– And the blood of Russians? Does it have characteristics inherent only to it? – I asked, still relaxing a little. Talking about the country I had dreamed of travelling to had taken my fancy, and for a while I let my guard down.
– Naturally, but again, I can't tell you what it is – you just have to try it," Samantha smiled at me.
– How did you get to Russia? – Markus asked. Apparently he, like me, was seeing them for the first time, and I was relieved that he wasn't in cahoots with them.
– We're American, but we moved to Russia seven years ago," Emma told him. – It was Samantha who talked me into it, and I must say I have never regretted it.
– And how did you like Russia? – I asked.
– It's a wonderful place to live a modest and quiet life. We live in St Petersburg, but we have been to many cities. – Samantha smiled dreamily and sighed. – A paradise for vampires, believe me!
– How many of them are there? – The conversation was getting to my liking.
– One clan, but quite impressive and numerous. They live in Novgorod and almost never leave the country. It's the Kravitsky clan. Their head – Anton Kravitsky is considered to be a descendant of the Russian prince Alexei Kravitsky, but we know that he himself is.
– How do the Russians feel about us? – Mariszka asked.
– Oh, they love us! Books and films about us sell out instantly! – Emma said, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed that she was looking at me with interest, as if to see if I was listening to her beautiful melodious voice.
But I wasn't looking at either of the girls; I was watching the fire in the fireplace as it danced and twisted. And I noted with satisfaction that my coldness had repelled the unwanted strangers.
– We travel the world and live on our own. But this time Mariszka, an old friend of ours, invited us to Prague, for a couple of days, and we couldn't refuse her. – Emma smiled at Mariszka, and Mariszka smiled at her.
– Well, welcome to Prague," I said dryly, feeling a wave of irritation again. – Markus, can I talk to you for a minute?
Markus apologised to the ladies (I ignored their parting words), and we moved to another wing of the castle where no one could overhear us. When we reached the balcony, I leaned against the stone railing and gave my brother a hard, displeased look. I knew now for sure that Markus was aware of the girls and was playing along with them, helping their awkwardly transparent attempts to captivate me.