "Chanel Allure", not some shit from the mountain).

  When they die, vampires can't eat anymore. But they can sniff a lot. And their sense of smell only gets better after death.

  Finally driven by the French stench, Grozny threw himself back, knocked down one of his entourage and reared a wounded buffalo:

  - Download your luggage! So that in five minutes everyone could sit in cars! Let's get out of here!

  - Can I ride with you?! - I squealed in rapture.

  –

  No!

  And Mechislav was still afraid that I would say something wrong to that Tula type! At least now he's got diamonds sprinkled on him - he won't listen to me! He'll pay extra himself to get rid of it.

  I turned to mine and squeaked, trying to take a note against it:

  - Neme neme neme neme neme neme neme neme neme! Load the luggage and people of our dear guest! I told who, scoundrel-a-a-a-a-a-a-i-i-i!

  That's okay, I'll apologize later. But the guys, I think, were not offended - a vampire and a werewolf picked up someone's suitcases and rushed to the cars with frightened cockroaches.

  I took a rapturous look at Prince Tula and killed him:

  - There must be hundreds of women chasing you... You're such a gorgeous man...

  The vampire spit and turned his back.

  Goal!

  * * *

  I couldn't relax until five minutes later in the car. All this time I didn't forget to ashes our guest with passionate looks and dark rolling eyes. The vampire was crooked, but he wasn't spitting anymore. He ordered me to put my things in the trunk of another Mercedes and wanted to call Vadim, but then I squealed with rapture again jumped close to him.

  - Oh! So you changed your mind?! We're going together?!