Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  - Can I continue? - The vampire has informed us.

  I barely swallowed almost half an apple. I wanted to eat as if I'd come from a hungry place for an hour.

  - Mm-hmm. Chunk... Um... Yum...

  And fuck all the good manners! It was only when I tasted the food that I knew how hungry I was. It's like I have not one, but five stomachs. And all empty.

  - First of all, the human body changes. You will become stronger, more agile, faster, you will learn to regenerate almost like us, you will stop hurting, you will be able to quickly restore your strength. With or without somebody's blood, it's a separate matter. It happens differently for everyone. I knew a family member who absorbed chocolate in literally pounds. To restore your strength. I don't know what you're gonna need.

  - By the law of meanness," I broke away from the sausage for a moment, "garlic"!

  - I don't think so," Vadim immediately parried. - We're allergic to garlic. By the way, your master can regenerate through your body. You eat the way people eat - and you give some of your life force to him. Which is what I think is happening right now.

  I looked at the food supplies I destroyed in record time. Yeah, in my normal condition, I'd have had enough for two days.

  - Don't I get fat like this outrageously?

  - In your way of life? More like the other way around.

  I remembered how much effort I had put into the rats today, and I was dizzy. If I come home... No! When I come home, most of my pants will be big in my belt. Okay, it's not a big deal.

  - And what is the threat of this union in terms of reason? Can Mecislav command me? And I will have to obey him?

  Vadim turned his shoulders.

  - The union of the vampire and the surname is ideally a union of two equals. Mecislav understands very well that a free man can give more than a slave. And he won't bend you into an arch.

  - If it's not necessary," I continued. - So purely theoretically he can do it?

  It's like a prickly cold octopus has settled in his stomach. Slavery is not in body, but in spirit. It's not body either. Eternal slavery - and even more. When there were slaves, they could dream of freedom. They could be ransomed, they could just be freed, they could take away from the enemy. I can only be freed by death. I trapped myself. And I can't get out this time. If I hadn't accepted the Second Seal, if Danielle and I had been more careful making love, if, if, if... I think Vadim felt my condition.

  - Purely theoretically - and I can.

  I turned around to look into the eyes of a vampire. They were calm and clear. And also, behind them was the Force hidden for the time being. But now I could estimate the size of his power.

  - You, you can't. There's not enough gunpowder.

  Vadim shrugged his shoulders.

  - I admit it. But I must warn you. You shouldn't say that to other vampires without... No strong arguments.

  - Like a silver frying pan?

  - Sort of," the vampire smiled. - When you live long, very long, the fear of death is lost. The game becomes interesting. Something like, "Will I be able to conquer it? ». Be more careful.

  - I will arm myself," I decided. - What else can you tell me?

  The vampire shrugged his shoulders a little.

  - It's not much. I've never been involved with anyone myself. And I wasn't really interested in it. Yes! That's what else! Your lives are connected, and your deaths now depend on each other.

  - How's that?

  - If the surname dies, the vampire can survive. Rarely, but it can. If a vampire dies, the surname has never survived. Almost never. And the survivors were jealous of the dead! Sometimes the surnames were just taken out of mercy. They went crazy. And the pain. If Mieczysław is hurt bad enough, you'll feel the same as he did. And he will feel the same as you. If you can't close yourself off from each other. There are certain boundaries in pain. If the same thing happened to him as it happened to me or Boris, you'd feel it.

  - Is there no way to block this connection?

  - It's not. It's not possible.

  I sighed. I'm gonna have to put up with this temporarily. And then we'll see how to turn things around in our favor. Speaking of which...

  - Look, where did the names come from, anyway? Where did this custom come from?

  I did not express myself very clearly, but Vadim understood me - and shone his fangs in the twilight.

  - Jane, did you read an interesting fairy tale about recluse cancer and actinia?

  I read it. I couldn't remember the author, though.

  - Well, here it is, too, a vampire shrugged his shoulders. - Symbiosis, you know?! Mutual help and mutual benefit. Where this case came from, nobody still knows. Neither does anyone know where it's coming from. It's a simple thing. People are weak and vulnerable. Vampires can live forever. But humans move around well during the day, and vampires have to sleep during the day.

  - You and Boris weren't sleeping," I noticed.

  - Could you sleep on your own if you're being tortured? And with a cross... for a man with hot iron on his skin?

  I'm really excited about this comparison. My hand crawled to the burn itself. You'll fall asleep in here!

  - Doesn't a vampire's daytime sleep look like death?

  - In a sense, this is death," Vadim did not argue. - We can survive even under water, we do not need air, we do not need anything but darkness - and a few seconds of peace. These are the seconds we haven't been given. Turned us into two lumps of pain that can't even think, not like dying of their own accord. And the crosses are putting out our magic faster than you say meow.

  - It's more or less clear. I'm sorry to interrupt. Go on about the names, please.

  - What else can I add? - I was surprised at the vampire. - I think I said it all. Symbiosis - he's symbiotic in Africa, too! And Seals is just a means of tying the right person to you. It's easy from here on out. A man who dared to become a surname gets so many good things that all the other people next to him look undeveloped. Have I told you exactly what you're getting? Yeah, if a person has some kind of psychic ability, they'll escalate, too. So you're much stronger because of two vampires. Well, a vampire gets a servant who cares for him faithfully and faithfully while the vampire himself is helpless. He cares even more than the other vampire servant. After all, everything depends on a vampire for such a person. At the same time the psychic abilities of a vampire, as you call them now, become more acute. It becomes much more powerful, not only physically but mentally. You know, it would be awfully interesting to see what Mecislav is capable of now.

  - You'll see again, I was fooling around. - Look, what Boris and that Frodo fang were doing was, like, the norm for vampires?

  Vadim shrugged his shoulders.

  - Jane, for us, a lot is normal. We are vampires! And with all our desires, we won't become human. And don't think of us as human beings, even if you really want to. That's in terms of good advice. And so... If it weren't for the Inquisition's dumb and nasty hunt for people with paranormal abilities, a lot of things would be normal for you right now. Levitation, telekinesis, something that people can only master after long training. The IPF is an abominable breed of dogs, and we will always try to destroy them. But we'd better talk about it later. Just take your word for it that in the tenth century B.C., your abilities wouldn't alert anyone.

  - Unfortunately, I can't move back in time. Vadim, have there been times when the surname has tried to get rid of the Seals?

  - No.

  - You mean they can shoot?

  - Purely theoretically? If you don't kill yourself in the process. Do you want it?

  - I need a lot of things - I decided it was time to finish the conversation. There was less and less time left. - Okay. I can't say you made me happy, but for want of better...

  - Jane, I'm sorry, but where were you looking? If you didn't want to put those Seals, wouldn't you? I don't think the chief would rape you. This isn't his type at all.

  I sighed like a sperm whale coming out of the de
pths.

  - Vadim, you said yourself that ladies were always swarming around your chief, right?

  - Yeah. You, too...

  The question wasn't fully answered, but it was clear to me.

  - You know, it's a little different with me. I was willing to promise anything to get your boss to leave me alone. I was too attracted to him, and I didn't like it.

  - Funny," agreed Vadim. - Someone is ready to promise him anything in one night, and you are ready to promise him anything to make sure that this night does not happen. Poor boss. It's not easy for him to have such a peculiar name.

  - I didn't ask him to do that! - I got sober. - I didn't even know that...

  - Come on, now it's too late to argue," the vampire swung off. - What do we do now?

  I instantly pulled myself together and shook my shoulders.

  - What are we supposed to do? I'm going to try to go into a trance. And you sit there, then when you decide it's time, start the car and go to the rendezvous point. I'll hopefully be awake by then.

  - As you know. But the trance...

  Vadim looked at me with disbelief. I knew myself that such a force is not even available to all real surnames, with four Seals, but nothing scared me. I'd survive! Then we'll find out where the legs are growing from! I don't think I'll like the place I found, though! I closed my eyes and leaned over the back of the seat. For a while I still felt the softness of the pillow, the glow of the lanterns under my eyelids, the presence of a vampire near me, a tight seat belt intercepting my chest, the pain of a burn under my collarbone... Then everything disappeared. All that was left was the blackness of the night.

  Chapter 10

  A sip of water before the fight

  I was slowly pulled into black still water. It was cold and empty around me. And I was horrified to do something to get rid of them! As I screamed, I rushed to the water surface. And I broke out - into another dimension.

  I dug out of a huge pool and looked around. White tiles on the walls and floor, painted with some kind of black pattern, soft muted light, white table and two chairs on the edge of the pool.

  - Give me your hand, curly. You don't have to stay in the water at all.

  Mecislav! And who else was I expecting to meet? Pushkin? But anyway - it was very unexpected. I sharply turned in the pool and stuck my eyes on the vampire boots. Mechislav, as always, was dressed with careless elegance. The black shirt, richly trimmed with lace, was open to the waist, and on the golden skin one could see a narrow strip of black hair running down my pants. As always, I wanted to run my fingers over it, and I restrained myself by a great effort of will. The black pants tightened tightly around the narrow thighs. The buckle of the belt radiated a soft golden shine. The boots tightened around my legs, reaching to my knees, and seemed soft as velvet. The vampire was so appealing that I had a nice sullen bottom of my stomach. He gave me both hands.

  - Grab my hands, curly, and I'll get you out.

  His voice was just as delightful. He enveloped me from head to toe, robbing me of my mind and will to resist. I humbly took his palms. Thin fingers trapped on my wrists. A terrible inhuman power was felt in them. If the Swords of Glory wanted, he could crush my joints into bloody dust. But that wasn't what the vampire wanted. He easily pulled me out of the pool, but either did not calculate the forces, or too well calculated them. I stabbed myself in his chest and froze for a moment listening to his heart beating right next to my face. The black lace slid on my cheek. Mecislav raised my face by my chin and before I could say anything, he leaned towards me. Green eyes without squirrels and pupils burned with intolerable flames. I did not want him to kiss me, but I could not resist either. The vampire's lips slipped slowly and agonizingly on my lips. And I answered the kiss. Slightly confused, but still willingly. For the first time I wanted to kiss Mieczysław myself, but what flashed at us shocked me. The Higher Powers! I've never experienced anything like it. Perhaps this is the unity of two beings. We shared both bodies and pleasure. I slipped my tongue over his teeth and felt the sharpness of his fangs. A vampire's hand lay on the back of my head, extending the kiss. The other hand wrapped around his waist, holding me securely next to his body. The blood was racing through my veins, my heart pounding so hard that it almost broke out of my chest, but it wasn't just my heart beating. The same wild rhythm drove the blood through the vampire's body as well. And I felt his thirst. Not blood, not the Force, now the Swords of Glory only wanted me. I wanted to share this incredible feeling of intimacy with me, to know how far we can go, to feel the same as I do. My whole body was burning, I wanted to pull off the vampire's shirt and feel his naked skin under my arms, to pull off my clothes and feel it with my whole body as an extension of myself, myself as an extension of myself... The sword came off my lips for a moment to pick me up. The cold air touched my face. It was enough.

  - No! - I twitched so that a vampire who wasn't expecting resistance couldn't hold me - and I plunged into the pool, lifting a bunch of splashes and hitting the water pretty hard. The fall for a moment stunned me, but not for long. The water cooled both my body and my head. And by the way! I dug out again, threw wet hair from my face and staring at Mečislav irritably. He stood on the edge of the pool, charming as always, and gave me his hand.

  - My lovely, is it worth it to get out like this? Come here...

  I stared at his palm like a living scorpion.

  - Knock yourself out! And don't you dare touch me again! This isn't a fair trick!

  Mecislav smiled at me, showing me his fangs.

  - Do you care that much about my honesty?

  - To the extent that our lives are connected," I answered. I looked around. Well, of course, three meters away from me was a very comfortable staircase. I swam to it. The vampire looked at me, and I could feel his back. And I wasn't going to turn around at all. Why not? Because if I even touch him in the next ten minutes, I don't care where I am or what I am. In the pool means in the pool, on the chandelier means on the chandelier. I just can't help it, and we'll really make love. That's just the question: Does the word love apply to us? Something told me it wasn't. Love can arise either at first sight, as Daniel and I do, or it must be grown like a fragile flower, long, vibrant and in a greenhouse mode. But there was neither the first nor the second between me and Mecislav. The only danger that brought us closer was death. And that wasn't enough, it was always enough! I have made many mistakes already. But I didn't want to add sex to them for sex. There must be something else in the shower.

  I got out of the pool and looked at myself. Yeah, a vampire put me back in a dress that I wouldn't normally touch with pliers. Black, translucent, with cuts to the middle of the thigh and a deep neckline. It didn't hide much, and now that it was wet... No room for imagination! The fabric stuck to the body, outlining all the curves and convexity. Well, let it! It's not how I look, it's how I feel! I looked at a vampire with a mockery.

  - Did you not bother to create a couple of towels or at least a robe? I could catch a cold and get sick.

  Mecislav slowly walked around the pool and headed towards me. I flipped aside.

  - Don't come near me! I don't want to! Don't!

  The vampire stopped three steps away from me.

  - As you wish, curly.

  There was a genuine disappointment in his voice. He and I were united here. We both wanted to continue, but if the vampire was okay with it, I was willing to give it all up so that nothing could happen between us. I backed off a few more steps. His lips were touched by a slight smile.

  - Would you like to sit down, my lovely?

  I nodded and headed for the table, far ahead of Mieczysław. He seemed to be amused by my caution. It would have amused me, too, if hot waves hadn't rolled all over my body, and the bottom of my stomach didn't make me cramp, reminding me of what had almost happened. I plunged into the chair, pulled my knees up to my chin, and finally decided to lift my eyes on the vampire.

  - Are you not interested in the fate of your employees?


  - Boris and Vadim?

  Mieczysław's face instantly became serious and attentive. He graciously sank down on the next chair. The games were over, things started.

  - What do you know about them, Curly?

  - Don't call me curly!

  The green eyes were sad.

  - Is it really time for a stupid argument?

  - And for sex? - I parried it. - Okay. You should be tortured for this attempt at seduction, but there's very little time. I'd like to brag about it, too. This afternoon, we managed to get them out of captivity.

  - WHAT?!

  An astonished seven hundred year old vampire is a funny sight. Not everyone can boast that they've seen it. I can now. I gave you a brief account of everything that happened today. I didn't miss anything. No torture, no drinking werewolf blood, no my daytime trance, no rats, no Force slipped between me and Vadim.

  Mecislav listened to me carefully. Sometimes he asked me questions, sometimes he asked me to remember an episode in detail, sometimes he specified the details. I told obediently, feeling like I was on my final exam. Finally, Mechislav stopped asking questions. I kept silent and leaned over the back of the chair, looking at his face. The vampire was serious and thoughtful. His green eyes darkened. The silence was lingering.

  - Is something wrong? - I finally asked.

  Mechislav shaked his head as if freeing himself from any thoughts, and translated the look at me. His green eyes shone like gems.

  - It's not like that, Curly. You shouldn't have that Power, you shouldn't do anything like that, you don't fit into the picture of the world at all. You're out of the picture, and all I have to do is look from a distance. I wonder what you'll do next time.

  I was very interested in that, too. Is it easy for you to see a monkey with a grenade in the immediate vicinity? How does it feel to be the same monkey with the grenade?

  - Danielle said he could potentially control rats.

  - You think you got his skill through Body Seal?

  - And your Seals helped me realize it.