Chapter One Hundred and Three

Over the next few days, they worked tirelessly to make plans and get ready. Izabella had allowed Bram and Gavin in the shadow room. Both were nervous to be around items created with the specific intent to kill them. Eudom followed to make sure they didn’t touch what they shouldn’t.

Since Gavin’s proclamation, Izabella had been on guard. She’d made it clear she had no desire to take over everything. That Eudom chosen to remain silent on his feelings left her and Bram anxious. Their anxiety was made worse as Devon wanted to be able to help but they’d refused. He was only seven. Bram had no intention of allowing his son to walk into a bloody vampire war.

To make matters worse, Gavin seemed to disagree with them at every turn. Bram understood Gavin was in a worse poaaition than he and Izabella, but it didn’t make working with his icy attitude any better. What was worse was that Eudom sided with most of what he said but went silent when the arguments started. Bram didn’t like the way Eudom had become part of their group so quickly without any of them, even Izabella, really knowing him or his goals. The only thing that had Bram looking past that was that he was giving them invaluable tools to help take down his parents and the elders, and for better or worse, he believed that Eudom did mean to protect Izabella.

Add Izabella’s emotional distress to it all and Bram found himself a mess. The last few days had been hard on her, and she was exhausted. When the time had come for him to leave her and the kids, it had been difficult. The flight to France was long and arduous. He took Gavin, of course. Jen and Scarlet too. Add in that Millie confirmed the church was now on their tale and they were flying into a continent where hunters were much more common added to all to it all.

The flight itself already felt like it had taken forever. Trapping himself in the small, private plane with his mother had been the worst idea. Bram was almost sorry he had killed his mother’s transport. Not that it had been a bad idea, it was the reason Mihaela hadn’t escaped and why Vlad hadn’t been able to follow them.

Currently, they were walking along the streets of Paris. He held Jen’s hand tightly. The smell of the people around them kept catching her attention and he knew if he let her go she would have disappeared in a heartbeat. Eudom had helped with the new blood lust craving she had by giving her a pendant blessed by the church to keep her hunger at bay. It didn’t fix everything but considering they could walk through the streets without Jen losing her shit, it was working.

Bram stopped them a few blocks from their destination bending over the duffle bag he carried. Handing Gavin a satchel and Jen two leg bags to hitch around her thighs. Already loaded with their chosen weapons. Tightening the duffle, he strapped it to his back. “Let’s go. We’re almost there.”

As he stopped in front of a cemetery, he held out a long iron rod to his mother. “Put this in the ground, right there.” He pointed to the spot directly in the center of the gate.

Gavin stepped up to his side. “Isn’t an old cemetery a bit cliché?”

“Every myth carries some truth.” Bram shrugged. Scarlet stabbed the ground with the rod every foot or so, but there was no sign of hallowed ground along the path Bram remembered. Gavin couldn’t help but look at the poor souls buried here. “Grow a conscious after tonight. Not before.” Bram chided. Knowing that what Gavin was thinking was along the same lines he’d thought the first time he’d visited. “Most laying in unholy ground are our own who went into a deep slumber. We should let them rest.”

“Are there really this many?” Gavin looked at all the graves along their path.

Bram chuckled. “No. Only a few. One would have to do their research to know where there are vampires sleeping.”

“I presume you have done your homework.” Gavin smiled his fingers running along the stone markers. They were old, and full of divots from years of weathering. Green moss and errant ivy climbing over the slabs. There were some red and yellow sconces and withered flowers and wreaths at some of them. These were set up to show that life was still here, that someone still cared. It had clearly been a long time since someone felt the need to show such love here.

“Of course.”

“Could any of them help us?” Jen asked.

Bram shook his head. “It’s not worth the risk. They would just be volatile if we were to wake them. If they’re choosing to sleep here, they’re expecting the other vampires to watch over them, which means they’ll most likely fight for them. Not us.” Bram said, stopping at a large crypt.

Reaching into his duffle bag, Bram pulled out an old brass key. The padlock holding the crypt closed was large and old. It took him a few minutes to get it open. The doors were made of oak and iron. Cobwebs crowded the corners. Something large and black skittered across the floor. Jen yelped, jumping away from it. Gavin’s hazel eyes filled with amusement, “You’re a vampire who can use magic. A little bug is that last thing you need to worry about. You could literally burn it if you tried.”

She blushed in response, sticking her tongue out at him. “Whatever. Old habits die hard.”

In the center of the tomb, a large sarcophagus sat. Bram pushed at the top of the crypt, the large slab moving slowly. The screech of stone against stone echoing around them. “That’s a hell of a doorbell, huh? I bet they can hear that throughout the whole maze of catacombs down there.” Gavin frowned.

Bram nodded, “That’s the point. They want us to announce ourselves.” Bram said, stepping up and over the side of the sarcophagus, the first step was about fifteen feet down. He landed hard, heading down the stairs slowly. Gavin followed, lending Jen a hand to make it over.

Scarlet brought up the rear. “No one’s going to help me over? I’m the only non-vampire here.” She scoffed. Her small size making harder for her than the others. “You know, there are dozens of ways into the catacombs, I could have shown you a way to sneak in. Safer and more sanitary too.” She said, dropping herself to the first stair with far less grace than the others. “It smells like death in here.”

“If I thought for a moment I could trust you, I’d have asked.” Bram grumbled. Though it was completely dark, he had no issue finding his way. “Besides, who says I didn’t want an announcement?”

“Does anyone have a flashlight? I can’t see in the dark like you can.” Scarlet said, letting her hand run along the wall so that she could keep herself oriented.

“Just hold onto the back of someone’s shirt. None of us needed a flashlight, so we didn’t bother bringing one with us.”

“You’re just an asshole. You knew you were bringing me with you.” Scarlet argued behind them. “Why does the wall feel so funny?”

“You ask that like you’ve never been down here before, Scarlet.” Bram whispered. In the enclosed staircase, even that echoed. “The walls are lined with bones and skulls throughout the catacombs. This area’s no different.”

They descended for what felt like ages. “Just below is a door, once we open that, we’ll be in the main area. They’ll be waiting for us. So, be ready.” In the darkness another screech of stone on stone rang out. They all blinked their eyes against the light coming through the opening into a large, multi-level room. Aqueducts filled with oil ran from the top level, where they had entered, down the next five, into the center of the room. One on either side of them, and one at each end of the levels where the stadium like seating ended. The other half opened into the darkness, showing how vast the room was. At the center, awash in the yellow glow from the large lamps was what looked like a show room floor.

Long ago, mass feeding, shows, dances, and even theater was held here. To be fair, they still might. The wood and stone it was made from was dyed red from the blood spilt overtime. In the center of the stage, a man stood. An oversized golden shirt that went down to just above his knees. Loose black pants and a matching black scarf around his shoulders. He had long black hair and was clean shaven. His skin was dark, his eyes black.

“I haven’t quite decided if I’m happy to see you here, Vlad.”

Bram started down the stairs toward the vampire. A smile spreading over his lips. “You would be only one who could possibly be happy, Chesisi.”

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*Hello Readers, I'm sorry about the delay in chapters these last few days. I came down ill and haven't been up to the task. I'm on the upswing finally, so hopefully will be able to get back to it as usual. Happy reading.*