Two for tragedy. Volume 2
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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.
CHAPTER 32
I paced towards the car park and still couldn't believe that Viper was flying away. But despite the sadness of the breakup, I was glad that Viper was safe from now on, and I looked forward to the message she was supposed to send me as soon as she arrived at Rio airport. I was scared for Viper, for the plane could fall and crash, or a storm could come up that would bring the possibility of an accident.