Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  Rudick tried unsuccessfully to unhook me, but I held on as well as a Band-Aid!

  - Absolutely! You are the limit of any vampire's dreams!

  "... and even the goddess on earth, just get off me, you idiot!!!! "...he didn't agree, but that thought was written on his face in arsenic letters.

  - And yours, too? - I immediately became interested. - Rudiik, but I'm already busy! I'm very, very, very, very sorry, but I can't answer your feelings! I'm faithful to Slava alone, aren't I? I mean... no! I won't admit it anyway!

  - In what!? - A vampire's got a dead grip on the back of his neck.

  He would have ripped me off and thrown me away, but - how will he explain himself to Medislav by maiming his surname? Not by crippling me, he wouldn't unhook me.

  - It's nothing! - I've made up my mind. - Rudick, why don't you tell him the truth? Here's Slava coming back... I don't know, really... hi-hi... when he comes back, but I don't think he'll be angry!

  - To what!?

  The vampire managed to pull me off a bit, and now he's trying to keep me from clinging back.

  - How you feel," I explained innocently.

  - Which ones!? - Rudick woke up, completely losing his meaning.

  - Eternal, pure and sacred, of course! Heel!

  - To you!?

  My guess is ten more minutes and Rudick will start looking for either a vent or something heavier to nail me.

  - Why!? Or do you not like girls? No, you said I was the limit of your dreams! And then what is it? Oh! Rudik, honey, I get it! But don't worry, everything is healing now!!!

  - What is healing!? - A vampire woke up.

  He was still trying to catch the logic in my verbal diarrhea. But where is it? I had already forgotten what I was talking about at the beginning!

  - It's... when you dream and you can't! Imper... Impo... Imp-pu-tion! That's it! I know there's Viagra now, it cures even gout... Rudik, you suffer from gout!?

  Rudick barely held back so he wouldn't break my neck. Obviously.

  - No!!! Where - Mecislav!?

  - While he is gone, I whispered passionately. - Rudick, how about we give it a try? They say that the touch of the woman you love heals everything...

  I grabbed one hand below the vampire's waistband, trying to get my claws into his neck, and got my lips greasy.

  - Oh, Rudick!

  And that's when Vadim came in.

  The painting was - where the Impressionists are going! It's an expression.

  Rudick's got me by the shoulders. I kiss his neck passionately (did I translate lipstick for nothing?). And my hands are where they shouldn't be.

  - What's going on here!?

  To Rudick's credit, he wouldn't yell: "Help, you're being raped!!! "And he didn't even say, 'It's not my fault! She came by herself! »

  He just blinded me to himself and looked at Vadim.

  - Since when do you come in without knocking?

  - While the gentleman is away, I have to look after his name - Vadim answered. - Yulia is a tender, trembling girl... By the way, Yulia, aren't you dressed yet? I have to, I have to... You want Mechislav to see you in all your glory, not with a cracked pig?

  - Vadik! - I was outraged.

  The vampire made up for it immediately.

  - I'm sorry. You're always beautiful. But a diamond should be set in platinum, not clay.

  - How clever you are, I whispered admiringly. - I'm running to change! I'm getting down!

  I jumped out the door. And I blurred out in a ridiculous smile. Vadik's a hell of a disease. Now you, Rudik, will have Alfonso and Mecislav, and a squirrel with a whistle and a bell button! You're gonna run out of town ahead of your squeal!

  And I really need to get dressed. Mecislav is a bastard! You could have picked up something more decent!

  * * *

  Vadim came back in fifteen minutes. He sat down in his chair and kept silent with such a view that it became clear that I would not ask or hear.

  - Praise! - I couldn't stand it.

  And the fang-headed man sprayed in a smile.

  - Yulka, we're rid of this Aguilar! Seriously and for a long time!

  - Did you threaten him like we agreed? Well, tell him in paint!! Vadim!!!

  Vampire snorting.

  - Tell? Like this? Never!

  - – ???

  I was already ready to shake the vampire, but then he smiled and took out the little recorder.

  - Will you listen to me?

  - You ask!

  I clicked a button. And the room was filled with Vadim's voice.

  - I suggest you leave without waiting for Mieczysław. He can be frightened in anger.

  - What the hell!? - Rudolph couldn't even contain the rage. - That whore hanged herself on me!

  - And you didn't fight too hard. Julia's a girl in love with us. But if you say no to her right away, she'd be behind you. If she'd written in the hammocks, she'd be behind you. It's not like you did it...

  - How did I know that!

  - It's not the first time you've seen her. That's why... Rudolfo, in so many years you could learn to understand people.

  - I didn't think Mechislav was so out of control.

  There wasn't even a shadow of embarrassment in Rudolfo's voice. It was the right thing to do. It's not embarrassing to be embarrassed by little things like bad behavior. We have to try something cooler. And Vadik didn't disappoint me.

  - He's not here right now. And when he does, you're the one who's going to start controlling it. I assure you, Julia will not remain silent. And what she doesn't say, I'll tell you.

  - You may not have time to tell," Rudolfo said. I almost dropped the recorder. It seemed that the vipers had come from there. The hissing was the most viper ever.

  - I can," Vadim smiled. - And at the same time you can kill the three vampires who are now watching us through the camera. Mechislav asked us to equip his office with recording devices. And your threats are all on tape.

  I clicked a button.

  - Is it true about the recorders?

  - Yes. But Mechislav turns them on himself. And not always.

  I could feel my ears blushing. Was that... we were in full view of the world yesterday!? Oh, Mom...

  - Yesterday there were no cameras," Vadim read my mind.

  I looked at him with a question mark.

  - Everybody understood," the blond cheeky man finished. - Half the club heard you scream.

  I had a choice - to wail, kick a vampire or go and drown myself. With shame and shame.

  Instead, I just clicked the recorder button. Rudolfo's all over the room again.

  - Mieczysław cannot have a complaint against me!

  - Oh, really? Stealing the surname, trying to use its power, threatening me... should we continue?

  Judging by what Rudolfo said, it was in his ears. I don't bring a quote, I won't miss the censorship anyway.

  Vadim didn't even hurt it.

  - I'll order the werewolves to take you to the airport.

  Saying cell phone buttons, then a short one:

  - Lena, Rudolfo Aguilar is leaving us. Provide an escort.

  - In ten minutes.

  - Yeah. I'm waiting.

  The button squeaks again.

  - You didn't even ask where I was going to go?

  - No need. I'll send you on the chief's plane. Mecislav won't object to that. And where should I send you, by the way?

  - To St. Petersburg.

  - Okay. The pilot will be instructed accordingly.

  Silence. I clicked the button again and looked at Vadim.

  - Nothing else is there. Leonidas sent his guys, they'll load Rudolfo into the car with his belongings - and goodbye.

  - We're not waving a pen?

  - It'll overstretch.

  - Who is it? Still hypnotizing them, hiding...

  - There are two vampires. Tom and Lisa.

  I nodded. I knew them both to my face. Lisa, a serious dark-haired and grey-eyed girl, with a great lo
ve for literature. And Tom. The exact opposite of her. That's the gray beard of a boy. And Tom's been a boy for 80 years now. And since he lived under the wing of Mieczysław, he could afford it. True - we must give him credit, in serious moments and from Tom we could expect the seriousness. Sometimes. But he escorted Rudolfo. He'll manage. Even though he's eighty years old, he's kind of a strong boy.

  - That's good. Where's your boss?

  - I don't know. Look for it?

  - Look for it. And I'll go to Charles.

  - Okay.

  Vadim flew away. And I once again yanked the stupid rag, rolled up my family in the mirror - and went to Charles.

  Where the hell is that vampire!?

  * * *

  - You haven't justified the trust you've been given.

  - It's not our fault, mistress. We'll get better.

  - You've got to do it! Bezdari! Brainless idiots! All you had to do was kill the old man and the woman! But you couldn't even handle it!

  - Who knew he had security! And that bastard's got a sense of smell, so you can't see it!

  - You couldn't even put it down with the first shot! An 80-year-old man!

  - How to hide - that's how he managed faster than the young! And then the werewolves chased after us! We barely got away from those werewolves!

  - And not for long.

  - Why? They didn't find us. We changed our legs...

  - Does my man know where you are now?

  - Yes. But no one else. And no one will know...

  - Fools. Now they know your scent. And they're gonna start systematically combing the whole town until they find you. Sooner or later.

  - They won't. We've destroyed every trace of us being there.

  The woman's face has not changed its expression. But the spark that shone in her black eyes clearly spoke of distrust.

  - It's unrealistic to destroy all traces. Especially in our time. You will be found within two or three days.

  - But we can do it again...

  - You won't make it. Mecislav sent her family out of town. And there's so many guards there that it's not two brainless newcomers who want to compete with her.

  - Oh, really?

  The woman's eyes on the monitor sparkled with an icy black flame. She was like the tongue of the black flame herself.

  - And I don't need you anymore, either. I command you with my power, my blood, my power to die!

  A thin hand swept up, making an intricate gesture. Strictly speaking, it was blood magic. There's a lot of things a woman couldn't do. But with those who slept with her even once, whose blood she tried - and let her taste her blood, oh, with those she could do anything. And sometimes she seemed to be a spider sitting in the middle of a huge web. And every strand would end in someone's life. You pull it, it's gonna break.

  Now she's cut two strings at once.

  I watched her messengers squirm on the floor. And she smiled pretty good. Tonight her human (okay, vampire) will come in here and destroy all the threads that lead to her. Or maybe he'll plant a few clues. We just need to think about what. Maybe something that unobtrusively points to Alfonso da Silva? Mecislav won't rest until he finds the client of the assassination attempt. Struggling him with a Councilman is a great idea. We should try. And a little later, call your agent and give him the order.

  The woman shaked her black hair and laughed loudly, cheerfully and gently. What a great joke it is!

  * * *

  Mecislav's gone somewhere. And the intention. I've already had time to fight, to change my clothes, to make up, and he was all gone and gone.

  I called "Wolf Fight." And I was told that they had a vampire, but five minutes ago he got a call - and he went somewhere in Gorelovka. It didn't seem like much. But the excitement increased. I walked around the office like a tiger in a cage. And I looked a lot like a rabid cat myself.

  Charles looked at me for five minutes and then shook his head.

  - Yulia, it's not just dope. It's a premonition.

  - A premonition of what?! - I spilled my hair. - Will the ceiling fall down? Is the Loch Ness monster in the pool gonna pop up? The IPF is going to hit us with a tank!? What do I feel like that?

  Charles shrugged his shoulders.

  - I strongly suspect the famous Nessie had nothing to do with this. The ceiling's good, too. But the IPF... Let's try to determine what you don't like?

  - I damn well don't like that Mecislav is out there, and I'm waiting for him!!! - I'm sorry.

  Charles clapped his hands.

  - Boom! What don't you like anymore - that he's there or that you're here?

  I took a deep breath. I exhaled. Exhaled what exactly?!

  - That he's there.

  - What could threaten the Prince of the city on his territory?

  I walked around the room again.

  - I don't know! Mecislav is one of the strongest vampires!

  - Only his opponents may not know about it.

  I hurried to the door and almost hit her on Vladimir's forehead. All right! The catcher and the beast are running!

  - Volodya," I snarled, "send two more cars after Mieczysław now. Toward Gorelovka!

  - What? The vampire slammed his eyes. He obviously didn't get it. Let me explain...

  In the depths of my soul I woke up, reached out and slowly released my claws, a beast with human eyes. I smiled gently.

  - Volodechka, you'll go to the garage, collect two cars, each with two werewolves and two vampires from the battle - and you'll go chasing after Mieczysław. Is that clear?!

  - Y-yes... why?

  - Immediately!!! - I screamed, losing all control. - If you're not in the cars in ten minutes, in fifteen minutes I'm gonna rip you on rags!!!

  - What's going on? - Leonidas turned the corner like a ghost. He was followed by Vadim. Quiet and unheard as a ghost.

  Vladimir was still slowing down - and I got caught up in a werewolf.

  - Honey! There's trouble with Mecislav! Send a couple of cars after him!

  Lazy was smarter than a vampire. And he only asked one question:

  - Take the guns?

  - Yes! - I exhaled with some cramped fingers.

  The shape-shifter has evaporated. The vampires looked at me, looked over and followed his lead. That's right. I was just getting off the rails, and I was carried, it wasn't clear where, like an accelerated steam train. If you don't get under the wheels, you won't live! The feeling of anxiety was getting bigger and bigger. I sang with a thin silver string stretched to the limit. The viper crawled into my soul, slowly decanting the poison. It scraped its claws along the frame of the mirror behind which my Beast stretched. He did not like it either, and foam dripped from his fangs.

  And the alarm went up in a storm wave. And when it suddenly burst into sharp pain, I awoke and realized - everything.

  It happened.

  The pain ripped the heart with its paws. It felt as if I'd been torn in two halves. And one of them was no longer beating. I only survived on the other half. And the worst part was knowing that it wouldn't last that long.

  The pain has torn me again, becoming unbearable. My body was cramping... I couldn't even moan, and I couldn't stand it.

  My mind was smarter than I was. Instead of rushing and jumping around the room (with an ever-zero result), I fainted.

  * * *

  I woke up fast. Charles, without further ado, dragged me into the office bathroom and stuck my head under cold water. I woke up and twitched, almost banging the back of my head on the tap. But the dragonfly held me down and pulled me out of the water just as carefully.

  - Can you think?

  - Yes, I can. - The water was icy, and it was a little clear in my head. And my chest still hurt. It was like the heart was hard to beat. He wanted to stop and rest so badly.

  But it will!

  It's up to me. Which means the enemies can't wait. Knock, heart, knock. While you're beating, we're alive.

  - Then I'll ask the questions, and you answer them. M
ecislav?

  - Yes.

  - Dead?

  - Not yet.

  - Are you attracted to him?

  - It's pulling.

  - And what are the chances of your death?

  - We have two stamps. Fifty percent minimum. Maybe more.

  - What are the chances of getting him out?

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  - When have I ever been able to...

  I think we're gonna have to die. Mecislav the Bride Where, the cars have left, but... we should cut off the vampire's head... why haven't they done it so far?

  - What don't I know?

  - You've been lying around in a rag for almost an hour. I got a call from Vadim. They got there almost on time.

  - Well!?

  - If you hadn't sent the cars, I'd be dragging you out of the world right now. But they made it at the last minute. Mieczysław's car was just shot from the bushes by the road.

  - It's armored!

  - There's a predatory cat on a sly mouse," Charles snapped. - Vadim said the car was running smoothly. Then a tree fell on the road in front of her. The driver, instead of rushing back, opened the door and tried to escape.

  - A traitor?

  - The necromancer's not here. So, hell knows him now. In a word, he jumped out, and a grenade flew in his place. The vampire and the werewolves jumped out so they wouldn't turn into greaves - and they were caught by bullets. Okay, so... That's good. We've got three corpses on our hands and Mecislav is in a coma. Luckily, they didn't hit him in the head. But three times in the torso, once in the lung, once in the heart. The bullets are silver.

  - And is he still alive?

  - It's a miracle.

  Indeed. Vampires usually die if they get heart or brain damage.

  - Yulia, are you awake? - Vadim stopped by Medislav's office. Shaken his blonde hair, seriously looked at me. - Have you been told yet?

  - Yes.

  - Can you work?

  Work? Work with what? Work on what? What can I do? Mecislav...

  - Why didn't you make it early? - I quietly asked Vadim.

  - We were just in time for the end of the shooting. Mecislav resisted for another three minutes. That's an incredible lot. He even managed to kill two of his attackers, but then they took it out in his heart. A little more would have cut off his head.

  - Shit.

  - Yeah. Then he would have died for sure.

  - It's not much better now.