"Terence West - Darkness" - читать интересную книгу автора (West Terence)

they had changed to gold, they turned colors again. The color faded away, leaving her irises a pale blue
that was almost gray. All at once, her body convulsed, then relaxed as she lost consciousness.

Standing up, One looked down at Saint with satisfaction. Looking to his right, it saw each of the council
members standing over their students in much the same way. Three had a bit of a worried look spread
across its face. "What happened?" One asked.

"The eyes did not revert to normal," Three said, shaking its head. "At least not yet."

One muttered a curse under its breath. Lifting its hand, it snapped its fingers once and pointed to the third
student in line. The two attending Wraiths materialized out of the darkness and hovered around the
student. Lifting slender, wooden stakes out of their gray and white coats, they stood silently above the
unconscious boy. He was a young male of approximately twenty-five years with wavy brown hair. His
white ceremonial robe was splattered angrily with his own blood as he lay motionless.

Three dropped down to its knees and rested a hand on the boy's head. "He's growing cold. We've lost
him."

One shook its head. "Not everyone can handle the ritual. We always expect to lose one or two."

"I know," Three breathed, "but it never gets any easier." Lifting the boy's eyelid with its thumb, Three saw
the solid gold eyes within. Standing up, Three took several steps away from the student. "Finish him
before he wakes up. He wouldn't want to live like this."

The two Wraiths nodded. Dropping down to their knees, one reached in with his powerful hands and
pinned the boy flat on his back, while the other pressed his knee firmly into the boy's chest. Lifting the
stake over his head, the Wraith watched as the boy's eyes shot open. The glowing eyes snapped to the
Wraith in instant anger. Struggling against the more powerful men, the newly created vampire shrieked in
protest.

"Do it now!" Three commanded. "Do not let this abomination live!"

The Wraith brought the stake down swiftly, piercing the vampire's heart. The creature screamed in horror
as blue flame leapt from the newly created wound and quickly began to engulf his entire body. Leaping
away, the two Wraiths watched as smoke and cinders were thrown into the air as the vampire writhed on
the floor. It was only moments before his body was reduced to ashes within the circle of candles.

"May God have mercy on our souls," One muttered. Looking up, he readdressed the council. "The ritual
is complete. Let us retire and rest before the final test tonight." One turned his attention back to the two
Wraiths. "Please attend to the students. Watch over them to make sure no one else turns."

The Wraiths nodded and set about their task. Moving to the right, one Wraith lifted Saint first and slung
her over his shoulder like a doll. He could feel her warmth even through his clothing and smiled. Her
body was in a state of flux, in the process of metamorphosis, and she would make a fine addition to the
Gwyliad Wriaeth.
'

CHAPTER TWO
He pushed his body hard as he charged through the arched halls. Holding the gold embossed cylinder
tightly in his left hand like a relay runner, he pumped his arms furiously. To a human's eye, he would be