The whole body was pierced by a burning wave. The vampire remembered these feelings. After his conversion, he habitually came out and the sun burned him to the bone. It was also good that the Master was there to take him back to the basement. He stayed in the dark for three days before he could go hunting on his own.
But this time it was a little different. Yeah, the heat coming from a stranger's hands was burning him like the real sun, but... He did not burn, hurt, or maim. I even seemed to be healing. As promised.
- Did you say something? - innocently clarified the redhead, taking away his hands.
Jakub vengefully pinched his finger, biting him to the blood. What I immediately regretted was that it felt like boiling water swallowed. That is, now the vampire could safely drink that boiling water, that icy water, not really feeling the difference, but Yakub was turned not so long ago to forget the human feelings. The guy was coughing up, sniffing around comically, and staring at the redhead. It was too late to unlock, but to drive nails into the lid of his coffin? Or, more correctly, to add oil to the bonfire where you will be burned? No, let's hear what he has to say next.
- Well, I warned you! - A redhead splashed his hands sorrowfully. - It hurts, doesn't it?
He sympathetically wiped out a drop of his own blood from the chin of a necropolis.
- What is your name? - the stranger continued to be questioned. - You don't want to talk, do you? Okay, nothing... I'm Free, phoenix. Let's make sure this doesn't happen again, let's agree on an altitude. Now you were flying a couple of meters below the cloud line... Why don't you go a little slower, and I'll go a little higher, okay?
- It's not good, - said Yakub briefly. I had to take my eyes off again because the phoenix didn't stop glowing, and the eyes of a nétopir were too sensitive. - Where did you come from anyway? I've been flying for three years, I've never met anyone.
- I usually fly in the daytime, - Fry confidentially said, stretching out in a relaxed manner. - It's hard at night, you have to put on invisibility... I'm actually glowing if you haven't noticed. Where did you come from? I've never seen such a strange reaction to the magic of fire. It's as if you're afraid at the same time, wriggling with pain, and stretching out, absorbing everything without a trace.
- I live here, - Jakub said grimly. - And with fire, vampires have a complicated relationship. Be my guest, phoenix. Thank you for curing me, - the gentleman awkwardly took a few steps aside, waving his wings gently... no pain. A little unpleasant tingling on the body, but that's all. After feeling burned alive a minute ago, it was just heaven's bliss.
- Do you live? - Thinkingly, Fry held out, looking after a slow guy. - See you later, you're my suspicious one.
- I'm my own, - the guy sniffed. - And I'm not suspicious, I'm just careful.
It took Frisell 24 hours to find all the information about vampires in the family library. Two more - to find suitable candidates in the surrounding villages and check them all. The last option remained the pretty shoemaker, who never left his workshop. The phoenix wrinkled a little on the doorstep but still decided to stop by.
- Have a good day, Master, - he said... She said hello.
This time, the phoenix chose an obviously feminine look, logically assuming that a pretty girl would be rejected less than a pretty guy. So it turned out, but only in none of the previous places, there was someone she was looking for.
- And you have a clear sun, beautiful, - said calmly a pale blonde guy, not raising his eyes from work.
So young? Frisell was squinting. Does it look younger than it really is, or is it just talent?
- What can you do? Heels on heels? - The tips of the lips curved in a hint of a smile. Jacob put so much of these on the sides that it would have been enough for the whole capital. And why do girls always choose this reason to visit a shoemaker?
- No, - Friselle said, - a little confused. - I ripped my boot... While I was admiring the night violets.
Jakub looked at the girl quickly, sharp. A coincidence? After all, it was on the field, dotted with these flowers, he fell that night. But no, she looked like an ordinary wealthy townswoman, even her hair was light and straight. Coincidence.
Shoemaker again curved his lips in a polite, but absolutely calm smile:
- Then give me your boot. It's a sin for such a beautiful girl to walk in a holey shoe, - he looked up from the leather work he was working on.