“We need to keep investigating,” Connor said. Surprised, I turned around to face him. “We can get him on the way out,” he added. “But we’ve come all the way here, I need more answers.”
“He’s right,” Vail said and took a vial out of her purse to give to the Vampire on the wall. He drank it, and colour started to come back to his complexion. “We will be back soon,” she told him.
Vail took a deep breath, composing herself before she waved her hands in the air, and more footsteps lit up on the ground. They led to a wall on the far side. Nothing was there except for concrete. I approached and ran my hand over the rough surface, noticing a faint draft emanating from a crack. I pressed my hands against it, and to my surprise, the wall shifted, and I pushed harder, revealing a hidden ladder descending into darkness.
“Shall we?” Vail asked, walking past me and descending the ladder. Her light followed her as we descended.
“Why does Sam have a tunnel under his house?” I asked once I got to the end and entered the narrow and low-ceilinged space.
“It’s probably from the prohibition; lots of buildings in Lakeview have them. They lead to the river,” Connor said, his voice echoing slightly.
I tried not to look down at my feet as I felt the earth, squishy and damp, beneath my boots. I could just picture rats crawling around, and I shivered at the thought.
As we ventured farther, we entered a large cave-like section, and bats fluttered around us. “I hate bats,” Connor muttered, and I exchanged a glance with Vail.
After walking for a while, we reached the end of the tunnel, where another ladder awaited, this time leading up. Tension simmered between Vail and Connor as they debated who should ascend the ladder first. Connor, eager to take the lead, asserted his position, only to be met with Vail’s determination.
“Absolutely not,” Vail declared, her voice firm. “I am a witch, so I’ll be going first.”
Vail started to climb without waiting for Connor’s response, then I followed, my hand gripping the cold metal rungs tightly. But as I began to climb, my foot slipped on the wet metal. Connor’s hands were on my waist, steadying me. “I’ve got you,” he said, his breath warm against my neck.
“Thanks.” I resettled my footing and continued to climb ahead of him, distracted now from his lingering touch.
Vail pushed open the hatch at the top of the ladder, and we crawled out into the open. Emerging from the tunnel, we found ourselves in a dimly lit warehouse. I scanned our surroundings, taking in the sight of towering crates and stacked pallets.
Hiding behind crates for cover, we peered around, our senses on high alert. Connor's expression was tense, his jaw tight as he surveyed the warehouse. It looked like a packing facility for Sam’s distribution of the Vampire-killing drugs.
The bay door started to roll open, and we ducked down. Two cars drove into the warehouse, and the bay door closed again. Sam emerged and greeted people with handshakes and hugs from the other car.
“That motherfucker, he told me he was out of town,” Connor muttered under his breath, his frustration palpable.
Connor braced to confront them, but I grabbed his arm. “Not now,” I whispered. “We can’t let them know we’re here. We’ll come back another day.” I glanced at Vail; she was already nodding.
I turned my gaze back to Connor, meeting his eyes. I could sense the pain he harboured from Sam’s deception, and I understood his desire to confront him. However, we had come too far to risk tipping our hand and letting Sam know we were onto him. I reached out and touched Connor’s arm, momentarily snapping him out of his swirling thoughts.
“Let’s go,” I whispered.
He took a final glance at the warehouse and retreated back into the tunnel.
We got back to the basement lab. The Vampire looked a little better. His eyes blazed with rage, and when we walked in, he let out a long hiss and shook his chains.
“I’ll help him. You guys get out of here,” Vail said.
“Are you crazy?” Connor said, “He’s going to kill you. He hasn’t had blood in who knows how long.”
“I will be okay; I will use my magic to restrain him until I get him somewhere safe. Just leave so he doesn’t attack you,” she told both of us, but I knew that Vail and I were safe, and she was only talking about Connor, being the only human.
“Vail, he’s a Vampire. He’s dangerous. I’m not going to leave you here,” Connor stated.
“He’s a person, Connor. He’s been chained up and harmed, and I don’t care what you believe in, but I can’t let him die here.”
“She’ll be okay,” I reassured Connor, giving him a small smile. “I’ll see you tonight, okay? Back at home, we can talk about what to do next?” I said to Vail.
She gave me a smile, and even in the dim fluorescent-lit basement, she was so beautiful. “Sounds like a plan,” she agreed.
“Be safe,” I called out to her as we made our way out.
“I always am,” Vail replied confidently. For some reason, I couldn’t resist glancing back at her one last time before leaving.
