– Did Cedric tell you about his family? – The vampire asked suddenly.

– No," I lied, seeing no reason to tell him the truth.

– I don't believe you.

– "As you wish," I said.

– I saw Morgan the night before you left.

That phrase made me look at him.

– I knew you'd be interested. When you say his name, you look like a little dog who's heard a familiar word. – Grayson laughed a short, beautiful, but unpleasant laugh. – Damn it, if I hadn't received a call from England that night, you would have flown off to Brazil like that!

– And you didn't hesitate to fly with people? – I grinned.

– Do you think I was happy to have such worthless company? My private plane could not come for me, and I had urgent business in England.

– But why did you take a flight to Brazil if you had to go to England? – I wondered, unable to see the logic in what he was doing.

– I had a couple of things to do in Rio, too, but they weren't as important as you suddenly, quite by accident. Luck is an amazing thing, although in this case, it's not just luck, it's fate. Your fate was to get on the very plane I was on, and my fate was to find out about you and Morgan and to stop the danger of the secret being disclosed in your face.

– But I don't understand why! – I burst out. – Do you think I would harm the man I love?

– There is a golden rule in our society: eliminate danger before it stops us.

– Don't you realise I'm going to die anyway? You're denying me the right to just live my life with Cedric! I don't claim to be his lawfully wedded wife! I just want to be near him!

– I just want to save that idiot Morgan from you," I heard and couldn't believe my ears.

"Save him from me? What can I do to him? That Grayson is clearly out of his mind!" – I thought mockingly.

– Did he tell you about Barney? – he asked.

– Who's Barney? And why would Cedric tell me about him?

– I'll tell you about him some other time," Grayson grinned.

– Why not now?

– Because we have a lot of time to talk.

– You don't have a heart! – I whispered, frustrated that he'd teased me with a secret about Barney and now he was keeping it to himself.

– There is, but it's barely beating, and Morgan must have told you about it. Where would be the best place to put you in my castle?

– I don't care.

– I don't want you to catch cold in the cellar and die before I'm done with you. Besides, you're my guest. A very special guest, so-

He stopped talking before finishing his sentence.

"How contradictory he is! He's like a spoilt brat, reveling in his impunity and not knowing how best to destroy his new toy so that it doesn't break at once, but endures his abuse of it for a long time!" – involuntarily ran through my mind.

The scenery outside the car window was a bright contrast to this terrible day: everything was green and looked like a huge green canvas studded with colourful flowers.

– How long will it be? – I asked, because I couldn't bear to be in the same enclosed space as the vampire.

– Can't wait to die?

– I can't wait to get rid of you!

Grayson laughed, as if I'd made him laugh.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and I knew from the ringtone that it wasn't mine.

Grayson pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it to his ear.

– Yeah, Mitchell. Is everyone gone? Oh, great! Have a good holiday! – He put the mobile phone in his pocket. – We have the castle to ourselves now. I think we'll have a fun time together.

He said that and made me feel uneasy.

– Why are you doing this? – I couldn't help but ask, not knowing why he was making such grand plans to kill me, or why he was being so friendly when he'd just hit me. – I can't understand what you want from me.

– I'm a very hospitable person by nature. Just don't piss me off-that's the secret," the vampire replied, and we didn't speak again, just drove in silence until the car stopped at the tall iron gate.

"This is it: my prison is in front of me"-The thought flashed through my brain, and goosebumps ran through my body.

Grayson pressed some button on the control panel, and the gate opened slowly and silently. The car drove into a huge courtyard, and the gate closed just as silently. Grayson stopped the car at a beautiful large fountain.

– Welcome to my castle. Get out," the vampire ordered me in an indifferent tone, quickly got out of the car and walked toward the castle without paying attention to me.