"It's my turn now. He's going to kill me," my mind raced, and I fell into darkness.

Fragmentary scenes flashed before my eyes, changing like the frames of a horror film: Lourdes running across the field, her black hair wet and sticking to her back. Her blue dress tangles in her legs. Suddenly, out of a dense wall of rain, like a black shadow, Grayson appears in front of the girl and nuzzles into her neck. Not a sound comes out of her open mouth – she doesn't even have time to cry out. Lourdes collapses, but the vampire holds her tightly against him and continues to drink her blood, then, satiated, roughly throws her already dead body into the dirt. A moment later, the shot changes to a fleeing Susan looking around, afraid of being chased, and running straight into the vampire's deadly embrace. Grayson drinks her blood, then lifts her white corpse in his arms and carries it into the shroud of rain. Susan's white, skinny arm swings with his steps like a pendulum. And, at the end of this film, the dead eyes of Lourdes stood before me in a huge frame Those beautiful, huge black eyes. They reflected the rain, Grayson's silhouette, and a frozen wonder, like a question that would remain unanswered forever: "Why?"

I opened my eyes sharply and saw myself lying on a fur pelt in front of a large, burning fireplace.

It was warm. The wood in the fireplace was crackling cosily.

My dress and hair were dry, and I realised that I had been unconscious for hours, maybe more. My body, face, dress, hair, everything was covered in dried mud.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" – I thought involuntarily, and looked round to see Grayson sitting in a black chair, staring at the fire. We were only a metre or less apart-I was almost at his feet. The vampire was dressed in a new clean, dry suit. When he saw that I had regained consciousness, he smiled at me with an enchanting white-toothed smile.

His smile made me turn back to the fireplace and fall helplessly onto the fur.

– Kill me, please," I asked the vampire quietly. I no longer had the strength to endure the death he was sowing around me.

– You can't wait to die? – he asked mockingly.

– I don't want to live. What do you want me for?

– I think I've gotten used to you by now. You know how you people get used to a dog? Besides, I'd be bored without you. You'll be my entertainment.

– I hate you! – I whispered hatefully, and hot tears of despair burned my eyes.

– Well hate me because I definitely don't need your love! – The vampire laughed at that.

Markus and Mariszka's wedding day was approaching. More and more guests were arriving at the castle, and the huge garage was packed to capacity. Many vampires had to park their cars right on the square in front of the castle, and now it was enclosed in a ring of colourful cars. The vampires of the five continents centred their stay for August in Prague as everyone wanted to attend the wedding. Since weddings do not happen very often in our society, every vampire wedding attracts maximum attention and excitement.

The bride had already flown in from Poland, but she hadn't seen Markus: as my brother had explained to me, it was so that the meeting at the wedding altar would be not only "divine" but also "long-awaited".

I could not understand the meaning of this abstinence, as I missed Viper madly and called her almost every day, and she answered me, happily and lovingly. How only Markus could restrain himself from a sudden visit to his fiancee, who, at the same time, was in such close distance to him?

The big day had arrived. We were in Markus's room, and he was standing in front of a large mirror, tying his tie around his neck. My brother was dressed in a light grey suit, combed and excited, and I stood beside him, leaning against a column, also fancy dressed, and laughed at him: he was always a bit funny and fidgety when he was excited.

– How long are you going to keep tying that poor tie? – I asked him mockingly, hoping to calm his excitement with a little humour.

– Damn it, I can't get it tied! – Markus replied nervously, ripping the tie off his neck and throwing it on the chair.

– Go without it. It's much better: you look like a showman with a tie," I grinned.

– I'm worried as hell! – Markus exclaimed and paced around the room.

– There's nothing wrong with that-you're supposed to be nervous before such an important event," I tried to reassure him, but he only quickened his steps.

– How do I calm down? – he asked, and then he put his hands over his face and mumbled: – Damn, this is awful! It's just awful! I need to calm down!

– Just think about the fact that in an hour Mariszka will be your wife forever, – I encouraged him.

– That thought makes me even more anxious! – Markus answered me fervently.

– Well, all my attempts to calm you down have obviously failed. – I shrugged helplessly.

– I don't need to be calmed down! – My brother stopped abruptly, went to the window, and looked down at the square.

As I stood next to Markus, I could see the many guests already seated in their cars for the wedding at St Peter and St Paul's Cathedral.

– Luckily, it's raining today," I smiled, pleased with the dark clouds and the light drizzle outside the window. – Everything will go splendidly, I have no doubt about that.