The Last Watch Read Online Free PDF Page A

murder.’
    â€˜Why are you so interested?’ I asked after an awkward pause.
    â€˜Leonid Prokhorov, the father of the deceased, was identified as an Other twenty years ago. A powerful Dark Other. Unfortunately,’ Zabulon said with a sigh, ‘he did not wish to undergo initiation. He remained a human being. But he maintained good relations with us and sometimes helped us in small matters. It’s just not acceptable when your friend’s son is killed by some petty bloodsucker in a raving fit. Find him, Anton, and roast him on a slow fire.’
    Semyon had not been present at my conversation with Gesar. But, to judge from the puzzled way he was scratching his clean-shaven chin, he knew something about Leonid Prokhorov.
    â€˜I intend to do that anyway,’ I said cautiously. ‘You have nothing to worry about there, Great Dark One.’
    â€˜But what if you need some help?’ Zabulon asked, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ‘You never know who you might run up against. Take this …’
    An amulet appeared in Zabulon’s hand. It was a figure carved in bone, a snarling wolf. The little figure had a distinct aura of Power.
    â€˜This is contact, help, advice. All together.’ Zabulon leaned over the back of the seat and breathed hotly into my ear: ‘Take it … watchman. You’ll say thank you to me.’
    â€˜I won’t say that.’
    â€˜Take it anyway.’
    I shook my head.
    Zabulon sighed.
    â€˜Very well, let us have the foolish theatrical effects … I, Zabulon, do swear by the Dark that in presenting my amulet to Light Magician Anton Gorodetsky I do not entertain any evil intent and do not intend to harm his health, soul or mind, nor do I demand anything in exchange. If Anton Gorodetsky accepts my help, this does not impose any obligations on him, the Power of Light or the Night Watch. In gratitude for his accepting this help, I grant permission for the Night Watch of Moscow to make three interventions using Light Magic up to the third level of Power inclusive. I do not demand and shall not demand any gratitude in response. May the Dark be my witness!’
    A small dark sphere like a miniature black hole appeared, spinning on his palm beside the carved figure. A direct confirmation of his oath by the Primordial Power.
    â€˜Even so, I don’t think I would—’ Semyon began.
    At that moment the cellphone in my pocket rang and switched itself into loudspeaker mode. I never used its multitude of various functions: speaker phone, organiser, games, built-in camera, calculator, radio. I only used the built-in music player. But this time the conference-call function came in handy …
    â€˜Take it,’ said Gesar. ‘He’s not lying about this. We’ll work out what he
is
lying about later.’
    The connection broke off.
    Zabulon laughed and carried on holding out the carved figure. I raked it off the Dark Magician’s hand without saying a word and put it in my pocket. I didn’t have to swear any oaths.
    â€˜Well then, good luck,’ Zabulon continued. ‘Ah, yes! If it’s not too much trouble, bring me a little magnet from Edinburgh for the refrigerator.’
    â€˜What for?’ I asked.
    â€˜I collect them,’ Zabulon said, with a smile.
    And then he disappeared, dropped straight down to some deep level of the Twilight. Of course, we didn’t follow him.
    â€˜What a show-off,’ I said.
    â€˜For the refrigerator,’ Semyon muttered. ‘Yes, I can just imagine what he keeps in his refrigerator … A little magnet … Bring him a little jar of strychnine. Mix it into some of that Scottish haggis and bring that back for him.’
    â€˜â€œHaggis” is a brand of nappies,’ I said. ‘They’re good, we used them for our daughter.’
    â€˜Haggis is a kind of food too,’ said Semyon, shaking his head. ‘Although, as far as taste