"Tell me what's going on," I looked doomedly at the vampire. – What is this world? Why did I end up here? What kind of monsters attacked us? And how to get rid of this art? I lifted the sleeve of my cloak and nodded at the tattoo. Damn, she got even brighter.

“This world is called Xantharia, and I have been its ruler for two thousand years. In a word, eternity,” Li began to explain.

- Are you immortal? I clarified, raising an eyebrow. Wow, it turns out I kissed such an ancient creature. And also a ruler. Something to remember in old age. If I live, of course.

- No, - he answered my question and immediately continued: - Those monsters that attacked you are kertings, werewolves. They trade in the slave trade and, using interworld portals, were engaged in smuggling. There are several million Kerthings on this planet, and the only thing holding them back is my army. If earlier I turned a blind eye to the fact that things from other worlds now and then get into Xantaria, then recently the situation has begun to get out of control. The werewolves began to supply drugs, in addition, they moved here several items infected with dangerous viruses. An epidemic broke out, and five large cities had time to turn into necropolises before I could create a vaccine. Therefore, I was forced to intervene and approached the solution of the problem radically: I began to destroy one magical source of interworld portals after another. This one, in the forest, was the last one.

“What, werewolves moved me here?” I was surprised. Here are the creatures!

“That's the thing, no.” Lee looked at me, puzzled. “Your presence here is a mystery. You see, the ancient magician - the creator of these portals - provided that you can get into this world only voluntarily and after performing special actions before that. In a certain "place of power" a door should be installed and a magical symbol of transition should be drawn. You need to bow before him, then draw your name through the air, written on wood pulp, and bow again. So getting here by accident is almost impossible.

"Damn badge!" I moaned, clutching my head.

- Sorry, what? The vampire didn't understand.

"Nothing, go on," I gasped.

- I was engaged in the destruction of the magical source enclosed in stone, when I caught the waves of the next transition. He sent one of his best warriors - General Kaisentiel - to reconnaissance. When he discovered you, then, apparently, the elf was blown away. I don’t know how else to explain the fact that he decided on a magical binding. This is a very ancient ritual, lovers resorted to it, who wanted to become as close as possible with their chosen one and die with him on the same day. I'm sorry, but getting rid of the tattoo is no longer possible. Kaisentiel performed the ritual incorrectly: he did not ask for your consent, so he will soon have such a sickly magical rollback. What it will be is still unclear.

I sighed heavily. How complicated and confusing...

Why did Kai say that I would not understand his speech? I asked one of the questions that swirled around in my head.

“That’s right,” Lee said unexpectedly. “As the emperor of this world, I can communicate with any being here. With you including. And you got the opportunity to understand the elves and all others only after my kiss. I gave you this gift with my blood.

My face shone with absolute incomprehension, so Lee began to chew on obvious things, in his opinion.

“Kaisentiel's death would have resulted in your death, so I had to dilute his binding ritual with my own blood. Now if he dies, you will live. To intervene in the ritual, I bit through a vein in my arm and applied it to your wound, which, fortunately, had not yet had time to heal. And then, knowing that there were drops of blood on my lips, I kissed you. So my blood entered your body through the wound on your wrist and the kiss. Immediately after that, you gained the ability to communicate with any creatures in this world and began to understand the speech of Kaisentiel, and also received a gift from me of fast regeneration.

“So now you and I are also magically connected?” – I was in complete prostration.

“Not much,” the vampire pursed his lips in disappointment. “In fact, you are a prisoner of a moon elf, his spoils of war. Now you are nobody in this world, he was the first to find you, took possession of you and tied you to himself. Now you belong to him, and it can't be fixed. But I'll make him marry you, don't worry.

“I'm not a thing, Lee.” The traitorous tears began to form in my eyes again. - I'm not going to become the wife of the first comer. Who also raped me.

"You have no choice, Lexi," the vampire sighed heavily. - Look! He gently took my hand and exposed the tattoo. “This is a sign of belonging to Kaisentiel,” he gently, barely touching, ran his finger over the drawing, and my brain literally exploded from the euphoria that covered me. And when Lee ran a second time on my wrist, sunbeams and pink ponies jumped before my eyes. “And this is a symbol of the fact that the ritual was diluted with my blood,” he said, and right before his eyes, a blue edging appeared along the edges of the intricate scarlet tie. “It’s like a brand, baby. You can't get rid of him. Now Kaisentiel and I are the only men in the whole world you can have sex with. Make love to someone else and you die the same day. If someone rapes you, you won't live an hour.

"It's not fair," I said grimly. From such shocking news, all the buzz very quickly disappeared, and the ponies fled with their tails between their legs. I don't want to be with him! I like you better than that insensitive blockhead! As a warrior, of course, he is amazing, but as a man - he is a natural robot!

Through the transparent dome of the canopy of silence, one could see how the elf stood impassively and motionless in the center of the clearing, like an idol. In Pinocchio, made of logs, there was more life.

“I can’t take you with me, baby,” Lee explained sadly, “and there are many reasons for this. As for Kaisentiel, don't be so categorical. I am sure that it is in your power to make a man out of this elf.

- What reasons? There was pain in my voice.

“You have no idea what a viper my palace is,” he grimaced. “They will quickly mutilate you out of envy or rape you. And I can’t protect you, because I can’t be around all the time. With an elf you will always be safe. He won't let anyone hurt you! His castle is perfectly fortified, and even if Shade, the leader of the werewolves who almost kidnapped you, makes another attempt, the general will destroy him.

– Shade? I asked in fright, and a terrible moment flashed through my memory when a huge shaggy monster extended its clawed paw to my face. And he almost killed Kai. And me…

- Right. And that was the first reason - your safety. The second reason I'd rather leave you alone is the age difference. I am an old, grouchy, life-weary vampire. I’m not just fit for your grandfather, but great-great-great-great-and-so-further-grandfathers. With me, you have no future. And Kaysentiel is handsome, young and hot. You and him will be a great couple.

- Hot? I chuckled. - Is that him? I nodded dubiously at the impassive elven statue. “His ardor lasts only two minutes.

Well, yes. I am sitting here under a tree in the arms of an ancient vampire and discussing sexual problems - mine and the rapist. I wonder if it's Lee that influences me so much, or is it just crazy for me?

“You have no idea how much he was in a hurry to stake you out,” the vampire laughed softly. “He is like raw white clay in your hands. If you wish, you can fashion a great lover out of him. Teach him how to kiss, explain how to please you, awaken his sensuality.

Are we talking about this hefty kid now? I even got a little lost. “Am I supposed to teach a grown man how to kiss???

“I’m afraid so,” my interlocutor sighed. - This is the norm here. And I am an exception.

And where did it take me? The world of unkissed blondes...

I sighed mournfully, and the vampire laughed. That's right, he's a telepath.

“You see, only men are handsome in this world. And women, sadly, are ugly. This is the result of an ancient curse. If you ask Kaisentiel later, he will tell you everything in detail. In the meantime, just take my word for it that local women have a very specific appearance and deformed jaws, like crooked-toothed bulldogs. Many poor things cannot even close their mouths because of this. Therefore, on this planet, no one kisses for several hundred years. And I, like an ancient bloodsucker, still remember the old days,” he sighed.

“Maybe some kind of medicine can be created to treat such a genetic deformity?” I suggested optimistically.

You think I didn't try? The vampire chuckled darkly. - Useless. It's all about magic. I just need to find a way to break the spell, but I haven't succeeded in that either. You don't even know what you're worth to this world, Lexi! he added quietly.

“I see…” I muttered in shock. “Well, go on with your reasons for wanting to get rid of me.

I have already mentioned two reasons. The third is that now you need sex with Kaisentiel. Like air, water, food and sleep. It's one of the magical binding effects, Lexi. If you don't sleep with him at least once a week, you'll get sick. The further, the stronger, until death. Well, I, in turn, am not used to sharing my women with anyone. I'm against your running from my bed to someone else's, - Lee was ruthlessly frank.

Is that all the reason? My throat convulsed convulsively, and I hardly squeezed out this question. I know nothing of this vampire, but why am I so bitter?

“No,” Lee said reluctantly. - There is one more...

“Say it,” I demanded.

"I didn't mean to caress you," the emperor said in a tone that sounded like it was a national tragedy. “I should have just kissed.”

“So the fourth reason is…?” I stared at him expectantly, trying to figure out the reason for such a dramatization.

“Because I lost control. And this is unacceptable. My brain shuts off around you, and it's too dangerous, Lexi. You better not know what kind of monster I turn into if I drink human blood. And biting a woman during sex, or just even during foreplay, is like an innate instinct for any vampire. A kind of exquisite pleasure. The last time I had my tower blown off like this was five hundred years ago. As a result, I mowed down half of my palace and a couple of surrounding villages. More precisely, he didn’t even mow, but ate it. Drank. I don't want that history to repeat itself and you feel guilty for the death of a couple of hundred people. No sex is worth it. Now I am tied up and feed only on the blood of animals. Let it all stay that way. So in light of the facts, you still have to marry Kaisentiel. For your own good.

But I don't love him! And I’m not attracted to him at all, ”I noted depressedly. It became clear that Lee would never be with me, and in my soul it was as if someone had held an icy palm.

“Come on, Lexi, don’t be mean. Kaysentiel is an enviable groom. Just look at him - blood and milk! - this fanged matchmaker began to persuade me. - He is a complete orphan, and you are not threatened with trouble from a picky mother-in-law or a meticulous father-in-law. He was brought up in the barracks from the age of three. Give him a little tenderness and warmth - and he will melt in your hands, like a big white chocolate bar! You will become the mistress of his huge castle, all his servants will be in your submission! He is very rich, he has a wonderful garden where you can walk and admire nature, a clean warm lake for swimming and a chic library! You'll be happy with him, Lexi, I'm sure! Well, we will remain good friends. I will come to visit you - to watch your kids grow up.

Ironclad arguments. And there is nothing to object.

So, when the logic is exhausted, it remains to put pressure on pity.

“No, Lee, please, I can’t marry him!” I really, really need to get home, so find some way to get the tattoo off and send me back, huh? My cat is not fed there, the food is not cooked, the book is not finished reading! You look at me: well, what kind of wife am I? Yes, this poor elf will die in a month! In my apartment, even flowers don’t grow - they dry, and the cat survives solely thanks to good genetics, nine lives and a loud voice with which he demands food! Have pity on the elf, he is your general, a valuable employee! Why are you doing this to him?

“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” the vampire laughed. - And the elf is a strong guy, he can stand it. I will credit this marriage to him as a regular training in the field. It seems that he will have to raise his salary - for harmfulness.

“This is cruel.” My shoulders slumped.

"It's the only way, baby." Lee turned serious again. - If you have any other questions, ask.

– Tell me more about Kai and this binding. If I cheat on him, I will die. And he?

"No," Lee replied laconically.

- Can he cheat on me? – as an experienced scout, I tried to extract as much information from the vampire as possible.

- Yes. You are attached to him, not the other way around.

“And if we don’t have sex with him for a long time, will he get sick himself?” I clarified.

“No,” Lee again limited himself to a short answer.

Does he have that tattoo on his arm too? I waved at my wrist.

- No, where from? You didn’t bite him,” the vampire smiled condescendingly.

“You said that Kai performed the ritual incorrectly, and now he has a magic rollback. How soon and what, at least approximately, will it be?

“I have no idea,” the vampire shrugged sincerely. Be patient and you'll find out in time.

“You diluted this ritual with your blood. And how will this affect you? I looked at him carefully.

“Now I feel more drawn to you, baby. You will often dream of me at night. But don't worry, I can handle it." His voice sounded very confident.

“I doubt it,” I smiled sadly.

“Come on, don’t be sad,” he gently stroked my shoulder. “You have no idea how much I will miss you. You are the only one who so sweetly abbreviates my name and speaks to me without fear and servility, as with an equal. And I really appreciate it. Your beauty dazzles me, and your mind, ease of communication and sense of humor delight me. No matter what happens, I will always be your patron, honey, remember this. My blood is in your veins, and now you and I are practically relatives. And try to improve your life with this elf. Your happiness is in your hands. And if he dares to offend you, I myself will skin him, don't even hesitate.

- What, it's time to say goodbye? I sighed heavily.

"I'm afraid so," the vampire confirmed. He got up and put me on my feet. “I'm not saying goodbye, Alexandra. Just a goodbye, my beauty. In about a month, I will give the order to arrange a ball in the palace in honor of your wedding. You will shine on it like a queen! he smiled. So see you soon!

Thanks, Lee. For everything ... - my eyes stung with tears, and as if lost, I watched him wink encouragingly at me, with a wave of his hand remove the canopy of silence and move away.