Servants don't look like that. Attentively, judging, coldly - like game on hunting. And that's the one thing that gave Peter the frost to run through his skin.
Peter was afraid to cramp. He suspected that the creatures that ripped the family of bears to shreds could leave him alone. But there was nothing to do. His brother Peter was in love with him. And not only the older brother - two older brothers, to be exact - but also three younger sisters and two younger sisters. And to give up his house without a fight of some kind of evil? Fire me, gentlemen not good!
Peter watched the pretty one in two, connected all the children in the castle to it, and there's luck! On a full moon, he found out what he wanted. The boy put in charge of looking after the baron reported that he did not snore. He used to snore. Peter went to the baron's room and saw that no one was there. Then he stroked the castle cat and asked her to come and see Guillomette. The cat looked around for a long time in the room, but there was nobody there. The full moon was shining brightly in the sky, lighting the empty bed.
Peter sat down, but what could he do? Prove that Guillometta was running to her lover? Or is he engaged in black witchcraft? It's like turning around. Well, he'd be fine if she came back with her father. Peter knew very well that a man who once lied twice wouldn't be taken at his word. And he didn't want to miss his chance to expose... who? Whoever she was, she didn't belong in his house and his family, that's all!
Peter set up in the yard and started waiting, quietly and patiently.
Guillometta, her father and two of their servants, the ones who had been wiped out by the frost, returned at dawn and sneaked into their rooms. The next evening, Peter ordered their servants to be watched in both eyes. He couldn't discreetly put the peepers on the charming Guillemotte, or on the baron, who had a cool temper, but he couldn't say that the servants were up to something evil. And to order a few trusted men to look after them - too. He literally felt that all four had gone to the same place, on the same case. And he knew that if you catch one, you catch all of them. It worked.
He was woken up shortly after the castle had fallen silent.
- Sir, they're leaving. Both of them.
Peter jumped up (at least guessed well to sleep without undressing) and rushed after the servant. The two silhouettes were walking, not even much hiding, towards the forest. And Peter followed them, hiding from the careless gaze and even trying to hold on to the windward side. He had two other men with him, Tom and Harry. Well, he'll follow these people, find out what they're hiding, and tell everyone. Better let his brother hate him than get that snake in bed!
They managed to chase the Baron undetected all the way to the forest. And then...
- My lord, we can't see them...
- They disappeared somewhere...
They dug out of the forest, like a terrible mixture of animals and people. A huge red fox face and clawed paws on the human body. Nearby is a woman, as if she had come out of fairy tales about evil witches - Guillemotte, but what?! Now no one would call her charming. She kept her human appearance, but all covered in fox fur. And - giant claws on gorgeously shaped tender handles. They were accompanied by two quite ordinary foxes. They were quite ordinary, except for one detail: the heads of these foxes were almost on Peter's shoulder.
Peter could never forget the horror of their sight.
Nearby, one of the servants screamed and rushed into the darkness. Tom? Harry?
- Tracked?! - a male monster has sprouted. - He asked for it!
- That punk has been bugging me since I got here," Guillemotte the Fox spike. - He has been watching me all the time! And that look of his! You feel you're suspected, but how?! How could he understand?! He's the only one who saw our essence! Father, let me tear his throat myself!
- Oh, no! He won't die so easily. We'll give him half an hour's head start. Let him run into the forest. And then we'll catch him. You like to hunt, the baron smirked. Perhaps it was supposed to be a smile, but in the fox form... it turned out to be a disgusting mockery.
- And this - to make him run faster - and Guilomette stretched her paw across Peter's chest. Of the four deep scratches, she buried blood.
- You werewolves? - Fear was spilling over Peter's body. Filthy, bubbling like a rotten swamp, it filled every cell of the body. And the man knew a little longer, and he'd just fall to his knees and beg to not be killed. And there's no way to let that happen. All we had to do was talk and try not to panic.
- Yeah. You guessed it, you bastard!
- And why do you want my brother?
- Well, why not," Guilomette was mockingly laughing. - Young, rich, good-looking - what else do you want?! Play with him for a couple of years for fun! No one can live with a werewolf for longer than that. Sooner or later I'll lose control or I'll just have to kill your brother! Well, so what?!
Peter's in the heat. Where did the fear go?
- Bitch," he spit it out. - Damn you!
- Only after you," the fox whispered, losing its human face and falling on all fours. - Kill him, Father!
Peter still had hope for his servants, not for long, until two huge foxes rushed into the darkness. Soon the screams were heard from there. And then Peter realized clearly that Tom and Harry were gone. And they couldn't help him.
- Run," the Baron sobered as he opened his mouth. - And try to get caught by me! Guillometta will torture you for a long time...
Peter had no doubt about that. But if he was given a head start... And he rushed into the woods.
They won't let him run to the castle. But at least to the river? If it weren't for werewolves, he'd sit in a tree, but foxes with human intelligence would easily get him out of there. Well, let him. He'll fight back to the last drop of blood! Werewolves didn't count on it, but the young man's rage overcame his fear and stupor.
Peter was running through the night forest, choking with fear or speed. Run where? To compete with a beast in the woods? Ha! Peter knew very well how fast the foxes ran. And he was sure that the distance he would cover in half an hour, for them - at best ten minutes. To compete with a beast in the woods?! That's funny! Ordinary animals could still be persuaded, scared (Peter knew how to do it, though he did not like it), banished, confused ... But on animals with human (Peter had no doubt that these are the same) mind of his tricks simply would not work. But then what would? I didn't want to die for nothing. To hide? But where? Well, what if...
Damn ruins!
A lot was said about these tower ruins in the woods. And that it's a bad place. And that a sorcerer used to live there. And that there was a pagan temple, in which a great evil was buried... Everybody agreed on one thing: it's better not to go there. And that's right: even on the hottest day from the ruins it was pulling with cold and dampness that penetrated to the bone. And something inside told us to go around them. Even the omnipresent children - and they didn't run here to play. Well, Peter didn't like it here either, but he had no choice.
It's too bad there's no gun. The short dagger behind his belt, so quietly left to him by werewolves, Peter didn't even count as a weapon - too small. There was enough to stab him, but not for a werewolf. And does the iron take them? Or just silver?
Well, the ruins are so ruined. And there's plenty of time to run to them. If you run very fast, it's about 20 minutes.
The best incentive is fear for your hide. The moon was shining, showing the roots and bumps in the ground. And Peter was flying like a wing. If he had one chance to survive, he'd do anything to keep that chance from leaving him.
The damned ruins are ominous ink in the moonlight. For a moment, the man hesitated, and then waved at everything. Now he'd climb the hell out of his mouth and sit in the frying pan himself, just to keep those overgrown foxes from killing him.
He stepped on a pile of bricks. That's the entrance. Half-buried, crossed by time and weather, but there's still a way in.
Peter didn't know that the damn ruins aren't called by accident. And that they were a haven for one of the patr
iarchs of the vampire people, too.
The patriarch had been hibernating for centuries. He was old and just wanted to rest. It was not difficult for him to build a tower, to make a secret passage in it and even to cast a spell that made everyone go around his "bedroom". The patriarch sincerely intended to sleep another five hundred years. Or better yet, seven hundred.
Peter, who had fallen into a secret passage, did not fit into his plans sharply.
By what miracle could a man get there? Why didn't he break his arms and legs? He couldn't even remember later. But he managed to crash into the coffin, roll it to his side and fall directly on the patriarch. And passed out from the impact. Still, he wasn't so weak at the time.
And the vampire woke up with the smell and taste of fresh blood - from the very wound left by the fox claws. And when he woke up, he felt a brutal famine. And his first victim was... no, not Peter, but the four werewolves who fell after him. I mean, three first. Guillometta survived, but not for long - exactly the time it took the vampire to turn Peter into his own. The old vampire wisely thought the five men would be looking. And they would cut through the forest to the ground. Especially since Guillometta kept saying something about murder and punishment for her death. A vampire could have taken the girl with him and left the ruins. But that's not what he decided. The girl was too squeamish. But a guy who's completely subaltern, knows what and how much it costs, represents the country and the world... this vampire was a good fit. So it was Peter who got rid of Guillometta.
Young vampires are starving right after they wake up.
They really started looking for them, but not right away. Closer to tonight. And not in the woods, what do seven people do there? First they were searched for in the surrounding villages and roads, asked people, even drove to the nearest town. And when they started combing the forest, the cursed ruins were left behind anyway. Well, old vampires know how to produce fear. They live, breathe, and even feed on them. So nobody found Peter or a vampire. It wasn't until a week later, when no one was in the ruins, that four bodies were found. And two more dead bodies in the woods. Peter disappeared for his family and the world.
But there was a vampire whose life wasn't very pleasant. It wasn't too scary, though. He wasn't mocked. He was just treated like a thing: go there, do what you do, obey, or you'll be punished. Peter was punished only once, and since then he's tried not to be framed. His creator and master became a member of the Vampire Council after about five hundred years. And Peter himself served him.
And yet Peter's afterlife was torture.
Why?
Because he was used to the love of animals. He loved them himself, even more than he loved humans. Animals, from Peter's point of view, were decent and pleasant creatures. And much better than vampires. Like, have you ever seen a sadistic hamster? A rabbit that got drunk and punched his kids? A horse that throws its colt in a dump? An elephant who sells her elephant to the organs or throws it after delivery? A smoking parrot? Beasts are cruel, but unknowingly. If they do hurt, it's not out of spite.
But the trouble is...
After death, all animals became terribly afraid of Peter. The only ones who obeyed him like god were were werewolf foxes. The ones that Peter hated the most.
* * *
I dug out of a vampire's memory. And I stared more closely at his entangling network of lines and colored spots. At first glance, the mishmash seemed to be a mess. On the second one, it was very orderly. It's good that I looked at the auras of everyone I've caught and learned to sort out, to separate good from bad. That's why one place in a vampire aura seemed wrong to me. Yeah, I wasn't really good at it yet, but Peter and my skills are enough. The most important thing is, I know. How do animals feel about him? Why aren't they afraid? Well, they are,
felt .
и
they weren't afraid
?
Because they know they're loved. And no harm will come to them. They never will. There's no way. If they feel it from a man, they'll love him. And I think I knew what was wrong with Peter's aura. I knew it was as if the quiet voice of a woman with beastly eyes had whispered it in my ear. In a big secret. And... wait a minute... how are my guys?
Thank God, it hasn't been more than ten seconds. I thought I'd been digging into vampire memories for a week! But while Konstantin and Gleb held on. To me, to the car, to the gun - squeaky teeth, but held on.
It's okay. Now .
call
will stop. And I know how and why.
- Oh, Peter,
- I didn't call out loud right in a vampire's head. –
Peter, can you hear me?
Peter twitched like he was whipped. Who would call him that?
Who,
in the name of all the gods of the world? It's been a long time since anyone even knew that name. Sometimes Peter thought the creator had forgotten it, too. He got a new name long ago - Raoul. Here in Russia, Rodion. But who can call him by that name?!
I watched a vampire throw. And now they were as clear as my own hands. And just like my own hands, I could turn his thoughts in the direction I wanted.
- Do you want me to make it so that you can talk to animals and understand them again?
- I gently whispered in Peter's mind.
- Your gift isn't gone. It's just locked. Locked by the death curse of Guillometta. And I can free him. I just need your permission.
* * *
The call has stopped. Constantine and Gleb looked over.
- What are they up to?
- They're probably going to storm.
- And the help didn't come...
Constantine just hummed, throwing his knife at Gleba.
- Don't do that. I'll take it from Yulka. She's in a trance anyway.
That's right, that's right. Julia was lying in the seat completely relaxed. And when Gleb lifted her eyelid, he found her eyes rolling.
- So, maybe she was the reason they stopped calling.
Werewolves looked over. They didn't know anything about Mrs. Leoveren's abilities. And they strongly suspected that she herself was in the same position.
Now we had to wait for the attack. But... she was gone. Wait a minute. Two. Three. And then screams came out of the house. And Gleb exhaled with his chest full.
- Well, Yulka... well... fucking... Bitch!
* * *
- I can set you free. You'll stay alive, you can control all the animals... only you don't want that, do you? You need your freedom. And you will have it. Because of this curse, you're still not even a ronin.
Well, you could be. I can see your power.
Peter looked around like he was crazy, but he didn't see anyone.
- Who are you?
- What are you, crazy?! - Called his partner.
But Peter didn't care. If that voice can make his dream come true... can it?
- Yes, I can. It'll be hard for me, but I swear on my family's life. Although that vow is still meaningless. You can't lie here, can't you feel it?
- Where, here?
- It's where I am. Tell your werewolves not to attack, let them hold your partner, and come to me.
I'll help you. I know how and what to do.
- You sure you're not lying?
- Ask yourself. That feeling, that mind, that corner of consciousness that you felt in animals. Although... you're the one who's blocked, too. It's gonna be hard. But we can handle it. I promise you that.
And Peter made up his mind. He was living like crazy. And there was no hope for release or awakening. Now he was offered freedom. What else is there?!
Nothing. Werewolves? Where are they? Here and downstairs.
And he made a short hand gesture, pointing at his partner and forming his mental image.
- Kill. And don't touch anyone else until I say so.
The shape-shifters rushed upwards.
- What the fuck are you doing?!
That was the last thing my partner ever said. The burst werewolves just crushed him
in the mass. There was a wild fight. But Peter wasn't interested.
- Where the fuck are you? - He called it in.
And he heard a quiet voice in response.
- Close your eyes and trust me. Reach out as you reach for your werewolves. I'll take you out.
Which he did.
And everything swam in front of his eyes.
Peter didn't know that his body fell to the floor like an inanimate.
Didn't know there was a fight between a vampire and werewolves near him. And while the werewolves were winning.
Didn't know he got into a fight, too.
I would've known it didn't matter at all.
It wasn't important.
The forest. And a round clearing covered in soft green grass. The grass here and there showed yellow dandelion heads. But do they grow in the woods?
- Actually, no, but I like it better.
Peter turned around abruptly. There was a woman standing next to him. Although... what a woman! Sixteen-year-old snot. Short, dark-haired... nothing remarkable.
- Who are you?
- I am Julia Yevgenyevna Leoverenskaya. The one who can free your gift.
* * *
I never lied to Peter for a minute. My power threw us onto an imaginary clearing. And it was the only thing we saw in the same way. Trees, woods and dandelions in the clearing. Otherwise, I do not know what Peter saw me, but I saw him as a ball of intertwined threads, in the middle of which there is a weakly delineated human figure.
Only the eyes could be clearly seen: big, bluish-gray, astonished.
- You? I was sent to kidnap you, you know?
- I'm guessing. And who sent you?
- I don't know. I was just given an order by my master.
- To kidnap me? Is that right, word for word?
- No. To ride with Diego and do whatever he says, without further questioning.
- Is Diego the other vampire?
- Yes, he is.
- Okay. Did he say who, what, how?
- No. He just had to grab you and take you out of town. Absolutely today.
Ring of Madness Page 110
