Slava opened the door to find Irina standing there, her face as cold as the Smolensk winter.
For centuries, a secret pact had existed: the vampires could live among humans as long as they followed the "Covenant"—no killing, no turning without permission, and absolutely no drawing attention. In exchange, the human Keepers, led by the stern Irina Vitalevna, kept the police from asking why Grandpa Slava’s birth certificate predated the Romanovs. Central Russia's Vampires (2021) subtitles
"Jean," Slava said, his voice dropping the grandfatherly act to reveal the ancient predator beneath. "Get the boy. We’re going hunting. And tell him if he records this for his followers, I’ll personally break his phone." Slava opened the door to find Irina standing
Jean, a dandyish vampire who had been "turned" during the Napoleonic Wars and never quite let go of the aesthetic, sauntered in. He adjusted his silk cravat, looking entirely too polished for a Tuesday morning in a gray industrial town. "Jean," Slava said, his voice dropping the grandfatherly
In Central Russia, being a vampire isn't about capes or castles. It’s about family, survival, and making sure the neighbors don't notice you’ve been thirty-five for the last century. And in Smolensk, family always comes first—even if they’re already dead.
In the city of Smolensk, the snow doesn't just fall; it gossips. It clings to the crumbling brick of Khrushchev-era apartments, whispering secrets about who is truly human and who has simply been around long enough to stop aging.
As Irina left, the cozy, blood-scented apartment felt suddenly very small. Slava looked out the window at the gray streets. He didn't want a war. He just wanted to live his eternal life in peace, grumbling about the price of gas and the quality of modern bread.