Everyone gathered around to watch me open it.
Inside lay a large, rusty key.
A flash of inspiration came over me and I headed out of the room, making my way back along the corridor. Taking two steps at time I descended into the dungeons.
I burst into the torture chamber.
Footsteps approached, signaling the others were right behind and Marcus, Alex, Anaïs, Ingrid and Sebastian flooded in to join me.
Sebastian was holding the halogen lamp he’d grabbed from the stairwell. It threw shadows around us.
“I was eighteen the first time I came into this room.” I turned around. “Followed my father Lord Artimas down here. By the time I got in here, he’d gone.”
“Jadeon’s perspective,” Marcus said, studying me.
They immediately went to work, Sebastian taking the far wall, Alex the left, and Marcus the right. Anaïs examined the table top.
Ingrid went for the table too, kneeling low beside one of the four table legs. “If I know one thing it’s blood stains.” She pointed. “See how this one’s trickled beneath this tile?” Ingrid’s smile of exhilaration beamed back at me.
“What were they doing in here?” Anaïs glanced up at me.
I swapped a wary glance with Alex.
Ingrid ran her hand up the table leg. “Looks like this is the mechanism.”
Marcus leaned in beside her and twisted the upper rounded edges in the opposite direction of each other.
Upon the floor, stone scraped along stone as a central panel rose up several inches and slid outward revealing a winding stairway twisting into the darkness.
“Maybe we don’t want to know where this leads,” Alex said.
“Aren’t you intrigued?” Anaïs asked. “Who’s going first?”
“That’ll be you, Anaïs,” Marcus said. “Just in case there’s a death trap.”
She rolled her eyes. “What do you think is down there?”
I ducked under the table and eased myself into the square entryway. “Only one way to find out.”
“Here you go.” Sebastian held up the halogen light.
“Um. We can see in the dark,” Anaïs said. “We don’t really need that.”
Sebastian lowered his arm. “Oh.”
“Wait here,” Marcus told Ingrid and Anaïs. “You too Sebastian.”
“Why?” Anaïs asked.
“Just in case,” he insisted.
“If you’re not back in five minutes—” Ingrid spread out her fingers— “we’re coming after you.”
Marcus threw her a smile. “Now I really feel safe.”
Alex, Marcus and I descended into blackness.
Chapter 26
IN SILENCE ALEX, Marcus and I descended further.
The secret stairway continued endlessly, spiraling into the earth. My thoughts drifted back to the chamber we’d just come from, where Ingrid, Anaïs and Sebastian were waiting for us.
Within that room two hundred years ago the Stone Masters had held their so-called sacred ceremonies, torturing vampires before transporting them to Salisbury for their final punishment. Death by daylight, a cruel and terrible condemnation for merely being different.
I hoped I’d have the courage to face whatever lay ahead.
Alex’s footfalls paused a little way behind me. “Orpheus murdered my father.”
I too stopped and glanced back down at the steps yet to be discovered. “You’re bringing this up now?”
“Alex, I thought you hated your father?” Marcus’s mouth twitched and he seemed to regret saying it.
“Lord Artimas, your father, was a Stone Master,” I reasoned. “He hunted vampires.”
“This feels wrong,” Alex said.
“We’re just taking a look,” I said. “Perhaps there’s a chance that whatever’s in that room can help us find Dominion.”
“Alex?” Marcus studied him. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure if I want to know what’s down there.” He leaned against the wall.
“We’re here with you,” I said. “You don’t have to face it alone.”
“I found a stack of letters from father,” Alex explained. “Missives between mother and him. In them he expressed his disappointment in me.”
Marcus motioned for me to answer.
I let out a long sigh. “I was the one who was destined to carry on the family tradition,” I said. “Become the next Stone Master. I was the disappointment. Not you.”
Marcus shrugged and then on my subtle glance of disapproval at him, he turned back to Alex. “You don’t have to come.”
Alex shifted his footing as though taking his time to think it through.
“Demons are meant to be faced,” I said.
Alex shook off his reluctance and slid past Marcus, pressing his back against the wall to squeeze past me.
“He still doesn’t trust us,” I mouthed to Marcus.
Marcus patted my right arm and headed after Alex.
The lower we trekked below sea level the lower the temperature fell. The stairwell curved to our right and we soon reached the last step.
Before us rose a wide oak double door, upon which was a faded painting of a winged Saint Michael the Archangel artfully portrayed across it. Michael’s presence was serene, majestic even, his gaze averted as though he too shared the secret of what lay beyond.
“The prince of light.” I ran my fingertips over Michael’s wings. “Leader of the forces of God against the darkness of evil.”
“And we’re the evil,” Alex murmured.
“Take a breath, Alex,” Marcus said and tried the handle.
The door was locked.
I reached into my pocket and removed the large key we’d just found, and slid it into the lock and turned it.
Alex nudged up against me. “What if everything in this room is just an affirmation of how much father hated us?”
“What if it’s not?” I said. “Alex, I will never let anything happen to you.”
He gave a reluctant gesture he was ready.
I clutched the brass circled handles, pulling the doors open with a shuddering creak.
A gust of cold air burst forth and puffs of dust danced around us; the scent of incense and stale wax wafted. All three of us took a moment for our eyes to adjust to what lay ahead.
We stepped back in time . . .
The expansive cathedral opened up before us with its high vaulted ceiling inlaid with intricate frescos, dramatic scenes portraying the Book of Genesis featuring the creation of Adam at its center. The marble flooring appeared flawless, seemingly never caressed by time, decorated with ancient symbols, some of which I recognized as emblems used by the Stone Masters. Dark green and gold baroque volutes kissed the walls bestowing a Romanesque air and a rare supremacy, making it difficult to guess its age.
We strolled down the central isle with carved pillars looming on each side of us, guiding our way.
Majestically rising out of the floor where one would expect to see an altar was a solitary fifteen-foot high standing-stone, reaching reverently toward the golden leafed ceiling dripping honeyed tinges of light down upon it.
It was as though a stone had been plucked out of Stonehenge and was now resting here.
Marcus nudged my right arm. “How the hell did they get that—”
“Down here?” Alex shook his head in disbelief.
“It must weigh at least four tons,” Marcus said.
“They built the castle around it.” I saw this as the only reasonable explanation.
“Do you think it was dragged all the way from Stonehenge?” Marcus asked.
“Perhaps.” Taking the three short steps toward the enormous granite Goddess, the room seemed to disappear. I rested my hands against the rock and closed my eyes, caressing her coldness, her perfect irregularities as though reacquainting; my long sigh finding its way back to me as if the stone itself had sighed in response to my touch.
Silence soaked into my very bones.
When my trance eventually dissipated and the room found me again, I was greeted with confused expressions from Marcus and Alex who were staring at me.
“Isn’t she magnificent?” I asked, unable to comprehend their lack of emotion at being in her presence. I stepped back, once more admiring the megalith.
A ray of light flashed across us.
Ingrid was sweeping her pocket-flashlight our way and Anaïs and Sebastian were close behind her. Sebastian was clutching the halogen lamp as though his life depended on it.
Ingrid climbed the three steps toward the stone, her face a mixture of excitement and awe. “What a remarkable contradiction,” she said. “All this opulence and then this.”
“Do you think they performed ceremonies down here?” Alex asked.
“I can see them worshipping the stone,” Sebastian offered.
My fingers caressed the megalith again, sweeping down and along her base. “There’s a room below.” I turned and examined the area behind the stone, fingering the eight wooden panels on the back wall.
“How did you know to look for that?” Alex asked.
“I’ll show you.” I tapped the panels until one of them gave.
A doorway opened up before us. The thin corridor led us down further. Ingrid threw me a look of excitement, seemingly thrilled to be sharing this adventure. At the end of the stairwell were simple wooden doors so ancient I feared they’d crumble if touched. Gently I turned the handles and eased the doorway open.
The walls of the small chamber threw off a dark blue hue.
There, at the end of the room was the base of the enormous megalith we’d seen above, the other half of it disappearing into the ceiling. Positioned in front of the stone was a long marble sarcophagus.
Reverently, we entered.
Alex approached the marble sarcophagus and ran his fingers over the limestone lid upon which was inscribed with the name Guardian, and just above it was engraved a circle of golden leaves in the shape of a Celtic crown.
“Do you think Dominion’s in there?” Anaïs whispered, her eyes wide in wonder.
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Marcus asked me.
Alex, Marcus and I approached the tomb and all three of us took a side, sliding the slab across the base, the sound echoing around us. An open onyx coffin lay within.
“William?” Ingrid’s whisper brought me back into the room.
I shook my head, gesturing the coffin was empty.
Ingrid knelt before the front of the sarcophagus. “William, what does it say?”
I joined her. “Dominatio’s Tomb.” I explored the rest of the inscription.
Alex came closer, he too reading the Latin. “According to this, Sovereign were once monks sanctioned by the Stone Masters to guard over Dominatio.”
“Dominatio is Latin for Dominion.” I rose and strolled over toward the base of the megalith, resting my hand on her. “This is the guardian stone.”
“Do you think father knew who Dominion was?” Alex asked.
“Perhaps,” I said.
“Look at this.” Ingrid pointed to the other end of the tomb.
I strolled around to join her and together we studied the engraving of what appeared to be a ritual at Stonehenge, where seven monks surrounded the central stone.
“A vampire on the altar,” I said, trying to make out why he wasn’t restrained. More striking still, two of the monks were kneeling at either side of Dominion, each drinking from his wrists. “Dominion is willingly feeding them,” I said, amazed. “He’s crowned with the same Celtic wreath engraved on the lid.” And then I realized. “They’re worshiping him.”
“Worshiping Dominion,” Ingrid agreed.
“Why?” Marcus asked.
“I thought Sovereign hunted vampires?” Anaïs said.
“Maybe he was special in some way,” Ingrid offered.
“But why would Sovereign now want him dead?” I pondered on their change of heart.
Ingrid leaned precariously over the edge of the coffin, examining something she’d seen inside. She wiggled back up and pretended to be fascinated with the side of the tomb again. She dropped whatever it was she’d found into her pocket.
I gestured to the engraved Stonehenge scene on the tomb. “Look at the monks’ expressions.”
“They’re all tranced out,” Marcus agreed.
“That’s bliss.” I ran my fingertips over their faces, tracing their rapture. “The monks are high from drinking blood. Only the Stone Master himself is permitted to drink, but if you’re a member of Sovereign, it’s permitted.”
“To motivate members of the Stone Masters to transfer over to Sovereign,” Ingrid suggested.
“And keep them loyal,” I added.
“Something happened for them to change their mind,” Marcus said, “and turn on Dominion.”
“And turn on the Stone Masters,” Ingrid agreed.
“They found out about the Stone Masters’ plan to initiate joint reign,” I sensed this as the only explanation. “Vampires and mortals ruling together. Dominion went from deity to threat. Maybe they hated the idea of him ruling them.”
All of us stared at the empty sarcophagus, fearing the worst.
“Do you think they killed him?” Anaïs bravely whispered the words we were all thinking.
“Fabian would know that,” Alex said. “Wouldn’t he?”
I wanted to believe that. “Perhaps we’ll find more answers in London.” I pointed to Anaïs and Sebastian. “I need you to search every corner of this place. See if you find anything else.” I threw Alex a glance that he was to assist them.
“You’re not planning on going back to Sovereign?” Marcus asked nervously.
“Ingrid, up for a trip to London?” I asked her.
Marcus approached and steered me into the corner, lowering his voice to a whisper. “It’s too dangerous. Remember what Jacob told us about them?”
“I’m not going alone,” I said.
Marcus shook his head. “I’ll come with you.”
“I need you to get word out to every vampire,” I told him. “Warn them.”
Marcus shook his head. “I wish we could just get those scrolls and get this over with.”
“Sovereign once watched over Dominion,” I said. “They must know something.”
“You’re sure you can handle them?” he asked.
I opened my hands and then closed them into fists, gesturing. “Once we have what we need, I’m going to annihilate the bastards.”
“I’ll miss you, you know.” Marcus glanced over at the others. “When you revert back to Orpheus.”
I stopped my flow of thoughts, afraid they’d reach him.
Marcus frowned having already caught every last one. He grabbed my forearm with an ironclad grip.
“Not now, Marcus,” I whispered.
He blinked in astonishment and said, “Tell me you haven’t changed your mind about separating?”
“I need you to find Jacob,” I said, “find out if he’s come up with anything. And check on Catherine. Tell her . . .” Yet the words wouldn’t come.
Marcus’s intense focus was burned through me. “Why did you react like that to the stone?” he sounded fierce.
“She’s familiar . . .” I tried to remember why.
Marcus frowned, his gaze falling on the megalith and lingering there suspiciously.
I turned to Ingrid. “Ready?”
Ingrid removed a notebook out of her handbag. “We found this in Alistair’s briefcase at Sovereign.” She offered it to Alex. “It’s blank but I bet there’s something written in there.”
“And why are you giving it to me?” Alex asked.
“I know you’ll be able to find out if there’s anything written in it,” Ingrid said. “I doubt it’s blank.” She glanced over at Anaïs. “You’ll help him?”
“We’ll take a look at it,” Anaïs said.
Alex softened and he accepted the book from Ingrid.
“Take care everyone,�
�� I said. “I’m counting on you.”
Marcus was desperately trying to hide his alarm from the others. “Don’t do this to me, William,” he said. “We agreed.”
“Nothing’s decided,” I said.
Marcus gripped my shoulder. “You want to look like Paradom, is that it?”
“Is everything okay?” Sebastian called over to us.
“Oh yes,” I said, casually easing Marcus’s hand off. “We were just discussing where to go from here.” I turned to face them. “Marcus is in charge. He’ll guide you. Everyone alright with that?”
Alex gave a signal of acknowledgment, though I doubted he meant it.
I gave Marcus’s arm a pat. “Keep Sebastian safe.”
Ingrid headed toward the door.
I followed her out, feeling Marcus’s stare locked on me until I was out of his sight.
Chapter 27
INGRID AND I TOOK a moment of shelter beneath the park trees.
I nudged her up against a tall cedar, avoiding the low lying branches, making sure we were out of Alistair’s line of sight.
He was heading toward the northeastern corner of Ravenscourt Park.
We seemed to be the only ones taking the night air in this twenty acre garden located in the London borough of Hammersmith, and it wasn’t surprising considering the late hour.
We’d spent twenty minutes in her Rover, parked opposite Sovereign’s HQ, trying to agree on the best way to enter the building. When Alistair had exited via the front door, heading off down Sloan Street, we’d both breathed a sigh of relief and set off on foot after him.
Within the hour he’d led us to Ravenscourt Park.
“Ingrid,” I whispered, “you weren’t in the room when I demanded the utmost truth from the others.”
She twisted her lips, showing her guilt.
I leaned toward her and slid my right hand into her coat pocket. She cringed.
I removed the small object. “You extracted this from Dominion’s tomb.” I rolled it between my fingers, studying the engraved symbol on the cufflink. “A pictogram.”
“I was going to show it to you.” She looked sheepish. “My methods are a little guarded, I admit.”
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