CRAVES

BENEATH THE MANOR

The heartbeat came again.

Slow.

Heavy.

Deep beneath the floor.

Amelia stared at the ground.

Another beat followed.

The windows rattled.

Bryan's expression changed.

"Everyone out."

Cassian immediately moved toward the corridor.

Amelia remained where she was.

"What's underneath this house?"

Bryan looked at her.

"I don't know."

She gave him a disbelieving look.

"You own it."

"I didn't build it."

Another heartbeat.

This time, the floor trembled beneath them.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Cassian returned.

"The servants are being moved to the eastern wing."

"Get them outside."

"They can't."

Bryan's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"The gates won't open."

Silence.

Amelia looked toward the windows.

The manor had become unnaturally dark.

No lights.

No sound from outside.

Even the rain had stopped.

Bryan turned toward the library door.

"Lock every entrance."

Cassian nodded.

He disappeared.

Amelia looked at Bryan.

"What are the old vampires?"

He walked toward the shelves.

"Vampires who existed before the council."

"How old?"

"Some are centuries older than me."

She swallowed.

"And they're coming here."

"Yes."

"Because of me."

His eyes moved to her.

"Because of what they think you carry."

She touched the pendant.

It was warm again.

The heartbeat sounded once more.

This time, the sound seemed to come from directly beneath them.

Amelia stepped backward.

Bryan noticed.

"Don't panic."

"I'm trying."

He moved toward the fireplace.

His hand searched along the stone mantle.

A hidden mechanism clicked.

Part of the wall shifted.

A narrow passage appeared behind the shelves.

Amelia stared.

"You knew that was there."

"I knew there were passages."

"Where does that one lead?"

"Under the manor."

The heartbeat came again.

Amelia looked into the darkness.

"That's where it's coming from."

Bryan nodded.

Cassian returned.

"The guards are in position."

Bryan looked toward him.

"How many?"

"Enough for the outer grounds."

"Not the inside."

"No."

Bryan turned to Amelia.

"You stay here."

She shook her head.

"I'm coming."

"No."

"You can't keep leaving me behind."

"This isn't the same."

"What makes it different?"

His expression hardened.

"The thing beneath this house may have been here longer than the manor itself."

She stared at him.

"Then I definitely need to know what it is."

Bryan looked at Cassian.

Cassian gave a small shake of his head.

Neither wanted her involved.

Amelia folded her arms.

"I'm going."

Bryan sighed.

"Stay between us."

She nodded.

The three of them entered the passage.

The wall closed behind them.

Darkness swallowed the library.

...

The passage descended steeply.

Stone steps disappeared beneath their feet.

There were no lights.

Cassian carried a lantern, but even its flame seemed weak.

Amelia walked carefully.

The deeper they went, the colder the air became.

The heartbeat grew louder.

Boom.

A pause.

Boom.

She placed a hand against the wall.

The stone vibrated.

"How far down are we?"

Bryan looked ahead.

"Too far."

They continued.

After several minutes, the stairs ended.

A long corridor stretched before them.

Symbols covered the walls.

Some were carved into the stone.

Others appeared painted in dark red.

Amelia slowed.

She recognized one.

The raven.

The same symbol appeared over and over.

Bryan stopped beside her.

His eyes moved over the markings.

"I've never seen these."

Cassian looked uneasy.

"That's impossible."

Bryan turned.

"What?"

"This manor has been searched."

"Not this deep."

Cassian examined the wall.

"There are records of a lower foundation."

"Where?"

"None of them say."

Amelia touched one of the carvings.

The pendant immediately warmed.

The symbol beneath her fingers lit up.

Bryan caught her wrist.

"Don't."

The light vanished.

She looked at him.

"I barely touched it."

"I know."

Another heartbeat.

The entire corridor shook.

Something cracked beneath their feet.

Cassian stepped back.

"We should leave."

Bryan looked ahead.

"No."

"Bryan."

"Whatever is down here knows she's here."

Amelia stared into the darkness.

A faint red glow appeared at the far end.

Something had awakened.

They continued.

...

The corridor ended at a massive stone door.

There was no handle.

No lock.

Only a symbol carved into the center.

A raven with its wings spread.

Amelia stared at it.

The pendant around her neck began to glow.

Bryan immediately moved in front of her.

"Don't touch the door."

She stopped.

The heartbeat came again.

This time, the stone beneath their feet answered.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The door moved.

Slowly.

A narrow opening appeared.

Cold air rushed through.

Cassian raised his weapon.

Bryan stepped forward.

The room beyond was enormous.

Rows of stone pillars disappeared into darkness.

At the center stood a circular platform.

Something rested on it.

A coffin.

Black stone.

Covered in the same raven symbols.

Amelia's breath caught.

Bryan stared.

"That's impossible."

Cassian looked at him.

"What?"

Bryan didn't answer.

He walked closer.

Amelia followed.

The coffin had no lid.

Instead, a thick glass-like surface covered the top.

Inside was a woman.

She appeared asleep.

Long dark hair surrounded her face.

Her skin was pale.

A silver raven necklace rested against her chest.

Amelia stopped breathing.

She knew that face.

The same face from the mirror.

Her mother.

She stepped toward the coffin.

Bryan grabbed her arm.

"Wait."

She looked at him.

"That's my mother."

"I know."

"She's alive."

Bryan stared through the glass.

"I don't understand."

Amelia pulled free.

She approached the coffin.

The pendant around her neck began glowing brighter.

The woman inside slowly opened her eyes.

Amelia froze.

The woman's gaze moved directly to her.

Then to Bryan.

Her lips moved.

No sound came through the glass.

Amelia leaned closer.

The woman raised one hand.

She placed it against the glass.

Amelia lifted hers.

Their palms met through the barrier.

The pendant flashed.

The entire room shook.

Bryan stepped forward.

"Amelia!"

The glass cracked.

Cassian moved backward.

The cracks spread across the entire surface.

The woman inside opened her mouth.

This time, her voice came through.

"Run."

The glass shattered.

Amelia screamed and stumbled backward.

Bryan caught her.

The woman rose from the coffin.

She looked weaker than Amelia had expected.

Almost fragile.

But the moment her feet touched the stone floor, every candle in the chamber ignited.

The red markings along the walls began glowing.

Cassian stared.

"Impossible."

The woman looked at him.

Then at Bryan.

"You brought her back."

Bryan's voice was low.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked at him with something close to sorrow.

"You really don't remember me."

Bryan's expression changed.

He stared at her face.

The resemblance to Amelia was undeniable.

But there was something else.

Something familiar.

A memory buried beneath centuries.

His eyes widened.

"No."

The woman stepped closer.

"I knew you when you were a child."

Bryan couldn't move.

Amelia looked between them.

"How?"

The woman looked at her.

"I was there the night you were born."

Bryan stared at her.

"Your mother..."

The woman nodded.

"I am her."

Amelia's eyes filled with tears.

She took a step forward.

"Mother?"

The woman looked at her.

For the first time, her composure broke.

She opened her arms.

Amelia moved toward her.

Bryan didn't stop her.

They embraced.

Her mother held her tightly.

Amelia closed her eyes.

She had spent years believing she had no answers.

Now the person who carried them was standing in front of her.

But the reunion lasted only seconds.

A loud crash came from above.

Then another.

The manor shook.

Her mother pulled away.

Her expression changed.

"They're here."

Bryan looked toward the ceiling.

"How many?"

She looked at him.

"Enough."

Cassian raised his weapon.

"Who?"

Her eyes moved to Amelia.

"The ones who have been waiting for her."

The heartbeat stopped.

Every person in the chamber went still.

Then a voice echoed through the passage.

"Found you."

Bryan's eyes turned crimson.

His mother grabbed Amelia's hand.

"Whatever happens, don't let them take the necklace."

Amelia looked down.

The raven pendant was glowing brighter than ever.

Then the stone door exploded inward.

Three figures stepped through the smoke.

The silver-haired man stood in the center.

He smiled.

"At last."

Bryan moved in front of Amelia.

The stranger's gaze shifted past him.

Straight to the woman beside her.

His smile disappeared.

"You're alive."

Her mother tightened her grip on Amelia's hand.

"Unfortunately for you."

The stranger's eyes darkened.

"Then we'll finish what we started."

The chamber doors slammed shut behind them.

And for the first time, Amelia realized that whatever had been hunting her was no longer outside.

It was standing directly in front of her.