B) Hold still.
Instead, Boris drags Yule's CDs with various comedies and discusses them without being embarrassed by his superiors. Vadim - this and in general, firmly entrenched in the role of older brother. And the rest of the vampires... Some of the vampires just hook up with Julie, gossip about this...
The only exception is Anna. That is, former Katerina. Julia will never forgive her Daniel in her life.
Danielle.
Even now, even after absolutely delightful sex, she called out for Him! Not Mecislava. The other one! A long dead man!
Shit!
But he...
really nothing
couldn't do to save him. Although that's no excuse. Mecislav wouldn't save him if he could. Or he would, and he'd send the North Pole to chase the penguins. And it doesn't matter that they're not there! We'll get them!
But his name wouldn't look at an outsider vampire like that.
Boom!
Mechislav finally understood,
what
scratched it from the inside and kept it quiet.
That's the look.
Julia was looking at Daniel with glowing, shining eyes. She was just glowing in front of him. Without even noticing it. She was also arguing with Daniel, arguing, objecting, indignant, but - it was obvious, one look at him - and all the resentments would be forgotten. Yes, that doesn't rule out quarrels, arguments, turmoil, scandals, but...
It's always a "but"!
That look of hers...
She never, ever looked at him like that.
Why?
Does he want to get that look from Julie?
The vampire's got his head shaved. But you shouldn't lie to yourself. Yes, it is. Nobody's arguing. You can fool yourself. But not when you've lived a long time, and the slightest mistake could cost you your life. And so can your loved ones.
I want to.
So that Julia could be there for him by her own free will, not just by choosing a lesser evil.
To look at him - and shine with inner light. Not as bright as the stars shine, but home, very warm and cozy.
To accept him for who he is. With all the flaws. Like danielle.
To treat him like a human being, not a vampire. And to accept him for who he really is! With all the advantages and disadvantages!
To... love?
Foolishness!
He doesn't want any love!
He's a seven hundred year old vampire. And he's not capable of any "human" feelings! Buttercups, flowers, love-marrow!
Bullshit!
And yet the nasty, like a mosquito squeak, inner voice kept the vampire from breathing.
What if it's not nonsense?
Danielle loved her for sure!
But that's Danielle! He's an artist, he's allowed! Mechislav considered himself fully insured against such stupidity.
Julia, in response to this statement, would advise to read the policy more carefully. Or to talk to a fear agent.
Oh, shit!
The vampire almost wailed in his voice. What's going on with him?!
And even now, now, after they made love, she called OTHER!!!
DANIELLA!!!
Not him.
You can sleep with her a thousand times. But Mieczysław understood that he couldn't stand it if the woman called him OTHER once more.
Jealousy?
Love!?
Mechislav didn't know the answer. And he didn't want to know it!
Not before that!
Let Julia make a terrible scandal out of him. It's better than sitting here arguing with an angry inner voice. Let him fight, fight, hit the dishes, try to rip off his head or knock his fangs out on souvenirs! At least let him chase him with a machine gun! He'll do anything!!! Just don't give him any love!!!
However, fate least of all asks the opinion of those whom it decided to make happy.
* * *
Mecislav was looking at me. I could feel his eyes with all his skin - like a fur glove caressing a naked body. And I understood perfectly well - if I don't move on to active communication - the choice remains with the vampire. And what choice do you make when we're both lying here naked?
For some reason, I didn't want to find out.
I opened my eyes sharply. Straightened up.
And I almost choked on a wave of admiration. How handsome he is...
He roared out deep in his soul "beast with human eyes", leisurely tried the mirror with his claws...
And I woke up.
A royal cobra is a beauty! There's the plise. Go to the terrarium and kiss her! Don't go with a vampire!
I tried to sit down. The body whined, but it obeyed. Okay, that's good.
- So," I stroked out, looking into the incredibly green eyes, sparkling with vampire power and pure male temptation. - There was nothing between us. Nothing at all! And if a single fang bastard hints at that, I'll rip your teeth out with my tongs. I'm gonna take a shower. Get me some clothes. Time to go home.
I turned around and went to the bathroom. I clicked the latch. There you go. It's all about holding your back. And who cares if I jumped at the bottom of the shower cubicle and gently cried?
I can afford five minutes of weakness. The main thing is not in front of different toothed bastards. Here you go.
* * *
Mechislav conducted the woman with a delighted look. And at the same time, the vampire was angry. How can one deny reality!?
Even the fact that they're finally... why, actually, finally? Slept together? Or did they relieve the tension? Or did they make love after all?
But what love can we talk about!? He's a vampire! He's seven hundred years old! And to be honest, he's even older! And he doesn't want love for nothing!
But why is it so hurtful then?
Self-love?
Yeah, that's gotta be self-love. No woman has ever treated him like that before.
Well. That'll be fixed. Julia will come to him herself. Now she'll come for sure. You can give up when you don't know what you're giving up. But once you get a piece of heaven, no one will give it up willingly.
In the meantime, you should play along with her.
The vampire looked around the office.
Yeah. It wasn't possible to reanimate Julino's dress. But to order a new one is complete.
The vampire took out his phone and called Vadim. He showed up two seconds later.
- Under the door of the guard? - Hmuro asked Mechislav from his subordinate.
- Yeah. I was afraid you'd hurt her.
- Or is she me?
- Whatever. The result is still lousy, Vadim shrugged his shoulders.
- Get me some clothes. And something for Julia," ordered Mieczysław, not going to talk further.
Vadim looked at his completely naked superiors, translated his gaze at the scraps of clothes lying all over the office, on the carpet, with very distinctive marks, on the bathroom door...
- You have... it's...
- Yes, he broke off Mecislav. - Move it!
Vadim shook his head. But he couldn't resist slipping out the door.
- Chief, you make sure she's not drowned in there... happily.
Mechislav wouldn't throw a vase at the door. The vase was frankly pitiful. Vadim, of course, is a disease. What if he's right? And quietly crept up to the bathroom door and listened to what was happening there. The water was noisy. Yulia was thundering something. Well, she wasn't going to get stoned. And anyway, knowing his last name...
She'd rather drown him. In concentrated sulfuric acid.
* * *
I crawled out of the bathroom already fully clothed. Someone (I guess either Vadim or Valentin) found me my favorite black jeans and a simple blue t-shirt the size of what I needed. The blue thick wool sweater was pretty good, too. Well, maybe a man's. I'll get over it. Then I'll give it back to the owner.
Mecislav also met me fully clothed, but before he could open his mouth, I raised my hand warningly.
- Let's not talk abo
ut sad. What happened, it's gone. It's gone?
- But we haven't forgotten.
- But now is not the time, I did not give up. - We have Alfonso hanging over our heads.
Mechislav's frowned.
- Okay. We'll talk to you about our personal relationship later. Are you hungry?
- No. But I'm thirsty.
- What can I get you, exactly?
I wanted to get a liter of vodka, get into some burdocks - and let them roll me out of here like a chest of drawers with bedbugs. But you can't.
Vodka's just a temporary anesthesia. Then it'll only hurt more.
- Orange juice.
Mecislav clicked the key on the phone.
- Vadim, get Yule some orange juice and something to eat.
And he looked at me at point-blank range.
- Yulia, do you have any idea what you've done?
- Not yet. But I will soon realize to the end. And I'm going to cry for a long time," I snorted.
The vampire wriggled.
- You've exhausted three vampires.
- Objection. Two of them are to blame.
I briefly recounted everything that happened between me, Gloria and Godwyn.
Mechislav listened, without interrupting. Thank you for that, though. And it was hard enough to say that. One could only look at a vampire, glance at the smooth golden skin, the strong hands, the bright scarlet lips - and thoughts were confused, returning to what was happening on this carpet ... and the sofa ... and the table, I think so, too, then I really wasn't aware of reality anymore, but here's a stain on the carpet and petals of crumbling flowers from a vase that we swept away when Mecislav...
Don't think!!!
No memory!!!
MOTHER!!!
I'm sorry, I'm the inner voice.
- It's not your fault," he said when I finished talking. - It happens. I'll talk to those rotten men again. You're thinking of redirecting my name?! I have to tell Vadim not to feed them. Let them lie down with rags for a couple of days.
- I would dissolve them in acid at all," I confessed with anger. - Freaks. Okay, me. I made a bunch of them last night. And revenge is kind of justified. They had a right to fuck me up. Godwin may have started it, but my answer was clearly inadequate. But Nastia was there, too. She could have been hurt!
- She's already home. Calm and happy with her life. There's nothing wrong with the kids, too. Says hi to you. Kostya called me," the vampire pleased me.
I nodded.
- But with Alfonso...
- And it's much worse here. Julia, are you sure you won't give him Charles?
I silently turned my finger at the temple. So I could give the guy another...
- And how many years has Alfonso been torturing him?
- You'd better not know about it. You'll kill him next time, the vampire snapped at you.
- All the more reason. I promised him I wouldn't give it back. I swore it. Are there any more questions?
- Just one. Do you realize how much you're setting us up with your decision?
- Why, is there unanimity in your Vampire Council? And you can't find a counterweight to Alfonso?
- To seek salvation from a bear by a lion? Is that wise? - Mecislav shrugged his shoulders.
- You can just hurt them and see who's stronger.
- We can't handle this," the vampire cut off.
- Well, what do you suggest?
Mechislav looked at me at point-blank range. His eyes were piercing green, incredibly green, sparkling green... and they were tightening like a whirlpool. I just wanted to look at them and not think about anything. Except to touch his cheek, slip his fingers on the honey skin - and repeat their path with the tip of his tongue, giving him - his warmth...
Don't think!!!
- I don't know. Next move is for Alfonso da Silva. And pray to God, Julia, that this move will not be fatal to any of us.
I nodded.
- Absolutely. That's how I'm gonna get home and start praying. Am I going?
Mieczysław sighed and came up from the table.
- Come on, I'll walk you out.
- I have to go get Charles. Where is he, by the way?
- In another office. I asked Irida to keep an eye on him early in the evening.
Irida, I remembered. The young (and not even a hundred years old) vampire was devoted to Mieczysław not with all her soul, but... she would go for him and go to the fire. It's a sad story.
The Civil War, the Revolution, there's a penny of honor and a penny of life... what was the fate of the nobility during the Great October War, who remembers?
If no one, I'll remind you. They've been killed. Without trial or investigation. For being a "noble face." And women were even worse off than men. At least men weren't raped in a circle.
Irida's parents were lucky. They were killed at once.
But that's what happened to Irida. Twenty proletarians drunk with smoke broke into the estate. Such a nice revolutionary group. Everything is folk... And the worst part is that after her two little sisters were waiting for the same fate. And her brother was just tied up and made to look at it all. It's just such a lovely public entertainment.
Gentlemen revolutionaries would have fulfilled their civic duty to the end, and then set fire to the manor, but in their trouble, three vampires were brought into that manor. Miecislav, Boris and Vadim were traveling on a very important business. They had to catch up and punish one insolent type. As Vadim has briefly explained: "For some reason some fools believe that if the country is a mess, then we, vampires, too, will be a mess. And this is not the case at all."
Irida was lucky to start having fun with her this afternoon. And that their estate was in the vampire path.
And then everything was primitive. Three vampires - and twenty "revolutionary soldiers"? Ha!
If there were a hundred of them, there would be problems. And so the three of them tore them to shreds without much bother. Not all of them. By pure chance, there were five people left alive.
This was enough to feed and heal the young newly created vampire. Mieczysław had to stay on the estate for a few days. And Vadim and Boris had to continue the persecution on their own.
How three unthinkable girls, one of whom was a newborn vampire, and a guy who took revenge on the "scum of the revolution" - Vadim told me. It's just an adventurous novel to write. A humble one, three hundred sheets. But that's not the point now. It's that Irida's relatives still lived in France, along the lines of her brother and sisters. They lived and rejoiced. And Irida looked after them, living her life as a vampire in Mečislav's entourage.
And Mechislav trusted her. Not too much, but still. The good thing was that Irisa turned out to be a lady, focused exclusively on the female side (after all that was done to her and not surprisingly) and looked at Mieczysław as a beautiful painting. Let her hang - and let her hang.
And on all the other men, too. So Charles could be left with her without thinking. She won't bite. And she won't think about biting.
* * *
Irida's room was quiet and peaceful. Charles was sitting on the bed and reading something in an e-book. Irida was mocking the computer. She was a rare modern vampire in general. And she learned that the best way to protect herself was to change with the ages. Since then, all her electronic innovations have been untranslated. If she wasn't a vampire, she'd be a cool program.
When we arrived, Charles put the book aside... and suddenly...
I didn't see that coming. But the violet eyes sparkled with real rage. And... it was directed at Mieczysław.
- What have you done to her, you...?
There was a real threat in the voice of the semidragon.
I didn't even realize right away that this was about me. And that he was angry with me...
Oh, Mom...
Mecislav was even more surprised than I was. He just kept quiet for a few seconds. It was enough for Charles to clench his fists and step forward. Does he want to fight? Because of me!?
Logic refused all the way. I reached out with my hand forward.
- Charles, it's all right. It's okay!
- What - okay?! - Half a dragon has spiked. - What's okay? I can see you're not well!
That was pure truth.
- Is this about him!? Yes!?
The semidragon was furious. And I finally figured out why Alfonso wouldn't let him go. No matter how many years passed, he couldn't break Charles. Never. Anyway, the dragon will hiss and his tail. Protecting those he cares about.
- It was all at once," I sighed. I took a step forward and took the dragon's hand. - Shall we go home? I had a hard night. All moral freaks and not a single bright moment. So I was exhausted to the point of no avail.
- And at home, explain to your ... acquisition," said Mieczyslaw deliberately in a vile tone, "that if he rocks his teeth on your master, he will quickly lose them.
If they slapped me, it would be easier. Master?
Scum!
I measured the vampire with a contemptuous look. And I turned to Charles. Just in time. One more second, and he'd throw himself into a fight.
I put my hand on his chest.
- Let's get out of here. Don't get your hands dirty.
Semi-dragon hugged me by my shoulders.
- Okay, Julia. Let's go home.
Mechislav didn't go to see us off.
The same jeep was waiting in the patio. Gleb was driving it. Next door - Konstantin. Charles loaded me in the back seat and sat next to me. He took my hand and held it tight. He wouldn't let me go all the way home.
I didn't say anything.
I didn't want to talk.
Master... and I gave him that right... what am I supposed to do with it!?
God, I'm such a fool.
It's a shame I found out so late.
* * *
Irisa was looking at the people who came out. Although... Charles was only half human, and Julia... Irisa would say she was human. And that's what she is now... did she know herself? And can you determine that?
But this is later. And now...
Mecislav stood in the middle of the room with a salt pole.
- Slava, are you crazy?
The vampire question broke his catalepsy. Mecislav sparkled his eyes.
- I'm completely sane and have a solid memory. Shall I prove it, or will you take my word for it?
- You don't have to prove it," Irida cut it off. - I won't believe it. You've never behaved like this.
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