Bloodbound

Bloodbound: The First Clue (part 2)

As they rounded a corner, the corridor opened into a small, circular chamber. It was cold here, unnaturally so, and Elias felt the familiar chill that often accompanied places steeped in old magic. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and decay, and in the center of the room stood an altar, covered in dust and cobwebs.

Lila approached the altar cautiously, running her fingers over the surface. There were symbols etched into the stone—ancient, barely visible through the layers of grime. She squinted, brushing away some of the dust to reveal more.

“This is it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elias moved closer, studying the symbols. They were old, predating most vampire lore he was familiar with. He recognized a few—marks of protection, warnings to trespassers—but the rest were unfamiliar. It wasn’t surprising. The Temple of Blood was supposed to be the origin of vampirism, its location shrouded in mystery for centuries. Any clues left behind would have been hidden or forgotten over time.

Lila pointed to a specific set of markings at the base of the altar. “These symbols here—they’re coordinates.”

Elias’ eyes widened. “Coordinates?”

Lila nodded. “They point to a location in Eastern Europe. Somewhere in the Carpathians. It’s remote, but I’ve heard of other ruins in that area that date back to the same time period. If the temple exists, that’s where we’ll find it.”

Elias felt a surge of excitement, but it was tempered by caution. They had found what they were looking for, but it wouldn’t be as simple as just walking in. The temple was guarded—not just by traps, but by those who wanted to keep its secrets hidden. And if Darius found out what they were up to…

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

“Let’s copy the coordinates and get out of here,” Elias said, his voice tense. “We’ve already spent too long down here.”

Lila nodded in agreement. She quickly jotted down the symbols in a notebook, then turned to leave the chamber. But as they started back down the corridor, a low rumble echoed through the walls. Elias froze, his senses on high alert.

“What was that?” Lila asked, her voice tight with fear.

Elias didn’t respond. He was listening, straining to hear beyond the rumble. His heightened senses picked up something—a faint movement, far off but growing closer. Footsteps. Several of them.

“They’re coming,” Elias said, grabbing Lila’s arm. “We need to move.”

Without waiting for a response, he pulled her down the corridor, their footsteps echoing loudly now as they ran. The rumble grew louder, the ground shaking slightly beneath their feet. It wasn’t just footsteps. The cathedral itself was collapsing.

Elias cursed under his breath. The trap had been set the moment they entered the chamber. Whoever had built this place didn’t intend for anyone to leave alive.

“Hurry!” Elias urged as the ceiling began to c***k and crumble.

Lila ran beside him, her breath coming in short gasps. She wasn’t used to this—running for her life alongside a vampire—but she kept pace. Elias could feel the urgency in her steps, the fear in her pulse. She was brave, but even bravery had its limits.

As they neared the exit, a section of the ceiling collapsed ahead of them, blocking their path. Elias skidded to a stop, pulling Lila back before she could be crushed by the falling debris.

“We’re trapped,” she gasped.

Elias’ eyes darted around the corridor, searching for another way out. The rubble was too thick to move by hand, and the walls were too narrow to climb. They were running out of time.

“Follow me,” Elias said, his voice calm despite the panic rising inside him.

He turned and ran toward a side passage they had passed earlier. It was narrow and dark, but it was their only chance. Lila hesitated for a split second before following him into the darkness.

The passage twisted and turned, the air growing colder and more stale the deeper they went. Elias could hear the cathedral collapsing behind them, the sound of stone grinding against stone. But they couldn’t stop. Not yet.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they emerged into a small, open space. The night sky was visible above them, stars twinkling faintly through the clouds. They had made it.

Elias collapsed against a wall, breathing heavily. Lila doubled over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

“That was too close,” she muttered.

Elias nodded, though his mind was already elsewhere. They had the coordinates. They knew where the temple was. But now, more than ever, the clock was ticking.

“We need to leave tonight,” he said, his voice steady but urgent. “Darius won’t wait.”

Lila looked up at him, her face pale in the moonlight. “You really think he knows?”

Elias nodded. “He always knows.”