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

The trio moved far enough down the dark tunnel for Helmut to consider it safe to talk, albeit very quietly. "As I said, things could be worse, and they could be a hell of a lot better."

"Piers?"

"Is alive," Helmut assured Linden. "It's rather like we thought from what I could see," he glanced at the vampire. "The revenant doesn't kill his victims immediately. He has Piers, Dixon and some human I've never seen before. They're each in separate cells in what was the castle's dungeon. Unfortunately, from what I could tell, the human is close enough to death that I doubt he'll survive more than a day or two at best. I'd say the revenant has fed at least once from Dixon. He looks very pale and appears to be shock, and I suspect he captured Piers just because he could and he plans on holding him until the others expire."

"By which time he'll be dead as well," Linden snarled angrily. "Doesn't he know what Piers is?"

"You know, I forgot to ask him that," Helmut replied with a flash of a smile before turning serious once more. "I think we can get them out of there. My associate here has the strength to break the locks on the cell doors, and then the two of you can get the human and Dixon back to the exit. Piers seems to be in good enough shape to move on his own."

Linden shot him a dismayed look, knowing the answer even as he asked the question. "Just what are you going to be doing while we're rescuing them?"  

"Destroying the revenant."

"Something no one in five hundred years has been able to do. What makes you think you can oh great and wonderful superhero," Linden said, anger accenting the fear for Helmut's safety that was boiling to the surface.

"Because I'm a creature of life whereas he's a creature of revenge and death," Helmut replied with quiet conviction.

"And death always wins in the end."

"Not always," the vampire pointed out. "I live, the shifter lives. We have both defied death by our very natures."

"So has the revenant in case you hadn't noticed and you said he's nearly invincible."

"Nearly being the operative word there, Lin." Ignoring the presence of the vampire, Helmut kissed Linden quickly. "I'm going to be all right, I promise. You just have to help get his captives free and away from here."

"Don't make promises unless you can keep them," Linden whispered.

"I never do," was Helmut's reply as he started back towards the other branch of the tunnel.