Possessed hearts - стр. 5

At ten o'clock in the evening the filming took place. Successfully. Both the photographer and the model knew what they were doing.

At four in the morning I flew to Prague, having bought a large flat on Aker Brygge, one of the most popular and expensive neighbourhoods in the city.

And why not?

I remember my birthdays when I was a child: every year I saw the same faces, ageless, beautiful, perfect. The faces of my now grown-up brothers, my parents, my cousins and cousins, and everyone else who had anything to do with the Mroczek clan. And so it was until I turned fifteen: then I urged them not to have these boring meetings. When I turned thirty-five, and the sun gave out my first wrinkles, I forbade my family even to mention that I was growing older. But, what a relief! A vampire's shell never ages or fades, but always remains dazzling.

My parents still hold the record in our society for the number of children born in marriage. Vampire families don't usually have more than two children. Like the Morgans. Gregory Morgan is the only one. Oh, and Fredrik, of course. My parents did their best to raise five children. Two sons and three daughters. And now, thanks to Mariszka, we are related to the Morgan clan, and my parents have a new fledgling to warm their hearts – a long-awaited grandson. I was aware of the fact that our mother selfishly hoped to keep Misha at home, but the clever girl showed character and fled to another's nest. Not Mroczek anymore. Misha Haraldson. Sounds good.

For some time now, my parents have been hinting to my older brother Martin that "it's time for you to get serious and think about your personal life". Fortunately, Martin has always been rich in excuses and declared that "fate will find him without his interference". Love his humour.

Vampire fate always finds us on its own. Even if we desperately hope to keep her away from us even a mile away. She can be a blessing. Oh, then the vampire is happy forever, for he loves the one who loves him. Mutuality. But in many cases, fate simply mocks, throws an immortal leech into our hearts, sucking our blood just as we drink it from a person's veins. Love is a disgusting thing.

***

– Martin! I didn't expect it! – I exclaimed happily when I saw my brother waiting for me at the exit of the terminal at Prague airport.

Martin stood leaning against the counter of a closed ticket office and looked at me with a smile. And I walked towards him with a smile. Soon we hugged, kissed, he took from me my big wheeled suitcase in which I had brought my best camera and presents for my nephew and Misha, we got into the car and went straight to the Morgan Castle. For everyone else, except Mariszka, of course, my appearance in the clan circle is already a gift. And maybe this righteous woman missed me? Eight years. I don't remember for what reason, but I missed Cedric's first two birthdays. Probably because of the anticipation of boredom.

– Where are you staying? – I asked as we briefly updated each other on the latest news of our lives. Briefly, because we regularly skype-called once or twice a month, substituting "blood" for "wine" and "killed" for "met". So when Martin would say, "Yesterday I met an Irish businessman and drank some wonderful Irish wine with him," I knew that yesterday he had killed an Irishman and drank his blood. How entertaining it was to cipher our conversations about hunting!