Читать книгу Two for tragedy. Volume 2 - Анна Морион - Страница 1

– Can you hear me?

I stared silently into my neighbour's beautiful face and felt the most genuine terror.

– Do you need help? – His smooth, charming voice sent a chill through my bones. He was speaking to me in Czech.

– No, thank you… I'm better now," I whispered, finding the strength to open my mouth.

– But you look scared," my vampire neighbour insisted in a soft tone.

– I'm just afraid to fly," I whispered the first thing that came into my head.

Emotion and fear overcame my mind: I couldn't move or look away from my dangerous neighbour. A slight shiver swept over me. My fingers dug forcefully into the armrests.

"What am I going to do? Jesus! What to do!" – I thought feverishly, my thoughts interrupting each other as if on purpose. – Cedric… I could call him! No, then the vampire would hear what I was talking to him about… But I could write… Yes! I'll write to him!"

– Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Imagine or remember something good," the vampire told me in the same pleasant voice.

"Why is he being so polite to me? After all, he knows about and Cedric! Knows about me possessing the secret of vampires! But perhaps he hasn't heard anything? The plane was so far away from the airport building!" – flashed through my mind, and a spark of hope flickered in my soul. But I couldn't risk it: with naughty trembling hands I pulled out my rucksack from under the front seat and nervously searched for my phone, feeling the gaze of the blue immortal eyes on me. Finally, the phone was found, and I took it with both hands so the vampire wouldn't notice them shaking, and began to type a message to Cedric, sincerely hoping for his advice and support.

"He'll know what to do… I shouldn't be so worried," I tried to reassure myself, pressing my finger on the touch screen of my phone.

– What are you doing? – Suddenly I heard an indignant female voice right above my ear, and I even flinched in surprise.

When I looked up, I saw a stewardess standing next to me.

– I want to send a message to my parents. They asked me to write to them as soon as… – I started to justify myself, though I knew very well that it was strictly forbidden to call and write on the regular network during the flight.

– Please put your phone on 'in-flight' mode and keep it on until you arrive in Rio. It's airline policy," the flight attendant ordered me in a slightly irritated tone.

– Now, one minute! I'm almost done! – I exclaimed in frustration and continued typing the message.

– Please, give me the phone and I'll put it in the right mode myself! – The stewardess said insistently and held out her palm to me.

Panic gripped me and I pressed the phone to my chest.

– Understand, I'm not joking! Your phone can cause interference with the instruments! – said the stewardess in a serious tone.

I looked around and found that the neighbours closest to my seat were looking at me with displeased and even contemptuous glances. I felt terribly embarrassed, but, hell, I couldn't give up! I had to write to Cedric and wait for his reply!

A feeling of hopelessness swept over me, but I obediently put my phone in the right mode.

– I can use it later, right? – I asked quietly, losing hope for a happy ending to my flight.

– Yes, of course, but only when we arrive at the Brazilian airport," the stewardess answered me sternly and stepped away from me.

Tears came to my eyes – I was on the verge of hysterics. Putting my phone in my backpack, I squeezed the armrests again and leaned back in my seat. My mind whirled feverishly, and I strained my ingenuity and my mind to find a way out of the situation.

My pulse pounded in my temples, hitting them like a hammer. I was well aware that I needed to control myself, but the fear was stronger than me.

Suddenly, my vampire neighbour placed his icy white palm on mine. I flinched in surprise and fear and glanced up at him automatically – he was smiling a soft welcoming smile.

– I'm sorry I scared you," the vampire said in an apologetic tone. – I just wanted to see how you were feeling.

I tried to fight the shaking rabbit, because I realised that if I didn't answer the vampire, if I kept shaking and acting like a victim, it wouldn't help me and would only make him suspicious.

– It's all the excitement… I'm just terrified of flying… I get this way every time," I said curtly, praying my voice wasn't shaking.

– Do you have any pills to take away the anxiety? – the vampire asked.

– Yes, I always carry them with me… But I forgot them at home… In my red bag… I was in a hurry to catch a plane and forgot," I whispered.

The vampire smiled understandingly, opened a large newspaper and began to read it. His face disappeared behind the paper, which brought me a welcome relief.

Now that I was out of his gaze, I regained my ability to think straight: I closed my eyes, clenched my mouth tightly, regained control of my breathing, and began to think about what I should do.

"Calm down, Viper, calm down! You know a vampire can't compromise himself and kill you on the plane, because there are too many witnesses. So you can fly safely to Brazil, and there will be plenty of people at the airport, and he won't be able to touch you. Then– Then what? Then it gets dark and… Stop! When I get to the airport in Rio, the first thing I do is call Cedric! He'll tell me what to do and I'll follow his instructions exactly. But what happens tonight? It will be very easy for that bloodsucker to get into my hotel room, and the altitude will be no obstacle for him! Maybe I'm panicking for nothing. Maybe he's not going to kill me at all. – I thought. – I need to pretend to be asleep, and the vampire will leave the plane without remembering my presence, and I, as soon as I get out of this air prison, will fly back to the Czech Republic… Yes! It's simple!" – That thought calmed me down a bit, but when I opened my eyes, I was back in the scary reality: me and the vampire sitting next to me.

– Glad to see you're feeling better," I suddenly heard the vampire's voice. He put down his paper and looked up at me with a smile.

– Yeah, I'm much better. – I tried to force a smile out of myself.

– Why are you afraid of me? – He asked.

That question caught me off guard.

– Why would you think that? – I answered calmly.

– No matter how hard you try to hide it, you're not very good at it.

I remained silent and turned my face away from the porthole.

– Don't be afraid, I don't bite," I heard the vampire's voice again.

– You're ridiculous! – I whispered faintly.

My neighbour laughed softly and rustled his newspaper again.

The aeroplane was smoothly splitting the airspace, taking me into the unknown.

This verbal struggle with the vampire tired my already depressed mind: I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but soon realised that I was involuntarily listening to the noise of the plane, trying to hear what my scary neighbour was doing now. But there was not a sound coming from his seat.

"But, isn't he reading the newspaper? Why is he sitting so quietly? This silence frightens me!" – I thought feverishly, opened my eyes abruptly and turned round to the vampire, but was surprised to see that his chair was empty.

He was gone. Disappeared.

I leaned back and covered my face with my palms, feeling joy and relief. It was as if a huge stone had fallen from my soul. And, before anyone saw, I decided to take advantage of the situation and text Cedric. I quickly opened my backpack on my lap and looked for my phone. But to my growing despair, I suddenly realised it was gone. I could have sworn I'd put it in my backpack!

– Can't sleep? – It was my neighbour's handsome voice.

I looked up from my backpack: the vampire was already sitting in his seat, leaning back and smiling at me.

My whole being went cold with fear. And the vampire was only smiling, but his previously charming smile had turned into a mocking one. He was mocking me, and he wasn't even trying to hide it. And then it hit me: he'd taken my phone while I was pretending to be asleep!

– Where's my phone? – I asked him anxiously. – Why did you take it?

"He took my phone! What am I going to do now? How can I text Cedric now?" – I thought with despair.

– Your phone? Why do I need it? – The vampire answered my accusation calmly, but his eyes were laughing.

– I know you did it! And I didn't allow you to address me as 'you'! – Forgetting my fear for a second, I blurted out.

– I don't need your permission," he grinned and leaned in close to my face. – I know who you are, and you know who I am," he whispered in my ear.

I slumped into the chair, feeling terror running through my body. Suddenly I felt an icy touch on my cheek, and I shuddered, but I managed to hold back a scream.

– I don't know what you're talking about," I whispered, horrified by his merciless words.

Alas, my hope was dashed: he'd heard, maybe even seen Cedric and me at the airport.

– Don't take me for a dullard. I know everything about you. And I know you're very dangerous because that idiot in Prague told you something you shouldn't know. Yes, I'm a vampire, and you know it. Wow, what does Morgan see in you?

My heart was racing, but I couldn't move, just clutched the armrests of my chair.

– Though I admit, I can see why he's interested in you: you're pretty cute. But he told you about our secret, and damn it, he did it for nothing!

– I don't care what you do to me, but leave Cedric alone! – I whispered curtly. – It's not his fault! I made him tell me....

– Self-sacrifice! How sweet it is! But don't worry, he'll get what he deserves!

– No! You don't understand! – I exclaimed quietly.

– No, you don't understand, you little fool! He made a fatal mistake, and mistakes must be paid for, – he whispered in my ear.

– Please leave him alone!

– Leave him alone? Do you think it's so easy to tell a mortal our secret and not be punished? It's not a secret that belongs to him alone, and Morgan should have known the consequences. But what about you? There's an easy fix, though – you're not getting off this plane.

I was the only one who could hear his ominous whisper, and no one could help me.

I felt an icy palm slowly creep to my neck, where my carotid artery was beating frantically. Under the vampire's fingers, the artery throbbed even harder, ready to explode and splatter everything around me with my blood.

My eyes filled with tears: I cried at the thought that all was lost. All our dreams and hopes had been shattered. Our secret was exposed. Our future – crossed out. And all because of our own carelessness.....

– You're so beautiful when you cry," the vampire whispered, leaning even closer to me and keeping his hand on my throat.

– I swear I'll scream! – I whispered loudly, willing to do anything to get him off my back.

– Scream all you want, but know this: if a single scream comes out of your throat, I will kill everyone on this plane. You don't want their deaths on your conscience, do you?

– You'd better kill me, but don't mock me! – I whispered doomedly. – But please don't hurt Cedric! I'm the only witness, so when you kill me, your secret will die with me. If you want to kill me now, I won't even resist.

– Kill you now? – The vampire smirked sarcastically. – ''That's certainly very tempting, but there are too many witnesses here. But you need to wash up. Come on, and behave yourself! – He rose from his chair, took my hand and pulled me along, and I followed him obediently, like a dog on a leash.

We reached the bathroom. The vampire unceremoniously pushed me inside, stepped in himself, and snapped the lock shut behind him.

I stared at him incomprehensibly: would he kill me here? In the loo?

– Wash up and I'll make the call," I heard him say in a commanding tone.

– But you can't make a phone call in here," I whispered, scared to death of his behaviour.

What? He won't kill me? Or will he kill me when he calls? What the hell is going on!?

The vampire pulled his mobile phone out of his jacket pocket and, looking at me, added mockingly:

– Live for now. Killing you here would be a bad idea.

I hesitated, not knowing what to do.

– Wash your face, now! – He repeated in a harsh tone that made me flinch.

When I turned to the sink, I saw my reflection in the mirror above it: crying, dishevelled, with a flushed cheek and nose. I switched on the water and began to wash my face.

– Markus! It's Grayson," I heard behind me. The vampire switched to English. – Yeah, on the plane. Listen, I have something important to tell you. I'm sorry to just drop off like this. I had an emergency. Are you busy? Then I'll call you back later. Good luck, my friend. And don't forget to kiss your lovely bride on my behalf.

"Does he know Markus? – I was stunned. – If Markus knew that this ruthless bloodsucker was planning revenge on Cedric, he would have forbidden his crime to be publicised to the entire vampire world to keep Cedric safe… But why didn't this strange vampire even mention me? I mean, he obviously has no idea that Markus has known me for a long time!" – I wondered sincerely.

But the fact that Markus was friends with this vampire brought me relief: Cedric wasn't in danger of being brutalised! Markus wouldn't allow it!

As I washed my face and looked in the mirror, I saw that Grayson (now I knew his name) was looking at me thoughtfully.

– What am I going to do with you? – he said, rubbing his chin. – I can't kill you yet, and I can't leave you free. The only thing left is for you to stay with me.

Stay? I couldn't imagine what he wanted to do to me. The only thing I had no doubt about was that my life would become unbearable from now on: my secret with Cedric was out, and now it was time to pay for our love. I used to think it would be my death, but I never thought it would be over so soon – I was facing one of the things Cedric wanted to protect me from.

– Have you ever been to England? – Grayson asked.

I stared at his perfectly handsome face and couldn't answer.

– You'd love it there," the vampire smiled. – And so will my castle.

– Why don't you just kill me? – I asked in a low voice.

– I'll definitely do it, but later. Let's go.

Grayson grabbed my hand, opened the door, and led me in again. His icy fingers burned my palm, and I felt like a little bunny that the beast had already captured in its deadly embrace and was squeezing, but not killing, to savour its victim's suffering.

We took our seats: me by the porthole, the vampire in a neighbouring chair.

I turned my back to the window. I wanted nothing more than to be silent. My gaze was fixed on a single point. All the strength in me was gone.

– Still, I can't understand how he fell in love with you enough to tell you he was a vampire," my neighbour said quietly, mockingly.

– You've probably never been in love," I whispered faintly.

– Not me, heartless," Grayson grinned.

I listened indifferently and smiled weakly at the thought that my Cedric wasn't like other vampires. My Cedric is kind, sensitive, and human.

– Why are you smiling?

– I'm glad Cedric isn't like you. He's taller than all of you," I answered him, feeling proud of my lover.

– Only a crazy idiot would fall in love with a mortal," Grayson said in a quietly sinister tone. – How much did he tell you?

– You're the crazy one! – I blurted out, outraged that he was slinging mud at Cedric.

– Choose your words. Fool, you have no idea what I could do to all those people! And you know what the beauty of it is? I can kill them, but they can't kill me," the vampire said grimly.

– Say what you want! I don't care! Just leave me alone! – I whispered tiredly and turned away from him. But suddenly I felt him put his palm on my wrist and cover our hands with his newspaper. I tried to push it away, but he only tightened his grip, hurting me deeply.

– Don't do anything stupid," Grayson whispered in my ear.

– Miss, are you okay? – I heard the flight attendant's concerned voice.

I smiled as I looked at her, a spark of hope flickering through me. I planned to pretend I was sick and ask the woman to walk me to the bathroom, but the vampire gripped my wrist so tightly that I almost cried out in pain. His fingers were crushing my bones like a vise, and I was afraid he was going to break them.

"Don't you dare say anything," his icy blue eyes said.

– No, I'm just afraid of flying… But thank you for your concern," I gritted my teeth through the pain, trying to keep the tears out of my voice.

– Don't worry, I'll take care of her," Grayson said, smiling at the stewardess. – 'We're friends.

"Friends? Bloody predender!" – I mentally shouted.

– Okay, but if you feel worse, make sure you call me," the flight attendant told me and stepped away from us.

It wasn't until the stewardess was behind the curtain that the vampire let go of my wrist, and I immediately threw the paper off it and saw the dark blue indentations Grayson's fingers had left on it.

– I hate you! – I said quietly.

He only laughed softly in response.