NIGHT, I. Rin [ebook reader with highlight function TXT] 📗

Prince. But your blood will not be human and that will open you the way to the vampires. It will be the full moon tomorrow; which means that they are organizing the ball. Every full moon vampires come together in the castle of their Prince and Lord. And you are going to this ball, allure a vampire and take his blood. The blood you will put here!”

 

The witch gave a small glassy bottle to Angelica.

 

“And then,” she continued, “you’ll get back to me with the blood and I will make a healing drink for the Prince and for you. Well, what do you think of my plan?”

“Great!” the girl said, looking at the small bottle in her hands. “Then we’d better not postpone it!” The witch said loudly. She took a small knife from the table and made a cut on the Prince’s hand. The Prince’s blood was thick almost black. The witch stained the knife with the Prince’s blood and then with this knife she made a cut on Lica’s hand.

“Well,” the woman said satisfied. “Now you are infected. It will begin in a few hours. And when you get the vampires’ castle,  you won’t be mortal any more. Elsa will lead you by enchanted paths and you will be in the Ghosts Fields very soon. And then the vampire’s blood and your intuition will lead you to the castle. But you cannot go to the ball in such horrible clothes! Now let’s find something better for you!”

 

The witch came out of the room and soon back with a sump-tuous scarlet dress and matching scarlet shoes.

“Well, I have found!” the hostess of the cave announced happily. “It is vampires’ favorite color - the color of red blood! Get changed!”

“How many different dresses I have worn for the balls,” Angelica thought.

She changed clothes quickly and the witch clapped her hands with delight.

“Charming! Charming!” she said. “You will have great suc-cess! Just do not forget about your mission and bring me the blood of a vampire.”

Lica nodded wearily. She hid the bottle into the dress sleeve and, just in case, put the dirk, which Swein had given her, under the corset. Then she came out of the cave. Elsa had been already waiting for her, holding the reins of the horse. She helped Angelica to mount and sat on a thin nag herself.

 

“Come on, we must hurry,” Elsa said. “The enchanted paths often change their direction.”

And two riders sped away from the cave. After a couple of hours Lica saw Swein’s tomb.

“We need to turn,” the goblin woman said confidently.

 

She turned her nag and Angelica followed her. Suddenly a thick fog cloaked them but witch’s maid wasn’t worried about it. She moved forward. Soon they were in the wide field. The mist drifted down and now it was just above the ground.

 

“These are the Ghosts Fields,” Elsa whispered. “Now you’ll go alone. It’s too dangerous for me to stay here.”

Lica nodded and said goodbye to her. The woman turned her horse back and ... disappeared.

 

“Perhaps, she went away by enchanted path,” she decided. She looked up at the sky. The Moon was shining brightly high above the mist. Angelica, not knowing why, turned his horse and ran toward the Moon. On the right and on the left from her there were some whitish figures and silhouettes but she did not look at them. Somewhere back there was a long howl but Lica did not even look round. She, like possessed with some-thing, raced ahead.

 

Suddenly she saw very tall walls of the castle.

 

“It’s the Castle of Vampires,” she guessed.

 

She went along the wall and soon saw the opened gate. Some tall skinny men were standing near them. Angelica was a bit nervous but then pulled herself together, made a stone face and went into the yard of the castle. The men looked at the horsewoman and Lica realized that she hadn’t been mistaken in her thoughts.

 

Those men’s faces were so pale and their eyes were shining so that it was impossible to make a mistake: they were vampires!

The girl jumped off the horse and tied it to the tree, growing in the yard. Then she marched arrogantly to the main entrance of the castle, went up the stairs and pushed the carved wooden door.

The Vampires’ ball

 

A minute later Lica was in a huge hall. It was empty but she could hear the sound of music from other room. The girl went along the corridor leading to that room and saw herself in a large, bright room lit by candles. The music could be heard from here. There were a lot of people. Some were dancing; others were standing along the walls and talking about something. It seemed that all the guests were similar to each other... Their bright glowing eyes, very pale skin and red lips.

 

“Do I look the same?” Angelica thought anxiously.

 

She looked in the big mirror on the wall but did not notice anything different.

 

“Apparently, the infection process has not gone too far!” she reassured herself.

 

Only now Lica saw that lots of men were looking at her with obvious interest.

 

“Well! And who am I going to tempt?” she thought.

 

At this moment the music stopped and a loud voice an-nounced:

“Ladies and gentlemen! The Prince is glad to welcome you at his ball. Enjoy yourself and have fun! Remember that the Fool Moon is not eternal!”

The girl was very curious.

 

“What a person is that Prince?” she thought. “I wish I could have one look-see at him and then flirt with someone.”

Angelica went through the crowd of the guests moving for-ward. Seeing Lica, the men respectfully made her a way and the women just snorted her back, being jealous. At last she saw the high throne next to the columns. A handsome young man with dark long hair was sitting on the throne. His skin was so white and thin that it seemed to shine with some light. He looked so aristocratic and mysterious.

 

“Well, this Prince of vampires is not bad!” she thought. “Perhaps now I will invite him to dance.”

The music started and Lica moved boldly to the Prince, sit-ting on the throne. When she was no more than in three or four steps, two vampires blocked her way.

“And where are you going?” one asked sarcastically.

 

“I would like to invite the Prince to dance!” Angelica retorted. “You do not have the right to come near the Lord!” another one said strictly. “You may be a new here if you do not know our laws!”

 

Loud talk and Lica’s bright scarlet dress attracted the Prince’s attention. He stood up from the throne, came to them quietly and now was just behind his guards.

 

“So I ask you,” the vampire continued speaking sternly to the girl, “to go back and dance with someone else.”

 

Angelica saw the Prince behind the vampire guards and gave him a smile.

 

“Have I said anything funny?” the guard asked.

 

“Look back!” Lica said smiling.

 

The vampires turned around and, seeing his master, bent into a bow. Then they explained haltingly:

 

“This girl... she wanted to invite you to dance... she’s probably new here... She does not know our rules...”

 

The Prince raised his hand and they both fell silent as if by command.

 

“Why do you get our beautiful guest wait!” the Prince said with ingratiating voice.

 

He waved his hand and the musicians began to play a new and sweet melody. The Prince of vampires gave his hand to Angelica and they started dancing.

 

The main vampire was just guzzling Lica with his eyes. He immediately noticed that she was different from other women at the ball. She had a pink velvety skin, lively eyes and soft lips. She was just like an ordinary alive girl. But the Prince was still feeling the blood of a vampire in her. They whirled dancing and the vam-pire asked:

 

“You are not from here, aren’t you? I know all my people. Where did you come from?”

 

“I’m from afar...” Angelica replied evasively.

 

“You are very beautiful! And the red color of the dress so suits you!”

 

“Thank you!” Lica blushed.

 

“You can you blush, can’t you? It’s a miracle!” the Prince admired. “None of vampires I know have ever done that!”

 

The girl looked into his eyes and remembered her dancing with Prince Edward at her first ball.

 

 “What are you thinking about?” the Lord of vampires asked.

 

“About the past...” Angelica answered honestly.

 

“You are so charming that I’m starting to lose my mind,” the vampire said quietly.

At this time the music ended, the Prince took Lica’s hand and held her to the throne. He raised his hand and there was silent in the hall.

“My people,” he talked to his guests. “You know it was not my rules but today I want to choose the Queen of the Ball. It will be this beautiful stranger in a scarlet dress!”

Everyone was applauding and shouting:

 

“Bravo!”

 

The Prince waved his hand again and the music played.

 

He began to circle Angelica in dance more passionate. Nobody had seen how the Prince took the girl from the hall to the corridor and then to a small room.

“I have lost my mind!” he whispered. “You are so beloved...” He pulled Lica to him and kissed her lips passionately. “Prince, not so fast!” Angelica was trying to cool his ardor. But the Lord of vampires picked her up and carried to the large bed, which was in the room.

 

“Prince, you have got it wrong!” Lica shouted. “I’m not here for that! I have a fiancé!”

The main vampire suddenly stopped...

 

“The fiancé?” he asked. “Why did you want to dance with me then?”

 

She sat on the bed and said:

 

“I thought that you could understand me.” “Me? You?” the Prince surprised. “Please, listen to me!” Angelica asked.

And she told the vampire everything... about the infected Prince Night and dangerous changes in his body. And that she had been infected by the vampire’s blood to get here to the ball...

“Now I have to bring the blood of the real vampire to save the Prince,” Lica finished her story.

The Prince listened to her in silence and finally said:

 

 “Your fiancé is a lucky man! I would be immensely happy if a girl, like you are, fell in love with me... Give me your bottle!”

 

Angelica took the bottle from her sleeve and handed it to the main vampire.

 

“Now bite!” the Prince offered the girl his neck, throwing his long black hair behind.

 

“No, I cannot!” Lica confused.

 

“You can!” the Prince smiled. “Give me the favor!”

 

He walked away and sat down in the chair. Then he put his head on the chair back and looked at her sidelong.

 

“I’m waiting!” the vampire encouraged her quietly.

The Lord’s blood