What if we opened up the history of the Catholic Church? I got a book about the popes. Well, I'll tell you what, in Rome, everyone is related to each other. By the Pope. There were ten or more of them there. And with such tendencies that only goats, cows, chickens and babies were left out of their attention. And that wasn't all. And you can't expect a good tribe from a rotten seed. Is that a familiar expression? There you go. From a rotten seed planted by the Inquisition, nothing grows better than poison ivy. Or a giant dew. Okay. Let's not go into botany, the important thing is that the IPF and decency are probably incompatible. And if I don't want to get in trouble, I'd rather not go in there. Except...
There are suggestions that are better not to be abandoned. And a thin world is better than a good fight.
And if you go, with whom? Alone, and let the werewolves wait outside? And hang a microphone on yourself. And a beacon. Five grand.
Actually, that's a good idea. We need to talk to Medislav about the terms. But the vampire won't wake up until tonight. Then who will he wake up with?
Not with anyone. So we jump.
* * *
I dressed very thoroughly to meet the bears. There are eighteen of them. I'm alone. And a man starts talking about himself just as soon as he walks into a room without even opening his mouth. It's not for nothing - they meet me by my clothes.
Favorite jeans had to be left in the closet with a pain in the heart. And a chic green suit came into being. It's an emerald shade, just like the eyes of a vampire I know. I suspect he was the one involved in the choice of my clothes. And Tanya is bringing me things that have already been selected by Mečislav. But they don't take a gift horse to the dentist.
Strict, but only at first sight, the fitted jacket of some velvety material (autumn on the nose, though warm yet, and the cold is not dozing off) was concealed with deceptive simplicity, which cost a lot of money. What is especially nice, on the back there were no darts, which are familiar to all women - from the armpits semicircle. These darts pretty much ruined my life, turning my figure from my back into some athlete with too wide shoulders. The deep neckline almost reached my waist. The jacket was fastened at the front by one big button, stylized as a medieval emerald gold buckle, and fit like a glove, hiding everything you don't want to show people and making a deceptive impression of modesty. Deceptive - by the skirt.
The skirt was also a kind of work of art. A wide satin ribbon belt - and folded folds in countless numbers that ended at the middle of the thigh. If I think about it, the skirt will make a "sunshine", showing the world my fifth point.
So I had to take care of some decent underwear and tights. It wasn't enough.
Both the jacket and skirt were decorated with a subtle pattern of spruce branches. Whether it was a stamping or a pattern on the fabric - I never understood. The tailor of me, from the word "whipped". Under the suit was a blouse of golden orange. It was strict. With a delayed collar. That's the kind of shirt schoolchildren used to wear. That's the style. But the color... and the fabric is semi-transparent, through which you can see everything you want to see.
Oh, okay. The important thing is not to come to the exam like this. Otherwise, teaching condratium is enough. And the bear? You can go with these. They'll survive. Werewolves, they regenerate well.
Green suede shoes (at least it didn't rain), the same purse, a malachite set in the form of leaves in a gold frame, a little makeup on the face, a couple of hairpins - and I'm ready. I just have to wait for the werewolves. Either they'll call your cell phone or they'll go up to the apartment.
The doorbell interrupted my communication with the mirror. And I jumped to open it, stuffing spare tights in my purse on the way. I don't know who has what, but I always have a hinge, or a stain will appear in the most unnecessary moment. You have to either take it off or go around the neighborhood looking for a kiosk with the right stuff. Anyway, let's have a supply. Wrong weather to be running around with a naked ass.
I opened the door, and I even stepped back. Slavik!? Brother! This is the meeting. We weren't expecting you... And you came...
I haven't seen my brother in over a month. Since the death of his beloved paddy. And I haven't regretted it. Valentine told me that Slavik is depressed, suffering, sobbing and periodically trying to poison himself with wild alcohol. Why not get drunk? And werewolves don't do it at all. Metabolism is rabid. And alcohol breaks down much faster. That's why it needs to be injected into the body in a wild concentration. If a person needs a liter of vodka, a werewolf needs at least eight or ten liters. And in this amount, the body perceives alcohol as poison. And reacts accordingly - nausea and diarrhea. It's unromantic. In a word, the brother's drunkenness hasn't worked out. Slavik tried to go out. But here Mechislav was already on top of it. He put a vampire named Lena on Slavik. And she had exhausted her brother in a week.
He didn't try to run away from Slava. Nowhere.
Kill yourself?
He wanted to live more than to suffer. As a result, by the end of the third week, Slava had his brain cleansed by Mieczysław - and was put to work. It turned out that his brother was a good driver. And he even worked as a taxi driver for a while. Mieczyslaw immediately forced him to drive the club's visitors to their homes.
Yeah, the vampire introduced a service like that. After discos on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, people were taken home.
The fact is that the discos are mostly attended by students who are not enough for a taxi, or those who want to dance and drink, but then how to drive?
The vampire found a way out. For wealthy clients, taxi cars were available. For some, even at the expense of the club. For students and those who did not want to spend - once an hour a bus left the club. If you want, stay for another hour. If you want, load up at the right time and tell the driver where to drop you off. Stop on demand. They won't take you to the entrance, of course, but they'll try to drop you off closer to the house.
Slavka received an official job, a driver's salary, a work record book and even contributions to the pension fund. Tosklivo? Now you're going to entertain vampires. Do you want to kill yourself? No questions. They need to be fed, too. So it's a good idea for them to die. Death by blood loss is just as good as anything else. But Slava didn't want that. Claims? To Mieczysław. We could go to Valentin, but the difference wouldn't be much. What do you get from one, what do you get from another.
So I rightly assumed that Slavik would try to tell me everything. And who else? Not my grandfather's place. And I'm a ready candidate for chief culprits.
But I didn't want to start a fight first.
- Hello," I said.
- Hey. You look good.
- I know. You don't.
Slava really didn't look good. Slightly unshaven, heavily wrinkled and clearly "after yesterday". And what is he doing here?
That's what I sounded like. My brother was screaming.
- Mecislav decided that we should both be sent to the bears. And me and you. H... he knows why.
I made up my mind. I don't like mate.
- Couldn't I have been warned?
- Yes, you can. If you do not decide this at the last moment, - snapped at Slava. - And in general, why do you come at me? Deal with your hahal first!
- I can deal with him without you," I shaved off. - Okay. Let's go downstairs, brother...
- The Lysogorsk vampire is your brother, Slavik doesn't owe you.
- A vampire to me, according to your own words, is a lover," I calmly clarified. - It's already incest with my brother. And I do not sin like that.
- Yeah, you bet. You've got enough sins as it is.
- Did you make me a confessor?
- I need you...
It was said with an intonation, "Fuck you, dear..." Slava was clearly getting into a scandal. Well, the client's wish is the law. Not on the stairs.
I took a step back.
- Either come in or let's go. There are people waiting for us.
Slava did not come in.
Then I left the apartment and started messing with the keys.
- People... creatures!
- You are.
- Thanks to you!
- Why did you come to me? If I was going to Alaska with my daddy, I'd be sending flowers to your grave right now.
- Don't touch Clara! She loved me after all...
- I just didn't.
The keys went into the bag. I twitched the door and headed down the stairs.
- You're her...
I shrugged my shoulders.
- Sweetie, in case you haven't figured it out yet, your friend used you. Insolence and cynicism. She had to sneak up on us without checking, set us up, and spy on us. She knew she could get her head ripped off. So she was ripped off. Okay?
Slava caught up with me at the turn and, looking into my eyes, asked me in a penetrating tone:
- Yulia, do you have a conscience?
If my brother hadn't picked me up, I'd fit my nose into the wall. In amazement.
But she did. So I decided to spend a few more minutes.
- What-what am I supposed to suffer from? Say that again?
- Conscience. When you're the reason people die...
I snorted.
- Slavik, did you even run away from home...
- Gone...
- At least he crawled away. I don't care. Did Grandpa tell you how he partisaned?
- Yes.
- Did you talk about remorse? Didn't you? That's the same thing. And I don't get any nonsense about it. Whoever comes to us with that sword is from him and there. Okay?
And I broke out of the driveway for some fresh air.
My old acquaintances were waiting for us in a healthy jeep. Gleb and Konstantin. When Gleb saw me, he just whistled.
- Curly, class! The bears will lie down.
I sent him an air kiss, and I continued hissing.
- Gleb, at least you explain to me - whose clever head came up with the idea of sending it - to the bears!?
- Mechislav decided yesterday afternoon. But he wouldn't call you. He just directed us to bring your relative to a standstill and bring him with us, just like a fireman. And he really wanted us to make sure you looked decent.
- Now I'll go and put on a full welder's suit on purpose," I rattled. - Or the pavers. Load up! Let's go!
Slavka was stuck in the front seat. Me and Gleb are in the back seat. Konstantin stayed behind the wheel. There was no desire to communicate. But it was me. My brother was not asked. He made up his own mind.
- Enjoying your life, sis?
He had the last word. But to make excuses?! There would be someone!
- Enjoying. I'm going to have a particularly intense experience right now. Do you have any idea what bears are!? Do you have any idea what bears are? So don't say anything while you're at it.
Gleb took his brother by the back of the nape.
- Yulia said - silence and obedience - that's what you'll do. And if you do, I'll tear you apart. Do you understand?
Slava answered something, but I already passed out. Bears. These are not Gummy bears. Slava just had no idea what we were going to get in touch with. But me, good. The bear, just so you know, is the most insidious animal. And don't be fooled by the fur and the seemingly harmless look of a little bear. At 1-1.25 m in height in a crest the bear reaches 2-2.2 m in length, and 8 cm is on a short tail. And the rest is the torso. The weight varies between 150-250 kg; however, at big and fat it reaches 350 kg. Is it a cute little animal? And considering that a werewolf animal is sometimes one and a half or two times larger than its "wild" brothers? It's nice, isn't it? You don't even have to hit it. He sits down and flattened. And the bear's external clumsiness is just a mask, too. A bear is a foreigner in life, so it runs in a special way. When walking and running it becomes at the same time on both right and left paws, so all the time it is hard to move from side to side, but the man will catch up without stress. He runs even faster in the mountain than on a flat place, which is facilitated by the length of his hind legs. In addition, he swims perfectly and climbes stunningly on all vertical surfaces, huge strength and strong claws make it easier for the bear to climb: he can climb even very steep rock slopes. All five senses of the bear are very well developed. Better than their wild brothers. It's also the most unpredictable animal. A bear will never, ever, be betrayed like a dog. And you can't guess at what point he'll decide to rip your head off. And bears don't get behind their men in that respect. And how is it with cunning, me?
No way! Me and cunning? Politician and decency! Wolf and herbivore! It's about the same combination. I'm gonna laugh at negotiations, 100%. That's why I've paid so much attention to appearances - at least not all positions to lose. But I had no choice. A flock of bears in our town is not too big - eighteen bears and as many bears. Thirty-six people. Isn't that enough? But any werewolf bear can handle a dozen werewolves of another kind. And don't even breathe too much. That's right. I only have one advantage. I can give them children. Male bears aren't particularly chagrined. Females, on the other hand...
Mecislav has clearly outlined what he wants. Absolute loyalty to him and support in critical situations. For that, they either get my help or, when Peter arrives, the amulets. But bears aren't fools either. And they're gonna try to get away with a little blood. Why do they have to get into our squabbles? It's been ages since vampires gave up on them! There haven't been any Call Bears yet. And I'm afraid they won't. And vampires aren't their commanders. If anyone's tried, there's no brave or chronicles left... And they'll just offer a good relationship. And from that relationship, it's not hot or cold...
That's right, me. But to have a guard near you... with whom you don't know if he'll support or break up...
Woman didn't have any problems, she bought a woman bear... I mean, she went to buy...
For sad thoughts, I did not notice how we drove up... to the sports complex "Trudovik". Yeah, that's the local bear headquarters. In summer - football, in winter - hockey, all year round Greco-Roman wrestling, karate, judo...
Bears of both sexes have this thing about strength. It's not just healthy living, it's strength. It's physical.
I jumped out of the car.
- I'm waiting here. Kostya and Slavka are with you," Gleb informed.
I nodded. That makes sense. One is my brother, the other is the father of the children.
- Kostya, will you offer me a hand?
- No. I'm a bodyguard, not a gigolo.
- You're a bastard, not a bodyguard," I snapped. - They're depriving you of friendly support!
- Yul... - The werewolf was embarrassed. I felt a little more confident. And I stepped forward.
It didn't take long to walk. Five steps from the parking lot to the entrance. And the doors broke apart automatically. So I stepped inside. Kostya and Slavka followed me - one step behind.
- Who are you going to see? - There was a guard chestbutted on the embrasure.
- To Maria Petrovna, - I informed.
- Skip...
A low, dense voice spread around the room like liquid honey. I twitched. Because of the booth the guard was sitting in, she slowly appeared... SHE.
There were no other words. It's two meters tall. Weighing a kilo at 20 pounds. And that's not fat. They were all trained muscles that roll softly under the skin with the slightest movement. And at the same time, there were no underlined male traits. That's not Jane's soldier. It's a woman. The muscles did not hide perfect proportions - long slender legs, wide hips, thin waist, high proud neck, beautifully planted head ... Powerful breasts could brake the horse for the race. A rider wouldn't have to be braked. The horse itself would have crashed at one glance. That's what I thought in ancient times - real Amazons. Next to this lady, all three of us seemed a bit... slimy.
And at the same time... As a woman, I could appreciate her. And I was betting 20. On a ten-point scale. If she decided to do the magazine, the oligarchs would be in line for her. No aristocratic narrow-mindedness. No model dryness. The re
al Russian Woman.
And in addition to the luxurious appearance there was also a quite distinct bright aura - crimson, lilac, blue, yellow - and there was a pattern of silver spots ...
I suppressed my desire to immediately go to the corner and weep enviously - and smiled widely at the bear.
- Good afternoon. I am Julia Yevgenyevna Leoverenskaya.
And that's it. That's enough. I'm already losing.
- They're waiting for you, the bear had a short smile. - I'll walk you out. And your escorts?
- They'll accompany me.
Now I'm sorry I read about the Dossa last night, not these... bears. But on the other hand, there are eighteen of them. Everything will get mixed up, you won't remember the information you need, and you can't write off the cribbage. This isn't an exam. In life, grades are usually marked with blood.
I smiled and went to get the bear. How small and insignificant I seemed next to her. So what? The mongooses are small too, but Ricky-Ticky-Tavi is cool! You can't even see the virus, but it destroys people at once.
The bear stopped at some door and knocked. And an equally luxurious voice responded from the inside.
- Come in.
And the door swung open.
Well, what do you say? Bears have taste. They've got money. And there's a desire to make the scene so that the opponent feels hurt before the game starts. It was easy to play football in a huge office. And there would be enough room for the fans' team. This is how the offices of millionaires in American films are usually shown. A lot of space and a minimum of furniture. A high glazed ceiling, a huge window-wall. Next to the window - a healthy table. There's a woman sitting at the table who I can't really see. Why not? It's just against the light. It's me in front of everyone, and their faces are in the shadows. Semi-circle sofas, where six women have settled down... One wall has a healthy aquarium, which swims something clearly not ornamental - there are no ornamental fish the size of my hand. And three free chairs - clearly left for newcomers. Although the chairs are loudly spoken. It's more like chairs. They're hard and uncomfortable even to look at. And not even a hardened masochist can sit comfortably on them. Well, what am I left with? Will I sit like a schoolgirl in front of bears that are comfortable? And feel small and insignificant.
Ring of Madness Page 136