- Konstantin Sergeyevich, - I didn't say it loudly. - This is Leoverenskaya. Yulia Yevgenyevna. You called me yesterday afternoon. And I'll be happy to talk to you tomorrow at any time you choose. Either before ten in the morning or after four in the evening. I'm at home now, and I'm waiting for your call.
I think that's enough for the IPF.
There was a noise in the bathroom. I dried my stuff with an iron and banged on the door. The kid put his hand out, and I gave him his pants and his shirt. I cleaned up the room a little bit. I'll clean it up after he left. Then Earring came out dressed and slapped it in the kitchen.
- What do we have to eat?
- Broth with cutlets and sandwiches.
He made Slava for the whole army, so why not treat anyone?
The earring swept away by both cheeks.
- Do you cook this?
- No. Tea, coffee?
- Coffee.
Coffee I hated, except soluble from bags. You can't find caffeine with a flashlight during the day, though. I had to get up, take out of the closet a box of different kinds of "best, incomparable, perfect - three in one" and offer a choice. Then I filled a bag of "McCoffee" with boiling water and spit on the table vases with gingerbread and candy.
- Will I pick you up later tonight? When are your parents gonna leave?
- What for?
- We'll go for a walk...
I snorted. My joy, I'm out with a bunch of werewolves tonight.
- Seryozha, let's talk like adults. We met - good. Tried to spend time together - did not work out?
- Well... yes...
- So it's not fate. We are complete strangers. You don't know me, I don't know you, right?
- Yeah. But I want to get to know you better.
- Why do you want to know me?
- What do you mean, why?
- Why do you want to get to know me? You're cute, humorous, cheeky. Any girl would go with you.
- But not you?
He's got the most important thing. Clever girl.
- I'm glad you understand that. I can't go out with you.
- You can't go out with me. Why not? Parents?
- I can't.
- You're not married, are you?
- God has been kind.
- Then what's stopping us? We were fine. And it will be...
- It's not.
- Why not?
I wonder what other women say in such cases? To tell them to back off nicely before it's swordsmanship? Yeah, I can imagine a vampire making fun of me.
- Seryozha, try to understand me. I have a completely different life.
- Are you saying that your parents are richer? But it's not like I'm offering you marriage. Let's go for a walk, then we'll split up. Or are you embarrassed? Is it because you feel bad? But that's physiology! Anyone can get poisoned. And me, and you, and the president of Russia. Why tear everything up now? Everything can be very good.
- Because I don't feel anything for you. And they won't let me feel anything.
- Who?
Saved me from having to answer the phone.
- Get ready and get out. My ancestors will be here soon.
I picked up the phone.
- You did?
- Yulia Yevgenyevna?
- Yes. Ah...
- This is Konstantin Sergeyevich.
- Did you get my message?
- Yes. Yulia, do you mind if I stop by tomorrow at 1:00?
- Oh, yes. I'll wait for you.
- Do you have enough time?
- Enough is how much?
I tried to be businesslike and serious. I tried very hard, but it didn't work out well. And the intonations are wrong, and the voice trembles... I had a hard time. And the person you're talking to understood it all very well.
- We have a very serious problem to discuss.
- There's no way you can tell me on the phone what happened?
- No. I'm sorry.
- God will forgive, and hell will not judge. Konstantin Sergeyevich, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. Goodbye?
- Goodbye.
Sergei was already standing in the corridor.
- Will I come back tomorrow?
- No.
- And the day after tomorrow?
- No.
The playful tone was replaced by a perplexed grimace.
- – А…
- I can't go out with someone who
this is .
...refers to the valiant Russian army," I spent a sad time. - Farewell! Don't think too much of it, remember vodka.
And cleverly pushed a confused guy on the court.
That's right.
I looked around. Well, this is a romantic date Seryozha will remember for a long time. And suddenly I was laughing like crazy. What did I promise the boy? An unforgettable experience? Mm-hmm. I wonder if Juliet threw up right on Romeo when he was suffering under the balcony - what would Grandpa Shakespeare write? Certainly not a tragedy.
Now clean up properly, then take another shower, and get dressed. Werewolves can stop by early. Wolves are mandatory.
It took another hour to clean up. Clothes are about 15 minutes.
I wasn't picky about the clothes. If anyone does not know, the initiation of a new werewolf is carried out either in force majeure circumstances where, or if everything is planned - in the woods, where even foresters do not walk. Or they do, because the foresters are werewolves there too.
Oh, not just in Russia legends about foresters went...
I pulled on simple jeans and a T-shirt that was no longer pathetic, laced my sneakers and grabbed a windbreaker just in case. I threw the little things in my backpack and dialed my grandfather's cell phone.
I didn't want this conversation! Well, you should... You should.
- Leoverensky.
- Grandfather, it's me.
- Yulka? What's wrong?
What's it like? No "about nature, about the weather..." Right to the point.
- Are you alone now or with Mom?
- We're watching TV.
- Then you'd better get out so Mom can't hear.
- Wait a minute.
I waited obediently. Grandpa finally came online again.
- So?
- Grandpa, you sit there, okay?
- Go ahead, tell me where you're going.
- I'm not going anywhere. Slavka showed up.
- Who? - Grandfather didn't react right away. I had to explain.
- My prodigal brother, and your walking grandson.
- And what does he want? Forgiveness and love?
Grandfather's voice would've been enough horseshit for a KVN battalion.
I snorted a snort.
- That's what I would have done. But he needs help. It's material.
Silence. Then a mate came out of the tube... Truly a soldier. I heard you.
- And that's all he... wants?!
- Grandfather, I've already told him that, I cut in.
Grandfather took a breath.
- I'm sorry, Yulenok. I got carried away.
- That's okay, I've heard it before.
- Okay... I've heard one of those. I hope that's not how you express yourself.
- Yes, I do. Slava didn't understand any other words. I had to explain it clearly.
- Mm-hmm. And what does this family miscarriage want?
- In a nutshell, this jerk managed to get into a werewolf fight and came to us for help. And for a ticket to Canary.
Knowing his grandfather, he was already trying to figure out how to get his granddaughter a trip to the bunkhouse. Quickly and for a long time.
- Where's ?
this is .
now?
- The local werewolves. They won't let him near you or Mom. I promise you that.
A sigh of relief has moved the speaker.
- Okay. (Sighs) You know, your mom doesn't need that kind of shock.
I knew it. Mom had enough of my winter epic. And she doesn't know about werewolf va
mpires either. It wasn't enough to make a loved one nervous... Mom was much more emotional than Grandpa. And how would she know I was almost killed ten times?
- I know.
- What are they planning to do with him?
Oh, let's go with the substantive questions.
- There's gonna be another fox in the local pack. That's okay, but their discipline is harsh. If Slava does show up, it's only with roses and a guilty head. And to you. They'll only let him come to my mother with your permission. I'll come to an agreement.
- Mm-hm-hm... What do you owe for that?
I'm tense. Businessman... Instantly smelled a weak spot. I had to answer the fir tree more calmly.
- I've been asked to re-establish my circle with vampires and werewolves. If I agree, I get help.
- Just start communicating with them again? That's it?
Suspicion in my grandfather's voice would be enough for all the Gestapo: "Partisans?! Where are the partisans?!"
- Grandfather, really. In due course, Mecislav hopes to make concessions, but it's written with pitchforks on water. - You should remember to warn the vampire. Although you can't get a word out of that.
- Yulka, if you're lying to me, I'll turn my head.
- Grandpa, stop it! When did I lie to you?
Grandfather was thinking. I smiled. It's not the pure truth, it's a well-washed lie.
- Okay. As long as I believe you. I'll talk to your vampire. You know, I'd like to fuse the new problem away from our town. Is that possible?
- It's possible, but we're gonna solve the problem.
- What kind of problems?
- We're in close contact with vampires. If someone wants to press through us on Mieczysław, they'll just grab Sławka and start cutting lace patterns out of him.
- So what?
- So you and I, nothing. But the weakest link here is Mom. You're not going to filter out all the information coming to her, are you?
- No. Okay. Let her stay. But so I don't have to see that rot anymore.
- Grandpa, don't cut the slack. Slava was a fool when he escaped, but he may have gotten smart in the meantime.
Grandfather was silent for a few seconds, and then he spoke in an icy tone:
- Julia, I understand that you are a woman, but try to think with your mind, not with pity. May it be a shock for Slava that your mother and I are living together. Although it only happened after your father and grandmother died. And not right away. Escape I can even understand and forgive your brother. But I won't forgive stealing. I won't forgive him for
never once
I haven't even written a word to my mother in years. Never even picked up the phone. I handled the phone company on purpose. You know, he didn't even try to call. How'd his ass get hot, come running? And he brought problems, didn't he?
There was no point in lying.
- Mecislav can handle it.
- Well, that's fine. And for you.
prohibit .
to risk your life, your health, your money and your reputation over this freak. In any family, there are errors of evolution. Our performance was early, and it was good. And to return...
this is .
I have no intention of joining the family. You can tell him. Or I can tell him myself.
- If you want, it'll be possible tomorrow or the next day.
- I'll think about it. Is this all news?
- Well, yeah, it is.
- Well, then let's say goodbye. I still have to think about everything you said.
- I won't say anything to Slava yet.
- Julia, you don't understand. If I do think about it, there's only one thing. How to get rid of that freak. And you can print out my words to him in 50 copies. That's it. Bye.
- Okay, bye. Hey, Mom.
- I'll tell her.
The beeps.
I just shook my head. I got Grandpa's Slavik, oh, I got it. My thoughts were interrupted by a call. This time, the landline.
- Oh, yeah?
- Curly?
Oh, Vadim. Why would I think that?
- Yes, Vadik.
On the other end of the wire, a vampire laughed briefly. He had a wonderful laugh. Not as handsome as Machislav's, but also quite edible and awakening sinful thoughts.
- You're the only person I let myself be called Vadik. And I haven't even ripped my throat out for it yet. Do you know why?
- Because you love and respect me," I said. - Wadi, stop rotting my brains out! Have you reported my call to your superiors yet?
- What do you think?
- What else do you think?
- Of course... No! I reported it right after I woke up.
- And Mechislav, as always, is waiting for the second move. - I could hardly hold on so I wouldn't sleep. It's already gone.
In the voice of a vampire you could hear sad notes.
- Yulia, it's much worse. What did you have with this guy?
- What guy?
- The guy you just broke up with.
- And how do you know that? - I was worried.
- Yulia! - Vadim almost had a moan. - Did you really sleep with him?
- None of your damn business! - I got mad right away.
- Are you going to answer the chief, too?
- I have something to say to the chief.
- I really hope so. Because he's pissed off. Where do you want me to pick you up?
- Heh. Give Valentina a call and ask where the werewolves have the initiation. That's where you're picking me up.
- Do you need a ride there?
- No. Valka's sending her guys.
- Okay. I'll bring you back from there. And pull yourself together. You know, an angry vampire is a very unpleasant thing to do.
How can I put it? I didn't give a damn about Duke in any condition, even though he's foamy. But I had to kill him and live and work with Mieczysław. But I didn't tell Vadim all that.
- I know. Bye.
- Bye.
I hung up, and I stared thoughtfully into space. Apparently, I'm gonna have to take it out. For what? For everything. First of all, for Seryozha. I don't think a vampire would be interested in my excuses. It's sad. But life is awfully sad at all.
I saw a movie once. I can't remember what it's called anymore. There was a woman there who was walking and suffering. It's a standard story. She loved one person, and she loved another. And she was married to someone loving but unloved. And that showed her terrible worries about the bed. Her nerves were really bad for her husband. The end of the movie was sad, too. The woman finally got her way and slept with the person she loved. And he turned out to be a jerk and a pervert. That's when she realized that we love those who do not love us, we lose those who love us. She ran to her husband, and she broke down. He told her in her face that he wouldn't like horns, they were in the way. He slammed the door and went to another woman who loved him from the beginning. And, by the way, he was happy. But why am I telling you this? I used to look at it and not understand. Well, they married you off to someone they didn't love. That's it. No choice, you can't get a divorce either? Well, live! If you don't love anyone yet, why don't you live in peace?! Especially since the man is good and cute. Lock your heart in a big lock, throw the key into the Mariana Depression and calm down for the time being.
It's not working. And now I can't either. It would seem easy to clench your teeth and sleep with Mieczysław a couple of times. And the problem would be less.
I couldn't. If I thought about it, Daniel's face hung in front of me in the air. And his grey eyes glowed so tenderly that his heart was freezing. How can I cheat on him? How can I trade him for something less. Danielle, Danielle...
And with someone else, I can't do it. Not even under a vampire obsession.
Yeah, well, Mecislav is smart, handsome, dangerous, charming and sexy, like... like all the people of Sodom and Gomorrah combined. And that without the slightest vulgarity or vulgarity. The dream of any woman between the ages of five and "no limits." An
d I'm not attracted to it at all. And I don't want to see him. Because it's going back to the old way. A vampire will seduce me, and I will kick all four limbs off. It's also disgusting that I can't be mad at him. For Mieczysław, having sex with me is a kind of security guarantee. If I sleep with him, he will calm down and put me among his friends. That's how I imagine Mieczysław's catalog.
Anna H. Age, height, weight, external data, ability in bed, blood type, rhesus factor, confidence level. Especially the last one. Trust or not - that's the question. Even if he slept with me, a vampire wouldn't trust me a gram more. But he would take me to some group, would understand what can be expected from me and what can not. And he calmed down.
But I...
can't
!
I just can't do it.
I wouldn't have kissed Seryozha, either, if my brain hadn't moved for a moment. But now they're back in place. And I can say with absolute certainty.
In bed between two people, there should be
love
.
Not a desire to "try something", not a habit, not indifference "Why not this one?" and even not often encountered "But still do it? What's worse than me?"
There has to be love. Otherwise, the most beautiful thing that can be between two turns into... let's not say the word. Except without love, even without friendship, one naked sex is prostitution, if not worse. It's no wonder our ancestors didn't respect those who spent themselves right and left.
I almost became one. But I held on to it in time. And there was no desire to experiment with a vampire, either.
Although... I wonder if I puke like that on Mieczysław - maybe he'll get away with it?
Dreams, dreams... I don't think I'll be so lucky. Although the idea is worth considering.
Shit! Where are those fucking werewolves?
* * *
Mecislav woke up and reached out on his bed. Who says that vampires necessarily sleep in a coffin during the day? That's ridiculous! Basically, vampires are creatures that adapt to any conditions. They can even fit in an apple box just to fit in. And the sun did not penetrate. That's the main condition. And deep underground, why do we need a coffin? That's funny!
The bed is much more comfortable. All the more so. It's at least five beds. Made to order from strong oak with a bunch of hidden compartments and drawers, with a built-in mirror, with orthopedic mattress - and linen made of pure silk. Mieczysław liked his cool and slippery touch on the skin.
Ring of Madness Page 90
