«Wow, a vampire restaurant that serves blood to guests is right under people's noses!» – I thought as I watched Markus pour the blood into glasses. I looked at him and wondered what had changed in him in just three months: his face was like carved stone, his eyes glittered coldly, and his voice was no longer as friendly as it had been in Prague. I shifted my gaze to Mariszka: she, too, was serious. To say that I felt out of place would be to say nothing.

Taking a glass of blood, I began to drink it in big gulps.

– When did you eat? – Mariszka looked at me intently.

– Yesterday, – I honestly answered, – why?

– You drink blood so greedily, as if you were starving.

«I drink so greedily to take my mind off your serious faces for a second!» – I thought grudgingly.

But I set my glass down on the table and shrugged.

– You're imagining things. Markus, tell her to watch her husband, not me. – I tried to make a joke, but Markus didn't even smile, and I felt unbearably awkward.

I wanted to get up and walk away, to leave them alone: I felt superfluous, though I'd never felt that way before, not even with all the Morgans. And now… It was so unfriendly and cold that I just wanted to run away.

– Well, young lady, tell me how you're doing. – Markus suddenly asked and took a sip of blood.

– I'm fine! Oxford is a wonderful city! I have a little house there and a blue bicycle» I started to say, staring down at my glass. – My life is insanely interesting! I don't really socialise with anyone, I just come to and from lectures. In general, I always thought Warsaw was the best city in the world, but now I'm in love with Oxford…

I talked and talked, but I couldn't help feeling awkward and unnecessary: this meeting was so different from what I had seen in my imagination that morning! What the hell made me come? Had I traded my lectures for this?

At last I stopped, having told all I could.

– I don't know what else to say. Anyway, I'm doing great. – I thought my tongue was going to fall off from talking so much.

– Well, I'm glad you're enjoying your studies, but to be honest, I was against you going to Oxford at first» Markus said, smiling tiredly.

– Why? – His confession startled me.

– Because you're so young and defenseless.

– And Cedric doesn't think so: he advised me…

Suddenly Markus's face contorted into a grimace of pain or rage, and the glass he was clutching in his palm burst, spilling blood all over the table and our clothes.

– Misha!» exclaimed Mariszka in a sharp, icy tone.

«What's going on! What have I done!» – flashed through my head, and I jumped up sharply from my chair.

– I'm sorry! I… I'm sorry Markus, I don't know what's going on, but I want to leave! I'll go! – I exclaimed fearfully and ran for the stairs.

– Mischa! – I heard Markus' remorseful voice. – I'm sorry!

– Don't, my dear, don't apologise: she will understand when she finds out, – Mariszka said to him affectionately.

– 'She mustn't find out. Do you have any idea how it will affect her? – Markus asked her.

– 'Why should it affect her? I know my sister and I know that she hasn't found common language with Cedric.

– He said there's a lot we don't know about her.

– Markus, it's all right, I'm with you. Don't think about it.

There was the sound of a kiss and then there was silence.

Running out of the restaurant, I hid around the corner and leaned my back against the wall. My clothes were splattered with blood and my soul was filled with incomprehension and confusion.

«Markus got so mad he crushed the glass… What am I doing here? We have to leave… We have to get out of here now!» – I thought frantically.

But then Mariszka appeared in front of me.

– Misha, why did you run away? – She asked me affectionately, stroking my shoulder.

– What's wrong with him? Why did he get so angry? – I almost cried.

– He was tired, you know? He's just tired. – My sister's eyes filled with pity. – Poor thing, were you scared?

– Yes, very scared» I answered in a shaky voice. – Can I go home? I can't stay here any longer.

– But we've only been together an hour and a half. Well, calm down. Do you want to go for a walk or go shopping?

– Mariszka, we're splattered with blood! – I was desperate to escape to Oxford.

– It's no problem: we'll go to my hotel right now and change. Even if you want to leave, you still need a change of clothes, I hope you realise that?

I even smiled at this bitter truth: she was right – they wouldn't let me on the bus dressed like this! They'd be asking me where the blood came from!

– All right, but then I'll leave» I agreed sullenly.

My sister silently took me by the hand and led me to the car in which she had come to Big Ben. As people passed by, they looked at us in surprise, and I was ashamed of my appearance.

We arrived at the hotel, went into Mariszka's suite, she washed the blood off my face and hands (luckily my hair was clean), then I changed into one of her dresses (my sister loved dresses, and she had a lot of them) and a grey jacket. I didn't take off my boots, as the alternative was heeled shoes. After that, I had to wait for Mariszka to shower, change and call Markus to tell him about her walking me to the bus, and he said he was waiting for Brandon, who was supposed to show up any minute.

«Is that the Brandon Grayson who was at their wedding? He's just stunningly handsome! Also an extremely charming man» I remembered. That was all I knew about him, though, because I'd only seen him a couple of times.

After leaving the hotel, Mariszka and I got into the car and drove to the bus station. There my sister said goodbye to me, apologised for the bad day and Markus's behaviour, and left.

I went to the ticket office, ordered a ticket and, when it was time to pay, I was horrified to find that I had forgotten my purse with my wallet and phone in that horrible restaurant.

«What incredible bad luck! But there's nothing to be done: no one will drive me for free, so I have to go back there» I thought with annoyance and walked quickly to the restaurant: I remembered the way to it, because Mariszka's car had driven past it, and I had a good memory for directions. As I approached the restaurant, I suddenly heard Markus's voice.

– I'm glad you're here» he said, sighing heavily. – I'm afraid I have terrible news. I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I've never been able to get away from Prague, even for a day, and it's a matter that can't be discussed over the phone – it's too personal.

– It's okay, Markus, the main thing is that you found the time. So, what happened to you? – A charming man's voice answered him (I recognised it immediately. it was Brandon Grayson). – You don't look so good. I've never seen you like this before.

– I'm lost, Brandon. I couldn't even imagine… It hurts me to even think about it. I can't understand how it happened because there's so much my parents won't tell me, so his last day in Prague is a mystery to me.

– What do you mean?

– Cédric disappeared.

«Cedric disappeared»? Not moved away like they told me, but disappeared?» – This news discouraged me. I stopped, leaned against the wall of the building, and even held my breath: I suddenly had a chance to find out about why Markus was so angry and worried.

– Disappeared? – Brandon was surprised too, judging by the tone of his voice.

– Yes. He realised it was us who hid her from him. But don't worry: he doesn't even know she was-» Crap! I didn't hear the last of his words, because a huge double-decker bus drove past me, followed by another one, drowning out the roar.

I mentally cursed: this conversation could be the key to Markus's secret!

When the buses were gone and there was relative silence, I listened again.