(38) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Helmut watched from just outside the boundaries of the ruins. Beside him stood one of the vampire guardians, an old one, just over one thousand. While the two of them weren't friends, or even friendly, they did hold grudging respect for each other.

Now the vampire asked quietly, "You're certain you can get inside if you know what a part of the subterranean area looks like?"

"I am." Helmut rubbed his temples between his fingers. "It's either that, or discover the entrances. The only one I know about is the one Piers and Lin found, and the revenant undoubtedly has done all in his power to make it impregnable now."

"If there's even the smallest crack I can get inside."

"Too dangerous."

"And yet you want to," the vampire hissed.

Helmut smiled tightly. "I'm not one of the undead. He'll know how to fight you with your own weapons so to speak."

"A possibility, I suppose, but my duty to save the young man is as strong as yours."

Helmut changed the subject for the moment by saying, "There has to be another entrance, one we're not seeing. There's no other way he could have gotten Dixon, or any of his other victims, inside."

"Presuming he has. He may have fed on them and then buried their bodies under the rubble."

"No, I think he keeps them in there, and keeps them alive for as long as possible. He can't leave the boundaries of his land, therefore he has no recourse if he's to remain alive other than to maintain them, in stasis or otherwise, until there's nothing left of them to feed on."

The vampire tapped his fingers together, considering that. "Agreed. Allow me to search the ruins. With my superior senses I may be able to find this other entrance, if it exists."