Two for tragedy. Volume 1

I indifferently snatched one of the sheets out of the whole nasty pile, but I didn't bother to look at what name was on it. What did it matter? I hated it already.

– So… Cedric Morgan… – The secretary snatched the sheet from my hands, looked at the name, wrote it into the computer, and handed it to me.

Quickly leaving the university, I sat down on one of the benches in the courtyard. Should I read it or wait? Shit, I couldn't escape fate.

I opened the sheet: there in large black letters was printed the hated name: Viper Vladinovich.

Viper. Stupid name. Who was it: a guy or a girl?

Below it was the date and time of our meeting: tomorrow at 17: 00, library, table No. 8.

Such haste made me wrinkle my nose in annoyance. Suddenly I heard someone's footsteps and turned around: it was Royce, walking briskly toward me. Just what I needed. What a day, huh? Did someone upstairs decide to dump a bucket of bad luck on my head?!

– Hi," Royce said, sitting down next to me on the bench.

I didn't even look at him.

– Well, who do you have there? – The American asked cheerfully. – I've got some chump from my second year. Who do you have? Let me see?

To get him off my back, I hurriedly showed him my sheet.

– Viper Vladinovich… – the American read aloud and snorted like a horse. – What kind of bird?

– I have no idea," I answered gloomily, taking the sheet back. – Viper. A snake.

– My parents named it, didn't they? – Royce chimed in.

Silently, I got up from the bench and headed for the car park. My hands clenched involuntarily into fists. Crumpling the sheet, I tossed it into the nearest rubbish bin. I hated Viper Vladinovich. And tomorrow that Viper would have to wait for me for about an hour, maybe two. Let him wait. Hopefully he wouldn't like my constant tardiness and would drop the class, since he was the only one entitled to it.

It's ironic: I, a vampire, will be studying for my victim's exam. No, not today's victim: maybe ten years from now he'll be my dinner, but for now, let him bear my scorn and hatred.

Well, stupid Viper, you'll realise soon enough that you're out of luck. Large and emphatic.

***

I stared in surprise at the message from the university with the name of the person who would be studying with me on the Rector's experimental programme. Who would be preparing me for the winter session for almost three months. My personal tutor, so to speak.

Cedric Morgan.

Oh, the horror.

Morgan. That's the one.

Of course I know Cedric Morgan. Who at the university doesn't know him? This guy always keeps a low profile, but for some reason I don't know, he's considered the most desirable guy in the university. Half of my classmates were interested in him, and every time they sighed every time they looked at him or heard his name. So I knew who fate had so disgustingly brought me together with, despite the simple logic that Cedric Morgan and I were incompatible. Yes, I knew him. The thing is, he didn't know me, and he was probably just as excited as I was to meet me. Yes, I agree, Cedric is a handsome guy. But I never understood what girls found special about him: his skin was too pale, even white, which made him look like a dead man. He didn't socialise with anyone, and in the presence of other people he was silent. No, I wasn't watching him – it was noticeable. He's too proud, arrogant, and doesn't care about people who aren't as fortunate as he was to be born into a wealthy family. That's why I didn't like Cedric Morgan, not even as a bloke, but as a person. And it was this egotist who was supposed to help me? What am I talking about? He won't! I bet he's pissed off knowing that he, a handsome rich guy, has to spend time with me, a stupid third year girl!

Screw him! I was absolutely not happy about this stupid situation, but I decided that I would honestly sit out the first meeting with him, so that the management would not have any complaints about me. This, frankly speaking, idiotic idea of the rector did not like anyone, and most of all me. All the bumps fell on me. I told myself that I would obey the rector's order and go to the meeting with Cedric Morgan. But why did I get him out of all the seniors in our department? Why am I being punished like this? I think I'm going to hang myself after my first class. My classmates congratulated me and tried to switch "tutors," but when they found out that the pairs were personally sealed by the rector, they just smiled enviously. Envious of what? I'd gladly swap Morgan for any other senior student! If I had the chance! But there wasn't.

At five o'clock on Friday night, I sat in the library, at table number eight, and waited for Cedric Morgan. I had already borrowed the physics books I needed, and every now and then I looked at my watch. And I was silently getting angry.

Half past six. Morgan was still gone. But I waited stubbornly, telling myself to do my time and leave. Whether he came or not, I didn't care!

The round wall clock in the library read six.

He didn't come.

I was seething with anger. The bastard! Where the hell had he been?

I decided that if Morgan didn't show up in five minutes, I was going to leave. Doesn't want to come? Great! Then I'd have an objective reason to refuse his "help" in the chancellor's office!

I crossed my arms on the table, rested my head on them, and mentally counted down the five minutes. Three minutes and seven seconds later, I heard: "Hello," carelessly dropped by a pleasantly low voice.

Wow! He'd managed to come after all!

CHAPTER 5

My lectures were over at sixteen o'clock (a boringly long time), and, afterwards, I went to the nearest park, made myself comfortable on a bench, took a book of Thomas Mann's musings out of my backpack, and began reading with pleasure, at the same time thinking with immense satisfaction and schadenfreude about how the unknown Viper was freaking out waiting for me in the library. It was a tremendous feeling of revenge against the pimply-faced human youth who had been terribly unlucky enough to be my ward. Though he was wrapped up in the deadly sin of not knowing physics, and if he had known it properly, I wouldn't have had to spend my precious time pounding this elementary, logically correct information into his stupid head. Perhaps Viper is so stupid that nothing can save him now.

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.