- Since the fifteenth century," Leonidas nodded. - I've been making inquiries.
- And it would have been another five hundred years if it weren't for our mayor. What a jerk...
- Don't be mad at him. He'll die himself. I thought you said this crap was eating holes in the aura...
- And that comfort. Anyway, Dosya found this ring somehow. And she couldn't help but try it on. It was easy from here on out. For a demon.
- And that was a demon?
Me and Mieczysław had a look around.
We knew - to forget that desert, and the terrible black eyes of the monster would be almost impossible. But I will try. And let the vampire decide for himself. He already has a huge advantage. He can sleep without nightmares.
- I believe that was the creature Charles told me about. The same snake. And demon or no demon... I didn't ask him for a classification.
- You strangled him without any questioning," said Mieczysław, coming from behind. I used to kick back, but I missed. You bet I did...
- If you scare me, you'll be looking for a new name. When I've had enough of Kondratius. Okay?
- After all this, I'd rather die of a heartbreak than you.
A vampire grabbed me by the shoulders and attracted me to him. I didn't fight back. Still, he followed me there. And he knew he might not come back. But he did.
And anyway, I was very insecure on my feet so far. I'd be on the wall, too. And a vampire is softer and more comfortable.
- And now what of this evil? - Vadim specified.
- He'll die. Though it's better to destroy the ring anyway.
- And his priestess, too, a vampire nodded.
I'm stuck. I can never get used to it. Killing is all there is to it.
- She was the one who killed. And she deserved to die," Mechislav simply answered in response to my silent objection.
- Not only that, she is still his anchor in this world, Charles intervened. - And if he catches on to her...
- That creature won't come out of there," I said confidently.
And for a moment, I introduced myself to my meadow. And the snake, which rushes along it, desperately tries to find a way out, to do something, but all to no avail. Every second another previously absorbed soul separates from it - and disappears, dissolves in the forest.
And I smiled maliciously.
They say the enemy must be forgiven?
I will forgive you. Careful after the death of that bastard!
- Julia, believe me, she has to be killed," said Charles. - And the ring must be destroyed too.
- And how do you suggest we do that?
- With fire.
- Yeah, we're gonna take her out to the square, put gasoline on the singer and set her on fire," I snapped.
- Leave this to me," Leonidas intervened. - An explosion in a car, a car crash, what could be more natural?
I shrugged my shoulders. I dropped the ring on Dosie's body. And I turned my back. You don't need my help for that.
- I want to go home.
- I'm sorry. You're going to have to come to my place.
I stomped with my foot. Naturally, I couldn't step on Medislav's leg again.
- What for?!
- Godwin and Glorianne. We need to get them out of town.
- Can't you do it yourself?
- I can do this. But I'd rather do it with all the ceremonies. Give them a record that confirms our innocence of Alfonso's murder...
- Recording?!
- I wrote everything that happened here," some werewolf boasted as he approached us. - Three different cameras.
- And who dropped that rifle and killed the sniper!? That's the same thing!? - I remembered.
- No. Unfortunately.
I was so sorry. What a mess we've got!? And who made an attempt on Mieczysław?
You should know...
The vampire hugged me by the shoulders and led me decisively to the exit.
- They're gonna sort this out without us now.
* * *
Godwyn was battered and angry. Glorianne was chewed up and angry, too.
Before we (Mechislav, Charles and I) settled in the vampire's office, a sweet couple came to us.
- I heard about the scary thing! - Godwin's pathetically began. - Is it true...
- Everybody lies," I said immediately. - And they're not blushing.
The vampire, torn in the most heartbreaking place, choked and looked at me angrily.
- Really? And Alfonso da Silva is alive?!
- Dead, I shrugged my shoulders. - Only it wasn't scary.
- Oh, really? Godwin had a bad smile on his lips. - I suppose you won't have any trouble reporting this... accident to the Council either?
- Of course not, - shrugged Mechislav. - We'll forward the tape today.
- Which one?
- With the killer's confession.
Godwyn looked like an English lord, suddenly left at a party without his pants on. Attempting to maintain solidity didn't lead to anything. We, me and Mechislav smiled equally maliciously.
- Killers?
- Yeah. That's right. We went to deal with him today. I mean, with her," said Mečislav lazily.
- And it was scary. And Alfonso da Silva, that's right, the meat-packing plant on the road," I gave in.
- A meat-packing plant!? Shut your mouth, man!!! - Glorianne's swooning.
- What, did you want some more? - I moved my fingers with a hint.
- Are you threatening me!? - ...the lady who noticed a gold medalist at her reception was informed by a vampire.
I scared back.
- No. Threatening is when they can't do it. And I can't just do that. I'm gonna get you one of those...
- Shut up! - Mechislav barked. Complaintingly snapped a table under his palm... - I have not yet remembered your attempt to subordinate my surname. Shall I file a complaint against you with the Council? I'll do it quickly! Tell me what happens to you later?
Green eyes sparkled with anger. Right now, no one would call him sexy. Basically. There was a huge beast of prey sitting at the table, imprisoned in human form by a strange misunderstanding. But he was a predator.
Godwin and Glorianne are visibly pale. It's no surprise. I was getting scared, too.
From Mieczysław there was an almost visible stream of black, not good power. He pressed, subdued, he was just frightening! I understood that fear was one of the forces vampires had power over. It's in their blood to inspire fear and terror. So is the indestructible charm. Depending on what the bloodsucker wants. It would seem that other vampires should have stood up to him, someone better, someone worse, but Godwin and Glorianne clearly gave in. And their faces expressed fear and confusion. And Mechislav continued, keeping them from coming to their senses.
- You're going home today. Otherwise, you will be guilty of the death of Alfonso da Silva...
- And the killer...
- You should have accompanied him. You! Vadim!
Vadim flew in so fast as if he was standing under the door. And who knows him...
- Yes, Chief?
- These two are going home today. If they come into my land again without my permission, I order you to kill them. Immediately. Any questions?
Vadim had no questions. The vampire stretched out a string and made an appropriate bow.
- Please...
Godwin and Glorianne literally flew out the door.
Mecislav snorted and turned to me.
- With you now. Don't you think we should talk?
- What, now?!
- And when?!
- When I get some sleep and at least eat something.
The vampire shrugged his shoulders, calming down noticeably.
- Okay. I'm waiting for you tomorrow night. Any objections?
- No," I brushed it off, "and immediately I realized I was caught.
What a bastard! If he'd told me he wanted to talk to me tomorrow night, I'd have taken him a week of quiet life. And then...
Okay. He has seven hundred years of trading experience, and I have a year without a stick.
I got up from the chair. Charles stood next to me.
- Okay. See you tomorrow. And now we're going home.
* * *
- How could you! You promised they wouldn't get out of there alive!!!
- Not everything is in our power! You better tell me, did you kill the sniper?
- – Я.
- Idiot.
- You are!
On impact, the woman flew to the wall, and the man hung over her, angry to the limit.
- What were you even thinking about doing that!?
- That this thing will eat them. I saw what was going on out there...
- What did you leave behind? What's that?
- No way. I didn't use my power. I've had more than enough of human capacity for that. And after the murder, I sprayed it all with aerosols. Pepper, anti-sobaquin, etc... No one's gonna take my trail. Yeah, they will.
- Look. If there's something, I won't wait for Mieczysław. I'll squeeze you out myself first.
- You can't. You don't have many allies who genuinely hate this company...
The vampire grimly thought it was true. Fish cancer, too. And such a fool would be contacted for lack of the smart.
- Okay. Forget it. Okay.
- For now, yes. What are you gonna do next?
- Let's wait a while. And then...
* * *
- Madam...
- Yeah. Did you screw it up again, stupid?
- Don't you dare talk to me like that! - the bear immediately felt like it.
- How else are we supposed to talk to you? Do you have all your brains between your legs right now? Who came up with the idea of offering these bastards help with Alfonso da Silva?! Who!?
- But you can really jam his murder...
- I can! And I have some influence in the Council! But if Mieczyslaw isn't a complete idiot, he'll immediately wonder why you have such connections! And he'll think about it! And he'll start digging! Don't think that if he has a pretty face, he's a fool! This vampire is very smart and calculating...
- Mistress... but what do we do now?
- You're waiting. And I'll talk to the Ghost.
- Madam...
- And if I hear from you again, nothing will save you. Do you understand me?
- Yes, Madam...
Chapter 12.
To teach. You can't have a pardon.
Day 8, September 6, Monday.
My alarm clock is in Chinese. It squeaked extremely nasty. It's a fact. And my eyes were a little messy this morning. From not sleeping.
Charles didn't even wake up. I had to kick the dragon harder.
- Mm-hmm???
- Charles! Wake up, you scaly bastard!!!
The shit woke up on the fifth try.
- Julia?
- Yes! I'm going to the institute now! I'll be back after lunch. Apartment at your disposal, food in the fridge, farmhouse?
- Yeah, well...
The dragon rolled over on the other side and fell asleep brazenly.
That's who he is after this!?
A lucky man. And I'm a miserable student...
And the first couple is Livnevsky...
Ooh, ooh...
But I'm not a couple late. Although I had to say goodbye to my breakfast dream. And I yawned as I sat on the pair, so my jaws were sprained.
- You heard," Masha pushed me in the side, another friend of mine. - Natasha has disappeared.
I shrugged my shoulders.
- Haven't heard. Did you go out with a guy?
- She's not home for her second day.
- And you, Hilkova Maria, are clearly not at the lecture. Get out of here!!! - Livnevsky's voice thundered over your ear. - I will not allow anyone to rant on foreign subjects, if it concerns such an important subject as genetics! It's a fundamental subject in biology! And it will be of great importance in your future life! If you want to know, for example, who the father or mother of your future children is...
I stopped listening.
No one will ever know anything about Natalia's disappearance. Mechislav will take care of it.
The deaths of two "famous" pop singers will also be considered natural. I'm sure they will. Vampires are masters of covering their tracks. But in Natalia's case, I'll still stand by mine. We should let her parents know. I will.
There's nothing more scary than the unknown.
Especially when it comes to your own child.
- Leoverenskaya, do you think you already know everything about genetics?
- No, I said it.
Livnevsky was mockingly squinting. God, he smelled like a goat...
- Then why do you let yourself not listen to me?
- Because I'll already know exactly who the mother of my future children is.
The class laughed. Livnevsky is scarlet. It looked frankly creepy.
- Get out of the audience!!!
I didn't object. I packed my notebooks and came out.
Alas.
To come across our political scientist right away.
Emma Eduardovna Porosenkova (yes, that's right!) was a medium height skinny brunette with a stylish haircut and glasses without frames. She graduated from the institute six years ago. She came to the department of political science (for the big bounty) and since then has been mercilessly harassing students.
She was one of those girls who wanted to be the Pope's saint. The cheat sheets on her scores equated to a mortal sin. Absence in class was also a sin, but a little less. And no one ever passed her exam the first time.
Why?
Because none of the biologists needed that kind of political science. Everyone tried to write it off first. And then...
- Ah, Leoverenskaya... Are you going to take my exam?
- Yes, I nodded honestly.
- And when is that?
- At least now!
There was a nasty smile on the political scientist's face.
- Don't you two have a date now?
- They did," I snapped.
- Oh, yeah? And for what?
- And for the truth. As a political scientist, you should know - she always suffers for it, - I snapped. I didn't care anymore. Or I was just beating the hell out of it after yesterday. I could say anything. And Emma seemed to understand something. She wouldn't get in touch. Instead, she looked at me from under my glasses, looking like a big rat and humming.
- Okay. In an hour, I'll meet you in the fifty-sixth auditorium.
She's gone. I went to the dean's office to get some work done. I mean, to get a little piece of paper with the dean's seal and signature on it. Well, at least I had the credit with me. And it's up to the teacher to take it.
In the dean's office, the secretary Lyubov Sergeyevna looked at me with the eyes of a burned bitch - and nodded.
- Okay. I'll be right out.
Twenty minutes later, I had a leaflet with a seal on it. And forty minutes later, I walked into the fifty-sixth office.
- Pull the ticket, Leoverenskaya.
I got "Capitalism, Socialism and Political Democracy, Comparison" and "Types of Political Systems".
To be honest, I didn't know either one.
And prepared without hope of success.
When the phone rang, I was happy for a moment. But there was a hysterical scream on the phone, Bones.
- Yulia!!! Nastia's in labor!!!
Fucking hell!!!
- Where are you!? - I screamed. The walls of the audience and Emma clearly flinched.
- She's home. The doctor's here, but she needs you! Julia, please come! The doctor says there's not more than an hour left!
The ticket for sociology flew to the table.
- I'll take a taxi and I'll be right there.
- Yulia," Nastin's voice broke through the phone. - Yulia, please... aaaaaah!!!
The sting of pain went up and broke. I grabbed the bag from the chair.
-
Emma Eduardovna, have a nice day! Give me a D. I'll redo it!
- Leoverenskaya, are you out of your mind? - Asked the teacher. - What can you do for your friend? It's better to take the exam calmly...
I sparkled with my eyes. The wave made a familiar frenzy. A beast with human eyes moved inside me. Emma stood there, blocking the exit from the audience. And it was easier to jump over than to get around.
It's worse for her.
I've straightened up all the way, so we're about the same height.
- If you don't let me in right now, you'll regret it. I have to go. Political science!? I can teach your whole discipline in a few words. Politics is dirt that is kneaded by dirt! It doesn't matter what you call it! Democracy, socialism, capitalism... I don't care! The essence is always the same! Meanness and treachery! Your politics are like a pot of chicken broth. When it boils, dirty foam remains on the surface. And its place is in the dump! That's your politics. A decent man would never do that! Now get out of my way! My friend needs my help! And give me one! We'll talk in front of the commission! I'm not sorry!
And the Beast smiled gently from the depths of my eyes.
Emma's recoiled.
I walked past. And I slammed the door. Already in the cab, I remembered that there was my grade. And I'm sure Emma won't take it.
What the hell with her! Nastia is more important!!!
The driver was driving like crazy. And when we drove up to Nastia's house, dead and pale Gleb was waiting outside.
- Yulia, finally!!!
We never went up to the apartment. We took off. And immediately, in the hallway, we fell into the hands of Konstantin, who threw some kind of healthy diapers at me and Gleb.
- Yulka, I'm so glad! Nastia is going crazy!
- Why didn't you call me before?!
Kostya had his eyes down.
- Nastia didn't realize herself that her water broke. At night. After that nightmare... And then the contractions went straight and hard.
I nodded.
There were several werewolves fussing around in a room turned into a maternity hospital. Nastia was lying on the sofa. I slipped in and knelt down next to her.
- Nastia! Can you hear me?
Is that stupid? Except I've never been to a birth. Who knows what women in labor understand?
Nastia turned her face towards me. Pale. Eyes red, from broken vessels, lips snacked...
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