As I finished the next chapter, I glanced at my watch: it was seven minutes to six. It was time to make the poor man happy. Carefully closing the book, I put it into my backpack and slung it on my shoulder and walked at ease towards the university and then to the library. As I opened the heavy door, I immediately smelled the wonderful aroma I already knew. Blood and sea breeze.
Was it possible? I hurriedly looked around the hall with a searching gaze. Could it be… My gaze fell on the table where my ward No. 8 was supposed to sit. And I was immediately pierced by the realisation that the stranger from Nusle Bridge was very close by. I slowly made my way to the table, looking at the girl sitting at it and thinking up a convincing excuse for myself.
The girl was sitting at the table with her head resting on her hands, her thick, straight hair covering her shoulders in a wave, hiding her face from me. But I didn't need to see her face – I remembered it well from the first glimpse of her on the bridge. Is she Viper Vladinovich? Is this student the stranger from the Nusle Bridge? Is this girl my ward?
I don't know for what reason, I was inclined to think that Viper was him. I mean, that name doesn't really fit the female gender. It's not even a name, it's the English word Viper. What kind of monsters would name their daughter Viper? I never thought there'd be any fans of such a bizarre exotic name. But now I was standing at table number 8, next to a stranger whose blood scent made me shudder, and whose name was Viper. And she had waited for me for an hour.
I felt like a wretch, and I couldn't think of any excuse for my tardiness. I felt an overwhelming desire to justify myself, even though I had never justified myself to anyone, especially not to people. I'd forgotten that I was a vampire, and Viper was just a mortal.
– Hi," was all I could say.
The girl raised her head and looked at me. My blue eyes met her dark brown ones: my unexpected ward's gaze was angry and contemptuous, and her pale lips were tightly pressed together; her beautiful face breathed surprise mixed with insult.
– Are you Viper? – I asked a stupid question. Just to start a conversation.
The girl didn't answer. She gave me a scornful look, jumped up from her chair, and started packing her bag.