36

Stefan Martensson felt someone's eyes on him when he got to the hotel.

His face burned a little.

Feeling the fear instilled since the days of the brutal operation "Hunting", the guy literally flew into their now unchanged transport - a seemingly insane creation of a militarist - and started the engine.

The car donated by Guy Cornelius does not have a manufacturer and model. It is perfect because it was put together by the smartest person on this earth.

The engine starts quickly and the car starts.

The wind rises and Stefan, turning, sees a man in a hood among the walking.

His face was as white as snow... and the eyes were frightening ...

***

Stefan did not tell anyone about what he saw.

— So...— Olga examined the lock, stroked every convolution with her fingers.

The castle resembled some big bloody hieroglyph.

—Maria,— Olga called her daughter.— of course, it's stupid to ask, but is it familiar to you? It looks like your stuff.—

— Hmm... Yes, it looks like a bloody lock, but there is one small problem in these castles - it is not known whose blood opens

this thing...—Maria ran her fingers over the lock plates.—That's right, it's a bloody lock! And it opens...—

The needle pierced the finger and scarlet drops flowed down the fingers.

— Damn it!— Bjorn is just now distracted from the book.— If the blood is not the same...—

The plates suddenly buzzed and the lid of the chest rose up.

Bjorn whistled.

— If the blood is not the same, then the locks usually activated a poison that poisons vampires...— the ancient Swede finished the sentence quietly.

Maria lifted the second lid of the chest. From where there was a whiff of dust and mustiness.

It was disgusting to breathe such air.

A stream of dense hot air came out from there. He shot down everyone else except Maria.

The vampire screamed in pain.

The contents of the chest was a very bright light and it hit her right hand.

This light burned her... It penetrated into the bones and melted them.

— Maria!—Christophe rushed to the vampire.

Olga raised her hand:

— You can't! Everything should be like this!—

A sign appeared on Maria's hand.

—The Sword chose you...—Olga said to her daughter.

—Then where is the sword?—Maria asked, looking at the sign.

— In you. He...— Bjorn picked up the piece of paper that was at the bottom of the trunk.— It will flare up when it becomes necessary...—

— When it becomes necessary. Hmm... Very detailed. And how will it appear when I don't believe in this mythical sword?—Maria said.

— He will appear.— Olga took out all the books that were in the trunk, as well as the belt.— And how are we going to get rid of this stone now?—

***

Throwing the trunk into the river turned out to be much easier said than done.

A couple of times the whole company was almost noticed.

However, there was considerable joy - the chest sank very quickly.

— At least in some ways we are still lucky... And now, are we going to kill the crown with this sword?—Vegard asked.

— Well... If it is... And why is that? After all, I found this map, I! And I found out the legend! Why so...—Olga sniffed indignantly.

— Any decision of fate has some ground under it. If the sword was supposed to go to your daughter, then it means something, it means nothing happens just like that ...—Olga buried her face in her husband's shoulder.— I wasn't always sure of my daughter's strength, which was so visible at first glance. This power is not always like that... Maria is very weak at heart.—

— Her strength lies in her apparent weakness. I have seen our baby in battle more than once. If she suddenly wants to, she can do anything...—

Maria studied the sign on her palm.

Some unknown hieroglyph throbbed and hurt a little. His right half means life, and his left half means death.

The vampire did not know how she knew this, perhaps the newfound power gave her such knowledge.

Taking out one of the bottles of blood, Maria poured some into a saucer and dipped her finger in it.

Blood circled the hieroglyph. The scarlet droplets were absorbed, but did not spread. My fingers were still hurting, this pain is not going away.

— When will he show up? Do you feel anything, any hint of it?—Christophe sat down next to Maria.

— Give him time, Christophe, give him time...—

***

Going out at dawn to the courtyard of the hotel in a long raincoat with a hood, Maria and Christophe found a place where no

one would see them.

— Let's at least practice here, otherwise it's definitely not worth doing in the room anymore.— the vampire took two sticks

and threw one of them to Christophe.

— Attack when you're ready!— the werewolf got into a fighting stance.

— Yes, I was born ready! Just don't break at least these sticks!—Maria jumped as high as if she were lighter than the wind.

Simultaneous knocking - they parried each other's blows.

The tree beats a loud beat of the battle rhythm.

Maria saw a silhouette on the horizon and fell from a new blow.

She didn't have time to put up any protection, nothing.

The impact made my ears ring.

— Christophe, there...—The vampire stood up and rubbed her head.

— What?—Finnish guy turned around.— There's nothing there!—

— There...—Maria turned around.— Apparently, memories come to me too often...—the vampire sighed.— I think we need to stop

training. My attention is too distracted. It will hurt us both...—

***

The figure that was on the horizon then ...

Could it really be Michael Gustavsson?

Maria for some reason so vividly and so quickly remembered those days when they were together ...

Being under the icy water, the vampire again felt the coolness of the rolling memory and all her heaviness...

— And why does your skin look like parchment?—The albino runs his hand over her cheek.

— I don't advise you to do that...— Marie feels the blood beating under the white skin and moves away. If she attacks him now, it won't be very...

— I want to see what you are like...—

Maria gives in to her instincts and bites through the white skin with her fangs. It's strange that albino blood tastes no different at all.

Michael seems to enjoy it.

— This is what you wanted, so there's nothing to hide your nature from me...— he says.

—Did you want to see a vampire?—Maria asks, wiping her lips.

It doesn't seem very good to her that she broke down, but the blood was boiling in her veins like fire... His blood seemed like the purest fire...

— I wanted to see what you were like... I wanted to see you...—

—Do you have power here?—Maria asks.

— Hah, power! Power... I don't even know what power is! I have the land and the title that my stepfather gave me, but the power...

Who will entrust power to such a person?—he ran his hand over his white face and hair.— People are afraid of such a freak ... —

***

At night the sword came to life.

The signs flashed on Maria's hand.

The girl screamed from the wild pain that pierced her body.

— Maria!— Bjorn woke Christoph up and jumped up himself.

— Danger at the window.— the vampire said hoarsely in a voice not her own.

Thrusting her sword forward, Maria moved the curtain with the blade of her sword.

This creature resembled a dwarf smeared in tar.

Maria pointed her sword at this creature and immediately the lightning burned it to ashes.

—Who was it?—Christophe asked his beloved.

—They came here for the sword...—The vampire said softly.—I just know that...—

The cloaked figure standing outside the window waved to them and disappeared.

— Gustavsson...—Marie said softly.— Is it really true... Is he really here?

— Is Michael Gustavsson that albino?—Christophe asked.

— Maybe.... Yes, yes, he is!—

***

In the morning the phone rang.

— Did you give someone a number?—Bjorn asked.

— No...— Maria pressed "accept the call".

It's not known what it is until you take it and check...

— Hello?— she said loudly into the phone.

— Hi, my bloodsucker...— there was a quiet whisper in the receiver that makes you shudder.

—Is that really you?—Maria tried to hide the tremor in her own voice as best she could.

— You will come alone to the place whose coordinates I will send you by SMS. Don't bring anyone with you and I'll tell you everything

you'll need to. I can smell others...—

The lights out beeped. In genuine shock, Maria did not even hear the beeps.

The SMS beeped. There were digital coordinates and a postscript "Today, after sunset, ALONE!!!"

***

Maria walked along the path into the forest, occasionally looking at the navigator.

A mixture of fear and joy occasionally ran inside like water over rocks.

If only there were words to describe it more clearly... But the words scattered like a fish from an unlucky fisherman.

The nose caught a familiar smell.

He has black hair now, but his face has remained the same over the years...

Michael Gustavsson... Why? Why is he still alive?

— Hi, Maria...—a deep voice said. A big mouth with thin lips formed into a crazy smile.

— Michael... It really turned out to be you... Why are you still alive?— the vampire approached the tree on which he was standing.

— It's not difficult to live for a long time. The main thing is not to live, but to survive... I kept the sword. I kept it for a very long time, kept it for someone it will choose... And that someone turned out to be you... So strange...—

Michael jumped down from the tree like a bird fluttering from a branch.

—And what am I supposed to know about this sword? A sword is always a sword. It's just a weapon...Maria looked at the sign on her hand.

What she was saying right now wasn't what she was really thinking.

— Repel my attack.— the albino speaks softly.

It's as if the whole atmosphere is collapsing into a huge tight ball. The radiance is blinding.

The next second, the vampire realizes that she has broken through a couple of very thick oaks and is lying on the ground.

— Ouch...— the vampire said in a slow voice.— It actually hurts!—

— It only hurts because you haven't learned how to use it. I used the power of the sword, even though you own it now.—

The vampire's face was contorted with intense pain.

There really was pain, and what a pain!

—And what do I have to do to master this damn sword?—Maria blew her hair off her face.

Not to say that heaven and earth have changed places, but that they have somehow mixed up, that's right...

— We will fight until the sword flies from my hand to you.—The sword appeared in Michael's right hand.

— You seem to be left-handed...— Maria stood up, holding her back and bruised leg.—And a weapon for me?—

Michael shook his head and smiled:

— No. You have to fight on your own.—

Jumping on the albino Swede, Maria used her claws.

Michael waved his sword. The girl's fingers became very painful.

During another series of attacks, Maria suddenly introduced Bjorn. And not just him.

It was as if the determination of everyone else was transmitted to her at that very second: Bjorn, Christoph, mother, and father.

Her palm shone and Michael fell, hitting a tree with his back.

The albino laughed out loud.

— What are you doing? I hope I didn't hurt you badly.— having come to her senses, the vampire approached Gustavsson.

— Just give me after your blood... And come on, call them, don't freeze your family in the car in the mountains...—