Sacrifice (Book 2)

Chapter 3 - Dinner Bell

In the 6th century BCE the Etruscans began to excavate the golden tufa found in the hillsides and plateaus of Umbria. Surprisingly strong but soft enough to mine, they dug an elaborate system of tunnels and caves where residents lived in underground shadow cities, hidden from invading Roman armies. In the 13th century AD a vein of vampires driven out of Constantinople arrived in "the green heart of Italy" and discovered the subterranean labyrinth. Twelve nights later, the inhabitants of the hillside village became one of the first areas to suffer a massive epidemic of Black Death, wiping out the entire town. The following year the construction of Castello Velo Oscuro commenced against those very cliffs, and the leaches began to burrow deep into the soft belly of the mountain.

*

Erdo listened for the phone to pick up.

"Whatever this is about--it better be good to wake me at this hour," answered the gravelly voice at the other end.

"I would advise you to check your tone if you care to live another night," Erdo responded tightly.

Recognizing his error, Paolo was quick to make his apologies. "Forgive me sir, how may I serve you this evening?"

"I want you to call the members of High Council and the Royal Court and tell them to meet me in the Hall of Honor at sunset. They are not to delay for breakfast or for any other reason. We have an important matter to discuss."

Paolo hesitated for a moment, he knew this was serious and didn't want to be on the receiving end of the vampire's anger. "Is there anything else you would like me to do, Sire?"

"Yes. You can also round up the guards responsible for watching the Queen today and bring them to the hall when we assemble."

The muscle above Paolo's right eye began to twitch and he tried to blink it out. Erdo was relentless in matters involving the Queen and the last time he called in the guards like this required a large cleanup crew and buckets of bleach. "As you wish, sir. I'll do it immediately." Paolo waited to hear the line go dead before hanging up, making certain he didn't miss any further orders.

Erdo paced the stone 7 by 7 by 7-foot tomb waiting for the sun to set, watching the CCTV monitors hoping she would show up on one. With a jerk of his head, left then right, he cracked his neck. She'd disappeared from the castle thirteen hours ago. Since then, the guards had searched every inch of the grounds. She had't taken her clothes, and as far as he knew, she didn't have any money. He wondered how she had managed to flee. He made a few more calls to his connections and asked them to check their sources for information, but not heard back yet. Pacing, he felt trapped like a caged beast--and he wanted out.

He drew in a slow breath and growled on the exhale. How long would she be gone? Where was she? When would she be back?

And who had helped her escape?

Erdo smiled as he contemplated what he would do to the traitor when he found him. He would make a show of his authority that put horror into the heart of anyone that even considered going against him. He would revel in the pain he inflicted as he peeled the skin slowly from the conspirator's bones. He would place a narrow slit in his neck--not too deep so he wouldn't bleed out too quickly, then disembowel him and hang him by his feet to drain. Before that though, there was the matter of the guards to deal with.

Erdo felt the pull of darksleep weaken as the sun crept closer to the line that separated Earth from sky and immortality from eternal death. The second it disappeared under the horizon, he pushed the heavy stone door open and stormed out into the narrow, pitch-black tunnel. There were no lights to lead the way through the maze, they were unnecessary for the vampires that lurked along the skull encrusted passageways. As Erdo moved through the necropolis he could feel the others of his vein as they rose from their secrete crypts and stole out into the honeycombed corridors.