– That's a wonderful idea. I'm glad you're doing well. What hotel are you staying at? – Cedric asked softly, and I was confused: I didn't know any of the names of the hotels in Rio de Janeiro.

– The one you booked me a room at, you know how bad I am at that sort of thing," I found myself remembering that Cedric had booked me into the best hotel.

– Were you being met? You should have been.

– Yes, I was met wonderfully! I was picked up in a car, and my room is gorgeous. You can see the ocean from here! – With a hint of fake joy, I lied.

– Viper, are you sure you're okay? – Cedric asked in an unexpectedly caring tone.

– Of course I am! I'm totally fine! Why?

– You sound strange.

– I just woke up," I said. – I was so tired yesterday that I slept all day today. How are you?

– I'm fine. Markus's wedding is in three days.

– But they said the wedding was on the eighteenth of August! – I was surprised at the rush.

– Yeah, but it's moved up, and all our family and friends are already here. But let's not talk about that. I don't want to hurt you with all this talk.

The reminder of the great Czech vampire hunt brought back the image of Grayson drinking blood, and I shuddered again at the memory and the revulsion-I thought immediately of how many people would be killed.

– Cedric, please don't kill anyone on the hunt," I asked quietly. – I can't bear the thought.

– I can't promise you that," Cedric said in a serious tone. – I will need to kill.

– Then don't kill as much as the others," I whispered, and when I felt I didn't want to talk to him anymore, I added: – I'm sorry, but I'm awfully hungry. I've just ordered myself a load of delicious things. Will you call me later?

– Yes, of course. Enjoy your meal.

– Thank you! You too! – I sarcastically blurted out. I hastily disconnected the call.

Thanks to Grayson, I could see the vampire in full view: a brutal, strong, silent killer who knew no pity. And Cedric is the same. He kills people and drinks their blood. He's as ruthless a killer as Grayson.

But Grayson was right: no matter how much of a monster Cedric was, I loved him. But I'll never see him again. Well, at least he'd be safe.

I showered, washed my hair, brushed my teeth, drank some tap water, cleaned myself up, and headed to the dining hall. After yesterday's torture, I knew it was on the third floor. Why the third floor? Strange, because in all houses the dining room is always on the ground floor.

But when I went upstairs, I found no food in the dining room: the table was empty. So I looked for the kitchen: I was getting hungrier and hungrier. With difficulty I found the kitchen and was glad to see the fridge, but there was no food in it. I was sickened by what I saw: the fridge was full of dainty glass bottles that were probably filled with human blood.

I slammed the door in my heart and hurried away. I needed fresh air after my gruesome discovery, so I headed resolutely for the park. As I walked down the hall to the front door, I glanced at one of the walls, and a large wooden door nestled between two black marble columns caught my eye. I was immediately filled with a mad desire to see what lay behind that door, and though I had never been an adventurer, I made my way to the mysterious door. The door was an imposing, heavy shutter with a handle shaped like the paw of a beast of prey. I held my breath and hesitantly touched the handle.

What was behind it? Such a heavy and large door had to be hiding something forbidden, hidden from view.

My attempts to open the door came to nothing – it was terribly heavy and as if it didn't want to reveal its secrets to me. But I didn't give up: I grabbed the handle with both hands, put my foot against the wall, pulled, and the door opened with a soft creak. It was a dark corridor with no hint of light behind it, but I decided to follow Grayson's example and clapped my hands, and a bright electric light appeared in the corridor, so I could see where I was.

As I stepped timidly into the suspicious room, I hugged my shoulders: the air in the long corridor before me was icy cold. I was afraid to go forward, but I forced myself, thinking that, while my tormentor was away, I could examine his castle. So I bravely but slowly walked down the corridor and saw what must have been left over from a very long time ago: on either side of the corridor stretched small cells fenced with heavy iron bars.

"My God, are these really the dungeons I'm supposed to be in?" – I cringed at the thought.

The corridor was so ancient that its walls were covered in moss and the bars were covered in threads of rust.

Eager to get a closer look at one of the cells, I walked up to it, but saw nothing but bare walls and a handful of dirty rags in the corner. Suddenly, I was astonished and horrified to see these rags move, and from under them a dishevelled, dirty girl sprang out-she rushed with a loud cry to the bars and seized me by the arm.