The Underground

Chapter 12.3

Vivian didn't need him to tell her they were getting closer. It was obvious with each step she took the grail and its monstrous collection of souls were just around the corner. The sound of blood rushing through her ears, pushed by her thundering heart, was little more than a whisper in comparison to the growing sound of muttering souls.

That may have been the worst part of this supposed gift – the talking. The stink of the grail was certainly unpleasant, but every time the whispers of the damned and dead came around, she could feel a part of herself begging for release from this power of hers just as the souls so often begged for release from their shackles.

"It's beyond this door. When we're inside, take care not to touch anything. There a lot of enchantments on the room – and frankly, I'm not sure how to disable half of them," Dominic explained as they rounded the next corner and came face to face with a small, unassuming door. Small for the Blackwood manor, at least.

After he spoke, he lifted his thumb to his mouth, biting easily through what she knew to be skin as strong as steel. His thumb mended itself quickly, but the bite was enough for him to smear a drop of blood on the handle of the door. The blood cracked and hissed, then the door creaked open.

Dominic went first, giving her a reassuring wave of his hand to follow. Vivian followed, eyeballing the black runes that lined not just the door frame, but the walls of the passageway and subsequent room. "Does it only open for vampires, Blackwoods, or just you?" she asked, fingers itching to take notes. Vampiric runes were usually old and interesting if a bit more simplistic compared to witch's.

"Blackwoods."

She made a mental note. "Neat."

The short passageway and plain wooden door were a good indicator of what the room that lay beyond would be like. Dozens of rows of dusty shelves held boxes, pristinely labeled but abandoned to the darkness and dirt. While most objects were wrapped tightly or placed in containers, some freely sat on the shelves, showcasing the wealth of valuables the Blackwoods owned yet kept tucked away.

The grail was a notable exception. It was placed in the center of the room, in the gap between the rows of shelves that lined the walls. It stood upon a simple pedestal, protected by a red cloth that covered its entirety. Despite the cloth, she could see a whisper of light peaking through the old threads. Apparently, her power had grown. The damn thing still reeked, though.

Vivian pulled her notepad out, approaching the pedestal with slow steps. Dominic lingered by one of the shelves, leaning his back against it and waiting patiently for his turn to provide exposition.

She reached a hand out to pull off the cloth. "Do you mind if I touch it?"

"Go ahead."

With more confidence, she pulled away the red layer and exposed the grail. The gentle white glow radiating from it was almost relaxing. Much more pleasant than she had been expecting.

Crinkling her nose, she leaned in closer, taking notes of the minimal design and subtle runes wrapped around the rim of the cup. The light of hundreds of trapped souls was rather convenient for note-taking.

"It's rather plain, isn't it," she murmured, a small smile cracking at the sigh that came from behind her.

"I'm sorry it isn't exciting enough for you."

"That's alright. Can I ask how it works or will you have to kill me if you tell me?"

Dominic rolled his eyes. Well, she couldn't see him roll his eyes, but paired with the sigh and tone of his voice, it was easy to imagine him doing it. "I would think it works similarly to all the vampire bloodline tools. An exchange of blood between mortal and immortal, consumed from the cup. The grail acts as an anchor for the soul, ensuring the newly turned's body doesn't perish without it."

"So, is the grail still used if, say, you're an already existing vampire and looking to be adopted into a different clan?" she prodded further, moving to the other side of the pedestal to check the opposite side's runes. She knew the answer, of course. Dominic couldn't have recently become a Blackwood if it required the grail, as they had just retrieved it. But she was curious if he'd take the bait and explain.

Dominic didn't bite, instead staring her down, face deadpan, unmoving, and brooding. The silence stretched past a comfortable range, well into the 'this is awkward' territory, and she caved first.

"Yeah, alright, message received," she grumbled, voice trailing into a soft murmur. Her gaze lingered on the grail a moment longer, a thought or idea she couldn't quite grasp twisting around in the back of her mind. She looked up at him, something about the way the shadows of the room darkened his hair and face too familiar. 

The feeling gnawed at her, the manor and its occupants a memory she was certain she possessed but was just out of her reach. There was something there, something she should be remembering, but it eluded her with frustrating efficiency until it very suddenly didn't.

"You weren't the only one, were you?" she asked, the blurred memory dancing around her, slipping on to her tongue without her consent.

"Pardon?"

Vivian raised her gaze to make pointed eye contact, repeating herself with more purpose. "You weren't the only one adopted into the Blackwoods. There was a woman."

She took a sudden step back, the onslaught of forgotten memories from dreams overwhelming and unnatural. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Your hair was black when we danced and hers was white. Is it a side effect of whatever you did to become a Blackwood?" she pressed, squinting into the palm of her hand. "The woman, she took me to a bedroom and told me not to forget. Who is she?"

Dominic stared at her like he had when she first showed up at the manor – as if he were contemplating throwing her out; as if he didn't trust her. "Silvia, I would imagine. She was the first," he murmured, his voice twinged with pain, the words hurting him as they crept out of his mouth.

"It was her journal you showed me. We need to look at it anyway, can we go to her room?" Vivian asked eyes widened in a plea to satiate her ravenous curiosity. The hurt in his own eyes sent pains of guilt to her chest. It was a look she was all too familiar with.

"I-," he paused to suck in a deep breath, teeth grinding in their clenched state. He exhaled slowly. She winced at the exaggerated breath.

"Yes, fine," he finished. With heavy steps, he turned to guide her out of the grail's chambers, but she rushed past him. Too eager. Too pushy.

"I know the way."