– Yes, I always carry them with me… But I forgot them at home… In my red bag… I was in a hurry to catch a plane and forgot," I whispered.

The vampire smiled understandingly, opened a large newspaper and began to read it. His face disappeared behind the paper, which brought me a welcome relief.

Now that I was out of his gaze, I regained my ability to think straight: I closed my eyes, clenched my mouth tightly, regained control of my breathing, and began to think about what I should do.

"Calm down, Viper, calm down! You know a vampire can't compromise himself and kill you on the plane, because there are too many witnesses. So you can fly safely to Brazil, and there will be plenty of people at the airport, and he won't be able to touch you. Then– Then what? Then it gets dark and… Stop! When I get to the airport in Rio, the first thing I do is call Cedric! He'll tell me what to do and I'll follow his instructions exactly. But what happens tonight? It will be very easy for that bloodsucker to get into my hotel room, and the altitude will be no obstacle for him! Maybe I'm panicking for nothing. Maybe he's not going to kill me at all. – I thought. – I need to pretend to be asleep, and the vampire will leave the plane without remembering my presence, and I, as soon as I get out of this air prison, will fly back to the Czech Republic… Yes! It's simple!" – That thought calmed me down a bit, but when I opened my eyes, I was back in the scary reality: me and the vampire sitting next to me.

– Glad to see you're feeling better," I suddenly heard the vampire's voice. He put down his paper and looked up at me with a smile.

– Yeah, I'm much better. – I tried to force a smile out of myself.

– Why are you afraid of me? – He asked.

That question caught me off guard.

– Why would you think that? – I answered calmly.

– No matter how hard you try to hide it, you're not very good at it.

I remained silent and turned my face away from the porthole.

– Don't be afraid, I don't bite," I heard the vampire's voice again.

– You're ridiculous! – I whispered faintly.

My neighbour laughed softly and rustled his newspaper again.

The aeroplane was smoothly splitting the airspace, taking me into the unknown.

This verbal struggle with the vampire tired my already depressed mind: I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but soon realised that I was involuntarily listening to the noise of the plane, trying to hear what my scary neighbour was doing now. But there was not a sound coming from his seat.

"But, isn't he reading the newspaper? Why is he sitting so quietly? This silence frightens me!" – I thought feverishly, opened my eyes abruptly and turned round to the vampire, but was surprised to see that his chair was empty.

He was gone. Disappeared.

I leaned back and covered my face with my palms, feeling joy and relief. It was as if a huge stone had fallen from my soul. And, before anyone saw, I decided to take advantage of the situation and text Cedric. I quickly opened my backpack on my lap and looked for my phone. But to my growing despair, I suddenly realised it was gone. I could have sworn I'd put it in my backpack!

– Can't sleep? – It was my neighbour's handsome voice.

I looked up from my backpack: the vampire was already sitting in his seat, leaning back and smiling at me.

My whole being went cold with fear. And the vampire was only smiling, but his previously charming smile had turned into a mocking one. He was mocking me, and he wasn't even trying to hide it. And then it hit me: he'd taken my phone while I was pretending to be asleep!

– Where's my phone? – I asked him anxiously. – Why did you take it?

"He took my phone! What am I going to do now? How can I text Cedric now?" – I thought with despair.

– Your phone? Why do I need it? – The vampire answered my accusation calmly, but his eyes were laughing.

– I know you did it! And I didn't allow you to address me as 'you'! – Forgetting my fear for a second, I blurted out.

– I don't need your permission," he grinned and leaned in close to my face. – I know who you are, and you know who I am," he whispered in my ear.

I slumped into the chair, feeling terror running through my body. Suddenly I felt an icy touch on my cheek, and I shuddered, but I managed to hold back a scream.

– I don't know what you're talking about," I whispered, horrified by his merciless words.

Alas, my hope was dashed: he'd heard, maybe even seen Cedric and me at the airport.

– Don't take me for a dullard. I know everything about you. And I know you're very dangerous because that idiot in Prague told you something you shouldn't know. Yes, I'm a vampire, and you know it. Wow, what does Morgan see in you?

My heart was racing, but I couldn't move, just clutched the armrests of my chair.