The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 29/The Vicious Valentine

A week later, I found myself invited down to a new part of the Black Keep, near its base. Mary led the way, having recovered after her anniversary, and even Cub had reappeared. I was curious about where we were going. That night, I had dreamt of a blonde woman clumsly seated on the coven's throne, and it had unbalanced me for no reason. I wondered if it meant I was somehow responsible for it. I had a dream of a vampiric wedding where the bride was shot. It seemed to have only one conclusion and one warning. 

 I told the Duke about Cub, and he had been very annoyingly neutral about it. Now, Mary led me down a winding stone staircase that descended into the bowels of the Black Tower.

"Don't tell me," I said to Mary, "you have just discovered another spot where they brew the dark bean?"

"Not quite," Mary replied.

"I can't see what I might want down here," I said as we descended, the journey taking us deeper into the frigid heart of the crypts. The air was unforgivingly cold, causing each breath we exhaled to materialize as a spectral wisp, proof of the chilling ambiance that enveloped us.

As we descended farther, the flickering flames of the torchlight created strange, swirling shadows on the walls, giving our descent a surreal quality. The dim hallway was poorly lit, and the sound of our footsteps echoed menacingly as if the stone beneath our feet had a thousand whispered secrets.

We passed through a seemingly endless graveyard of demons, where sarcophagi of various shapes and sizes lay in silent repose, arranged in intricate patterns that seemed to stretch into infinity. Each sarcophagus was a solemn sentinel of the undead, guarding the resting place of the ancient and powerful vampires. Surrounding these sarcophagi were small groups of familiars, their heads reverently bowed, bodies motionless, and eyes downcast as they patiently awaited the awakening of their vampiric masters.

Finally, we reached a grand mausoleum, a dark and imposing structure that dominated the chamber's center. Its architecture was a blend of Gothic grandeur and sinister elegance, bearing intricate carvings of vampire lore and esoteric symbols, etched into the cold, black stone. The entrance to the mausoleum was adorned with heavy, ornate doors that creaked ominously as Mary pushed them open.

Within, the mausoleum's interior revealed a cavernous expanse filled with more sarcophagi, arranged meticulously in a circular formation. Their lids were sealed with an aura of somber finality, their occupants slumbering in timeless repose. Above, the ceiling was adorned with faded frescoes depicting vampiric scenes and cryptic rituals, all rendered in the melancholic hues of darkened chill.

The atmosphere inside the mausoleum was heavy with the weight of centuries, a tangible presence that pressed down upon us. The air held a hushed reverence, as though even the very walls dared not disturb the ancient sleepers. It was a place where the past and the undead converged, where the lineage of vampires stretched back into the annals of history, and where the secrets of their existence were locked away in the silent embrace of the tombs.

Mary spoke quietly, "You have to be careful when they first get up. Don't move quickly; if he is very hungry, he might feed on you before he realizes. Also, don't eat the sweetbreads; they say they are human flesh-free, but I've been in the kitchen and I've seen the cooks get lazy, hoping that burnt flesh is burnt flesh, and no one will notice. Stick to the fish if you're worried about it."

"You're joking, right?" I said as we arrived outside the hall. Mary touched up the polish on my red lips.

"Yes," said Mary "...yeah, you got me."

Mary led me to a doorway to a mausoleum guarded by two massive stone sculptures of wolf-headed soldiers. When we entered, the heavy stone lid had been pushed aside. Most of the familiars were standing up, fetching and carrying. The Duke was finishing getting dressed and greeted me with delight.