Читать книгу Two for tragedy. Volume 2 - Анна Морион - Страница 7

After a brief moment of joy, I remembered that the girls were in urgent need of a bath and rest, and pulled myself together.

– Come on, we need to wash you… You'll be home today! – I said to the girls and, taking them by the hands, led them out of the corridor into the hall of the castle. – Everything will be all right now! Don't cry! It's all over now! It's over! – I didn't know if they understood my imperfect English, but I hoped they did.

The girls followed me obediently and kept crying, probably out of joy. They clung to my dress and pressed themselves against me as if asking for my protection.

Everything was a blur: we went into my room and Susan and Lourdes ran into the bathroom with loud cries of joy. They acted like little children who had seen a merry-go-round for the first time. I hurried after them. With quick, nervous movements, they tore off their clothes, or rather the rags that were left of them, and both sat down in the huge bathtub and turned off the taps. I touched the water, and it was so hot that I jerked my hand away and hurried to turn on the hot tap. Frightened that the girls had gone mad after sitting in their cells for so long, I decided to take the process of bathing them into my own hands.

– Susan, Lourdes, stop it! I'll do it myself, just sit still and don't touch anything! – I told them sternly.

On that damned day I had forgotten all about myself: it was just them – the two unfortunate victims Grayson had deceived, scared, hungry and helpless.

The girls' bodies were covered with bruises and bruises, and remembering the fury with which they had beaten against the iron bars of the cells when they saw me, I realised that they had left those wounds on themselves. Their hair – dirty, tangled, in urgent need of large amounts of shampoo, and their nails were chipped and dirty. The poor creatures were so thirsty that they drank water straight from the bathtub, scooping it up with their dirty palms.

– Now we will bathe you, and you will be clean and beautiful as before! – Pouring foam into the bathtub and taking a flannel in my hands, I said affectionately, which made the girls smile.

As the bubble rose, Susan and Lourdes began to blow on it and play with it, laughing merrily.

– Susan, get a flannel and start washing. – I handed her the flannel and she started rubbing her skin furiously with it.

– We're going to wash your head," I said to Lourdes. – Only you need to get it wet.

Lourdes dipped her head under the water, and when her long hair was wet, I poured a large amount of shampoo on it and began to wash it. I felt responsible for these girls, who, meek and gentle, must have seen me as a protector.

Then the girls switched: I took care of Susan's head, and Lourdes began to wash her body with a loofah. The water in the bathtub had turned grey with grime, and I drained it so that I could now wash the girls under the shower. The hot steam in the air made the bathroom very hot and I was sweating terribly. I began to feel short of breath – which forced me to open the doors.

– What's your name? – Susan asked me as I wrapped her in a large bath towel.

– Viper," I answered, glad that she was starting to come round.

– Can I brush my teeth? I haven't brushed my teeth in a long time, and it's making me uncomfortable," she asked in embarrassment.

– Yes, and me, can I? – Lourdes asked timidly, already wrapped in a towel.

– Of course! But I only have one toothbrush," I was confused.

– That's okay, we'll share," Susan smiled. – I don't think Lourdes would mind!

– No, I don't! – Lourdes said, smiling too.

I gave them my toothbrush and toothpaste, and the girls took turns brushing their teeth. Lourdes brushed her teeth carefully and pedantically, unlike Susan who did it rather quickly and furiously.

Now that the girls were clean, I could see how beautiful they were. Fortunately, they had already recovered and were talking as sane adults should.

– You need to get dressed," I said. – I hope my clothes will fit you!

We came out of the bathroom, and I rummaged through my suitcase and got the girls each a dress. My dress was a little short for Susan, and Lourdes's was dragging on the floor because of her short stature. Both girls were very thin – the result of hunger and suffering.

– I'm afraid my shoes won't fit you," I said thoughtfully, looking at the girls' bare feet.

– No need for shoes! Thank you! You saved us! What would we have done without you? – Susan exclaimed, and both girls rushed to embrace me eagerly, and I was very happy that I had been able to help them.

In that moment, I was glad I'd been with Grayson, or those girls would have died or been killed by him before they ever saw freedom.

– We were the last ones left in the cells. And I was so scared! – Lourdes sobbed.

– How? You weren't the only ones in there? – I asked in horror.

– No, all the cells were filled! And at first my blood ran cold from the screams! There were even Chinese or Japanese women there, can you imagine? – Susan answered me quietly. – He fooled us all!

– And where are they all? Why are there only two of you? – I asked, though deep down I knew the answer: they were dead.

– Every day his servant came and took away five or six girls: they left and never came back. I don't know where they are now or what happened to them, but-" Susan sighed bitterly. – I think Brandon killed them.

– Yes, he killed them! – Lourdes repeated her words quietly.

The three of us sat down on the bed.

So Grayson kept a lot of captives here and then killed them. And he would have killed Susan and Lourdes, too, if he hadn't had me as his prime target.

I looked at the girls, and suddenly a ruthless thought flashed through my brain: the vampire wouldn't let them go. He couldn't afford to let them go, despite their vows not to say a word about him.

– How did you get here? – I asked, determined to find out everything they knew about Brandon Grayson. Did they know he was a vampire? If not, they still had a chance to break free!

Susan laughed nervously.

– How trivial it all was! I met him in London, at an exhibition of paintings by contemporary artists. As I remember now, I saw him and thought: "My God, what a handsome man! Is it possible for a man to be as gorgeous as he is?" and then we were introduced to each other by mutual friends, and I… Lost my head! I'd never seen a man as handsome as him before. – Susan tugged angrily at her dress, and I realised that she was mentally berating and cursing herself for what she had done. – He had told me that he had been in love with me at first sight, and had suggested that I should go away with him to his castle where no one would find us, and yet I was engaged to another man. At first I hesitated, and it offended him. Then I changed my mind and begged him to forgive me… And I went away with him… But my fiancé, my Christopher, who loved me madly, probably has not forgiven me and will never forgive me. What a fool I am!

– And what happened when you came here? – I continued my cruel interrogation, even though I knew I was hurting Susan by making her relive those terrible moments.

– He gave me a tour of the castle, and then he told me that there was something very interesting in his dungeon… We went there… And there it was! I was terrified! Those girls! Those screams! – She covered her face with her palms, and her voice changed to a trembling soprano. – And then he locked me in the cell and I…" Susan stopped talking and broke into tears.

– And you, Lourdes? – I turned to the Spaniard, who was tearfully listening to Susan's story.

– I was like her, too," Lourdes answered me briefly. – But his friends were here when I came with him. I curse this maniac!

– You didn't see anything else? – I questioned, finding joy in their grief that, thanks to their ignorance, I had an argument for the vampire to let them go.

– No! What could we see? We were trapped in those barns! Wait… How did you end up here? And why didn't he put you in a cell like the rest of us? – Susan asked quietly, instantly calmed down and stopped sobbing.

– Just like you," I lied, grinning, so as not to disturb their souls, and besides, Grayson could hear every word we said.

– We're all fools! – Lourdes said sadly.

– But why didn't he lock you up? – Susan persisted with her question.

– I don't know! – I shrugged my shoulders. – But he will let you go.

– And what will happen to you? – Lourdes asked, looking at me sadly with her beautiful dark eyes.

– It doesn't matter," I answered quietly. – The important thing is that you will be home.

– Why are you so protective of this maniac? – Susan asked, apparently unhappy with my words.

– I'm not defending him… No, never! I mean, he's caused me a lot of suffering, too! It's just that if I don't stay here, you will stay here, because Grayson needs a victim! – I answered her reproach fervently.

– Why do you say that? We can all go together! – Susan exclaimed hotly. – You don't have to sacrifice yourself for us!

– Believe me, it's not a sacrifice. I want to stay," I lied tearfully, shuddering at my own lies. – You have no idea what I've done… Yes, I want to stay… I belong here.

– If that's your decision… But it's all very sad," Susan whispered.

I didn't answer her, and went to the open window and stared longingly out, thinking that soon the girls would be home, and I would be here. But I did not envy them in the least: I was glad for them, glad that they would be saved. My longing was only for my fate.

It was raining hard outside the window. So hard that I could not see anything because of its grey blanket: the strings of rain were not even and moved, changed direction, whipped the leaves of the trees and sighed noisily, hitting the ground and shattering into thousands of small liquid fragments.

– Ready, beauties?

I turned around: Grayson was standing in the doorway. The beautiful killer.

The girls cried out in fright, running to me and hiding behind my back.

The vampire slowly approached us.

– Viper, silly, you can't be so heartless," Brandon said to me, grinning an unpleasant crooked grin.

– I feel responsible for them! – I replied to his lunge.

– Everyone is only responsible for themselves," he countered.

– You'll never understand that! – I said quietly.

A thousand curses, taunts, and sarcastic remarks about Grayson were stuck in my throat-he disgusted me more than ever. He mocked us mortals, but he was a true monster himself. But I swallowed it, remembering that he'd promised to let the girls go, which meant I couldn't make him angry.

– You're right, I'll never understand that weakness. – Grayson smiled contemptuously, and I knew from his tone that he was referring to Cedric's love for me. Then Grayson sat down on the bed and kept his eyes on us. – What a picture! Three imperfections cuddled together, their eyes glistening with fear and hatred for me! – he grinned.

– Will you let them go? – I asked, switching to Czech so that the girls would not be frightened by our frank conversation.

– I promised you. If you want them to go right now," he replied in Czech. – But you promised me something too.

– Me? – I was genuinely surprised.

– Yes, and you don't remember it? – He asked with a smile. – Let's go to the other room, we need to talk.

A shiver came over me.

"God, what does he want from me?" – I thought with horror.

– 'Yes, of course,' I still replied, completely unaware of what he wanted to talk about, but agreeing so he wouldn't change his mind about letting the girls go.

Grayson got up from the bed and held out his hand to me, smiling pleasantly.

I put mine into the vampire's palm, and we left the room and headed forward down the long corridor. I was so nervous-the unknown terrified me: Grayson was a great actor, and his words about needing to talk could mean anything.

Finally, the vampire led me to the end of the corridor, opened the door of the room in front of me, pushed me in, walked in, and closed the door behind him. Grayson walked over to the window.

– Amazing day, isn't it? A storm of emotions! – he said cheerfully, looking out the window. – Come to me.

I immediately obeyed his order.

– Do you want to talk about it? – I asked incredulously, standing next to him.

Grayson looked at me. His face was terribly stern.

– Of course not, silly. – He grabbed my hair and pulled me to him, forcing me to look into his face. – So what did you promise? – He asked sternly.

I dazedly grabbed his hand he used to pull my hair.

– You're hurting me! – I shouted.

Tears streamed from my eyes: he was hurting me so badly that I thought I could feel the skin on my head tearing.

– What did you promise me? – he repeated, raising his voice.

My mind began to frantically recall what this sadistic man had asked me to do, and what I could promise him.

– I promised to… Clean the scratches?" I asked uncertainly, hoping that was what he wanted me to say.

– Did you do it?

– I didn't have time…" A cry of pain escaped my throat as the vampire yanked my hair so hard I felt like he'd ripped half of it out.

– You didn't. That's a shame. Too bad, Viper, too bad!

– I'll do it right now! – I begged.

– You disappointed me. I gave you a gift, and you spit in my face! Should we take these girls back to their cosy cells?

– Please, Brandon, no! I'm begging you!

– Stupid girl, you think I'd want you with dirty blood? They could have infected you with something, and I asked you to wash your scratches. – Grayson's deep voice was even scarier than his actions.

– I beg you… I didn't have time… But if you want me to, I'll do it right now....

– Yes, Viper, I do! And let's agree to keep our promises: next time I won't be so kind!

– Yeah, sure! Whatever you say!

The vampire let go of my hair, and I immediately ran my palms through it to make sure he hadn't ripped it out. Luckily, they were still there. But his outburst of anger had really scared me, and now I was terrified that he was going to lock Lourdes and Susan in the cells again.

– Clean your damn scratches! – Grayson ordered me sternly, nodding his head at the table where I could see the medication.

I silently worked on my scratches.

– Carefully! And stop crying!

I clenched my teeth, and finally, after I had thoroughly cleaned my scratches, I looked fearfully at the vampire, not knowing what to do next.

He'd been watching me all this time, and now, taking a bandage and grabbing my arm, he began to bandage the scratched area tightly.

Grayson was so worried about my blood! He was even bandaging my arm with his own hand! How thoughtful he was about what he needed from me-the purity of my blood!

– Have you calmed down? – Grayson asked grimly, finishing his work.

– Yes. I was just scared," I told him quietly.

– I hope you've learnt your lesson.

– Yes. But you're going to let them go, aren't you?

– Unlike you, I always keep my promises," he said, smiling as sweetly as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't taken his anger out on me.

We headed back to the room where Lourdes and Susan were waiting for us. As soon as we entered, the girls huddled fearfully against the windowsill. I approached them, wanting to reassure them.

– Were you crying? What did he do to you? – Lourdes whispered, and Susan wrinkled her nose at my tear-stained face.

– It's okay, you'll be home soon," I told them, and then turned, in Czech, to Grayson. – Will you let them go now?

– What did you ask? – Susan whispered to me, but I decided not to answer her.

Brandon's words about always keeping his promises cheered me up.

– They swore they wouldn't say anything about you," I reminded the vampire.

– Of course not," he grinned. – But do you really want me to let them go? Do you dislike their company?

– Please, Brandon! Be merciful! – I burst out.

Grayson suddenly smiled broadly.

– Merciful. That's a beautiful word. But if that's what you want, I'll do it. Are you sure you won't regret it?

– Never! – I answered firmly.

– Then please, everybody out! I'll meet you on the porch," Grayson grinned and quickly left the room.

Susan, Lourdes and I quickly followed him.

Suddenly he was gone; all I could see was his shadow slipping down the stairs.

Holding hands, the girls and I stepped out onto the porch.

Grayson stood with his back to us, staring out at the park.

It was raining-it had turned into a torrential downpour, and I couldn't help but think about why the vampire had insisted that the girls leave right now. Yeah, and how are they going to leave? What way was he going to get them into town?

– Viper, come here," I heard Grayson's voice.

I timidly followed his order.

– Beautiful weather, don't you think? – He asked, not turning to look at me or the girls.

– I love the rain, but I think it's better to stay inside and drink hot tea with lemon," I told him honestly. – Brandon, I was thinking… Maybe they could leave later when the rain has passed? Look at this downpour! How will they get to town?

– No, Viper, you wanted me to let them go right away. And that's exactly what I'm going to do now. – The vampire said it in such a tone that I immediately understood the meaning of his phrase: "Don't be clever, otherwise, I won't let them go at all. It's now or never." – You know, Cedric came to visit me once," he said, glaring at me.

– Cedric? Here? – I couldn't believe it.

What could Cedric and this ruthless sadist have in common?

– I see it surprises you, but I'll tell you: he took part in one entertainment, my favourite, and though, no, he left at once. But his brother often indulges in it with me. Do you want to know what?

– What? – I answered quietly.

– Damn it, I promised you a surprise! It's about time you let your new girlfriends go," Grayson said in a cheerful tone.

He went over to the girls. I did the same.

The girls stood there, hands clasped tightly together, looking fearfully at the vampire. Lourdes was especially frightened, her chin quivering.

– It's nice of you to take care of them and give them your clothes, but they won't need them," Brandon told me in Czech.

– How's that? – I whispered the same thing. – They're going to…

– They're going to walk out of here naked.

I stared at him in silence, not knowing if he was joking or not.

"He wants them to go into town without clothes? How does he envisage that? Why is he making fun of them like that?! No, he's clearly mentally disturbed!"" – ran through my head.

– Take off your clothes," Grayson ordered the girls in English again.

They looked at me incomprehensibly.

But I couldn't say anything to them and lowered my gaze to the floor.

– Do we have to do this? – Susan asked fearfully.

– Either you undress and leave right now, or you never leave here. I think both options are just fine," Grayson told her calmly, as if this were just business as usual for him. But there was steel in his calm voice.

– You better do it! – I exclaimed quietly, afraid that now, because of their stubbornness and bashfulness, he wouldn't let them go. – 'You'll stumble into some village or meet some good people-and you'll be free!

"Let them go naked, but let them be free! There will be good people to help them!" – I fervently believed this.

When the girls heard my words, they hesitated a little longer, and then, with eyes full of tears, began slowly to take off their dresses. Lourdes cried. And when they were completely naked, they shamefully tried to cover their nakedness with their hands.

My heart bled, but there was nothing I could do to help them. I imagined the humiliation of Grayson's order, but I didn't dare say a word to the vampire.

– Now it's time for us to part our ways! – Grayson smiled. – Go away before I change my mind. – He pulled a key fob out of his pocket and pressed one of the buttons. – The gate opened.

I gave the girls a quick hug and whispered to each of them, "Run as fast as you can!"

The girls slowly descended the stairs and found themselves under a furious downpour.

Naked, in the cold downpour, they had to reach the city! And after all, it was even a long drive! Poor, poor martyrs!

– Run! Run! – I shouted to them, dissatisfied with their hesitant movements. – Run away from here as fast as you can!

The girls quickly ran towards the open gate that was the way out of this kingdom of horror. I watched them until they were out of sight, and when their silhouettes melted into the rain, I breathed a sigh of relief.

– Thank you…" I said quietly, looking up at the vampire. – That was very noble of you.

But to my amazement, he laughed in my face. His laugh, creepy and mocking, made me shiver.

– Do you really think so? Well, it's time to show you the second part of my favourite amusement! – he said grimly, and his eyes became so scary that I trembled. – As you asked, I let them go, but now I have every right to kill them! You didn't ask me not to kill them, only to let them go!

– No!" I let out a scream of horror.

– Did you think I was going to let them go alive? – The vampire smiled gloatingly, walked down the stairs and disappeared into the rain.

– No, Brandon! Don't do this! Leave them alone! I'm begging you! – I shouted after him, but he was already out of my sight.

"He'll kill them!" – "He'll kill them!" went through my mind, and I rushed down the stairs and ran after him. I ran through mud and puddles, the rain hitting me in the face, covering my eyes and so soaking my dress that it became a heavy wet sack that stuck to my body and legs and made it hard to run.

– Brandon! Don't you dare! Leave them alone! Let them go! – I screamed exhaustedly, hoping to stop his horrible plans. Soon I was in the woods, my feet drowning in muddy streams and slimy mud. Water streamed down my back, my hair wet and sticky, covering my eyes as if on purpose. I didn't know where to run: the forest seemed huge and unfriendly. The downpour was hitting the green leaves on the trees, and they made a muffled, quiet drumming sound. My right side stabbed, and I stopped involuntarily to give myself a few seconds of rest. I looked around for the girls and the vampire, but they seemed to have disappeared. I had no choice but to keep running, but not as fast as before – my side was aching as I had never run so much and so fast before. I ran into the bowl of the forest and suddenly tripped over something on the ground and fell with my face down into the mud, but I didn't have the luxury of hesitating, and quickly getting to my feet, I ran on, covered from head to toe in mud. But I was suddenly seized with a strange feeling of unbearable anxiety.

What could I have tripped over? The "something" was quite soft, long, and it couldn't have been a fallen branch.

I stopped abruptly and looked back: there was a human body on the ground, half buried in the dirt. I lost my breath. Quickly returning to the body, I hesitantly stopped a few steps away from it.

– No!" I shrieked: there, in the mud, lay Lourdes. – Lourdes! Wake up, Lourdes! – I rushed to her and shook her violently.

But she didn't move. She was dead. There was horror in her beautiful, wide-open eyes, and two large red dots gaping at her neck. The girl's face was almost white: she was completely drained of blood.

Grayson had killed her. He drank her blood.

My eyes filled with tears, and everything around me began to blur. My head was a blur. My body refused to obey me, and I sat on my knees in front of the dead girl, as if hypnotised by her death, crying silently and staring at her pale, dead face. My mind was unwilling to accept this reality. I couldn't believe that Lourdes was dead and would never get up and speak to me again.

Suddenly, some heavy object fell beside me, showering me with a fountain of spray. I glanced sideways and saw Susan. She wasn't moving. She was dead, too. I cried out quietly in horror and looked up to see Grayson standing very close to me, smiling. His lips and teeth were scarlet from the blood he'd drunk, but there wasn't a single speck of it on his soaked suit.

"It's my turn now. He's going to kill me," my mind raced, and I fell into darkness.

Fragmentary scenes flashed before my eyes, changing like the frames of a horror film: Lourdes running across the field, her black hair wet and sticking to her back. Her blue dress tangles in her legs. Suddenly, out of a dense wall of rain, like a black shadow, Grayson appears in front of the girl and nuzzles into her neck. Not a sound comes out of her open mouth – she doesn't even have time to cry out. Lourdes collapses, but the vampire holds her tightly against him and continues to drink her blood, then, satiated, roughly throws her already dead body into the dirt. A moment later, the shot changes to a fleeing Susan looking around, afraid of being chased, and running straight into the vampire's deadly embrace. Grayson drinks her blood, then lifts her white corpse in his arms and carries it into the shroud of rain. Susan's white, skinny arm swings with his steps like a pendulum. And, at the end of this film, the dead eyes of Lourdes stood before me in a huge frame Those beautiful, huge black eyes. They reflected the rain, Grayson's silhouette, and a frozen wonder, like a question that would remain unanswered forever: "Why?"

I opened my eyes sharply and saw myself lying on a fur pelt in front of a large, burning fireplace.

It was warm. The wood in the fireplace was crackling cosily.

My dress and hair were dry, and I realised that I had been unconscious for hours, maybe more. My body, face, dress, hair, everything was covered in dried mud.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" – I thought involuntarily, and looked round to see Grayson sitting in a black chair, staring at the fire. We were only a metre or less apart-I was almost at his feet. The vampire was dressed in a new clean, dry suit. When he saw that I had regained consciousness, he smiled at me with an enchanting white-toothed smile.

His smile made me turn back to the fireplace and fall helplessly onto the fur.

– Kill me, please," I asked the vampire quietly. I no longer had the strength to endure the death he was sowing around me.

– You can't wait to die? – he asked mockingly.

– I don't want to live. What do you want me for?

– I think I've gotten used to you by now. You know how you people get used to a dog? Besides, I'd be bored without you. You'll be my entertainment.

– I hate you! – I whispered hatefully, and hot tears of despair burned my eyes.

– Well hate me because I definitely don't need your love! – The vampire laughed at that.