NIGHT by I Rin (best books to read .TXT) 📕

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 sumptuous 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 success! 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 something, 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 announced:

“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 forward. 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, sitting 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 vampire 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

Lica came to the Prince cautiously.

“But I'm...” she began to mutter.

The main vampire grinned and pulled her hand. Angelica dropped to his knees. They merged in a passionate kiss. Lica felt how another Lica began to awaken in her - predatory and passionate. She started kissing the Prince hot, getting lower and nearer to his neck. The Prince closed his eyes and gave way her kisses. The girl felt the soft skin of his neck and then something happened to her.

She did not understand how it had happened but she dug into the vampire’s neck. He groaned but nestled up to Lica more closely.

“I think I'm in love with you...” he whispered.

Angelica, feeling the taste of his blood, almost went crazy.

She felt such wave of passion that a little more and she would drag the Lord to bed. The Prince made ​​an incredible effort to push the girl away. Two streams of blood were flowing down his neck. He put the bottle to the wound and filled it to the brim…

“Take it!” He gave the bottle to Lica. “You need to leave now or I'm afraid I will not let you go later.”

Only now did Angelica realize that she had been almost ready to sin with the Prince of vampires and she felt incredibly ashamed...

“Sorry!” she said blushing.

The girl grabbed the bottle and ran out of the room. She ran down the corridor, round the main hall, where was the ball. Running out to the yard, Lica immediately noticed her horse. She quickly climbed into the saddle and rode out to the field.

Spurred the horse, Angelica was riding somewhere aimlessly. A few minutes later she heard a clop. Lica looked around and saw that a rider was catching up her. It was the Prince of vampires.

“I thought that you could hardly find the way yourself!” he said quietly. “Follow me!”

He turned to the right and let the horse galloping. The girl hurried after him. After some time they were near the tomb of Swein.

“Now I have to leave you,” the Prince said calmly. “However I am sure that I cannot forget you!”

Angelica was ready to throw herself back into his arms but kept herself. She just rode up to the Lord of the vampires and kissed him on his lips. He smiled, turned his horse back and... disappeared.

Now she was alone. She went around the City of Goblins and a few hours later she was at the witch’s cave. Elsa met Lica at the entrance and took her to the hostess.

“I have brought the blood!”