Duk ran his finger over a small map of the world . The map was slowly but surely covered with lines, dots and dates. In the light of a green lamp standing on a wooden table, book dust gleamed in the air. Stacks of worn books covered most of the table. Duk had been sitting in the library for more than an hour. He had translated the ancient scrolls in the werewolf archive long ago. The history of people contained a lot of information, both fictional and true.Duk carefully studied the legends and myths of antiquity, analyzing them. He was interested in cases where the appearance of higher vampires were recorded, he marked them on the world map. It was useless to look for traces in the documentary chronology, the Ancient Dark Ones knew how to cover their tracks, and the time of the Middle Ages destroyed most of the knowledge about the Dark Ones. In ancient myths and belief in the gods, grains of the past have been preserved. Duk, like a sieve sifting sand, sought out the gold of truth. A
Julia looked ahead of her with an unseeing gaze. Sad look, even breathing, she seemed to freeze, thinking about what happened last night. The day was rapidly fading away, giving way to the second cycle. The body felt energized. But she paid no attention to it. Immersed in her thoughts, not noticing how her feelings took on a different form of sensitivity, more subtle and varied, sitting by Alud's bed, she gently squeezed his hand. About three hours ago his convulsions had stopped and he was sleeping peacefully. The wounds healed, leaving behind small whitish lines. The hand suddenly twitched. Julia, interrupting the course of her thoughts, carefully looked at Alud. Under thin skin, eyeballs moved. The eyelids lifted, gathering the skin into micro folds, exposing the shiny surface of the eye. A dark pupil with a burgundy cut looks ahead, a sharp look, filled with power. For a second, looking around the environment, simultaneously listening to his body, whether it was healthy, Alud turn
- All clear, my lord. Wait what is this? - Brook-ta-man tore the receiver from his ear and put it in the pocket of his cloak, the last glory did not reach the consciousness of the vampire. The elevator doors opened, and the sounds of gunshots and screams burst into the small spaces of the elevator car. Brook-ta-man dived briskly behind a pillar and carefully leaned out to look at what was happening. Guards bustled about in the parking lot, running between cars and firing back. From the side of the entrance, standing behind shelters, a group of people generously showered the defenses with a hail of bullets and shot. The lift was called from above. The vampire looked at the attackers, occasionally bullets hit them, he practically did not pay attention to injuries, they were Kalim's werewolves, he felt it from the radiation pulsing inside them. The werewolves were furious, a small armed squad tried to storm the head building of the vampires. People guarding the parking lot clearly did no
- Well, how are you? Good copy huh? says the obese man with a pleased expression on his face. He nods at the car parked near him. Nearby stands a man in a dark blue sweater. He examines the gleaming cocoa-bean-coloured car carefully. His gaze darts across the windshield, the rear-view mirrors, the seventeen-inch alloy wheels, the massive grille, the satisfied face of the interlocutor. His greasy cheeks seem about to burst and scatter fat over a shiny hood.- This is a new ZineLi-5 model, it is stuffed with electronics, how much did you pay for it? Asks a man with a sad look.“I gave enough to get around the city comfortably,” the fat man says, “you know, this office job is killing me, my cholesterol is going through the roof, I can’t walk anymore, and this car seems to be made for me, you know? I sat down in it, and fell in love, that's all I need. the man says, stroking the smooth lacquered side of the car. - Of course, I had to get into debt and take a couple of loans, but it's wort
The light crackle of an electric lamp abruptly changes to cotton. Small pieces of glass scatter in different directions, turning into sharp dust, from hitting the roof walls. Barely noticeable smoke coming from the light bulb quickly dissolves into the air. The roof immediately became hot, and in the center stood side by side a vampire and a werewolf, looking around intently. Reddish translucent clumps, gradually forming into small figures, surrounded them. Brook-ta-man counted about a dozen of these crimson spots, Alud's hair was ruffled on the back of his neck, he carefully watched the movements of the slightly glowing spots. The creatures became clearer every second, losing more and more blurry features.“Get ready, vampire,” the werewolf growled through his fangs, “you probably didn’t fight them, but you know everything about them.- Yes, I am familiar with their habits, if we cover each other's backs, there is a chance to win, - Brook-ta-man whispered softly. His eyes glowed blue
Alud stopped, sniffed the area. The vampire stood behind him, staring into the darkness."Over that wall," the werewolf snarled softly. The vampire tilted his head up. His eyes shone brighter, a slight smirk lit up his face. A black raven sat on the roof.- And there is his guide sitting, I'll need him for us. Without waiting for an answer, the vampire vanished into thin air. Alud walked slowly towards the site of the recent skirmish with the hunter. A dark hole in the wall occasionally crumbled with small brick chips.- Still twitching, so alive. thought the werewolf. A short cry of a bird was heard from above. Brook-ta-man, lightly pushing off the walls, went downstairs, in his hands, trying in vain to free himself, a black raven kicked. The vampire carefully looked at the hole in the wall, someone's presence was really felt, but the Shadof artifact did not allow him to notice it.And how are we going to get him out of there? - asked the vampire, a little confused. Alud didn't answe
Drops of blood occasionally fall down from the shiny surface of the blade. The viscous liquid breaks on the floor in small red rubies of spray. Lasters examines the blood-stained hieroglyphs on his short blade. The fire in the eyes gradually disappears, the look begins to give cold. On the nose, with a small hump, predatory skin folds are smoothed out. Slowly runs his tongue over the surface of the knife, leaving not a single drop of blood. Turning his head slightly to one side, he closes his eyes with pleasure, his Adam's apple twitching in a swallowing reflex. With a practiced move, Lasters tucks the dagger under his cloak into its special scabbard, the scale-like steel plates on the cloak chiming slightly, yielding to the motions of the seven hundred and fifty year old being. Underfoot lies a dead werewolf, slowly turning into a human. Blood flows from a deep wound on the neck. A little further away, Veilon reloads his pistol, the gleaming clip clattering softly into the steel assa
- In general, you correctly expressed Alud, but his blood flows in the werewolves, so we are “favorite ants”, therefore He will talk to us, and not burn us to ashes, – Duk grinned. Alud swallowed nervously. Going for advice to Volkodlak is comparable to going to the heart of a nuclear reactor.Alud felt like a man, because of the inability to use his strength and fear, penetrating him like a hundred thousand invisible needles. Suddenly, the torch illuminated a massive door of an incomprehensible appearance, the material from which the doors were sealed was impossible to determine by appearance, but the texture resembled cast iron, covered with cobwebs. Duke stopped. He stood for a moment and took a deep breath. He removes the chain from his chest, a key hangs on it, his hand directs the key into a narrow keyhole. Three turns clockwise, two in the opposite direction. The rumble of the mechanism opening the bolts, the door opens very slowly, the web breaks, the dust falls, raising smal