Blaise could honestly say this was the perfect time to panic.
Why?
One. The tunnel was blocked from going any further. This part had caved in. Hell, he was one of the most powerful vampires on Earth, but even he had his limits. He couldn't punch their way through solid freaking rock to the fresh air above. How far were they, anyway, underground?
Two. This was sometime during day six. It was difficult to tell time by using a puny glow stick only.
Three. His entire torso screamed in agony. The gaping hole was stitching itself slower than a tectonic plate. He hated the feeling of his organs squishing and slipping inside him, finding where they connected and whatnot. This was definitely ranked in the top-fifty worst experiences of his long life.
Four. Blaise's inner vampire was starving. His body shivered. If it weren't for the nasty infection within the helpless mortal in his arms, he would've helped himself to a little taste.
Five. Speaking of Lucas, his wheezing became worse during his fever-induced sleep. The stress took a toll on him. Blaise licked the cut while he slept, temporarily calming the swollenness around his throat. It was inconvenient to constantly lick and walk, but if he could keep Lucas from dying sooner, then fine. There were worse things he put in his mouth before.
Blaise inspected something interesting, though. One section of the cave's wall gave way from the earthquake, revealing a tight passageway only a few body lengths wide. It was untouched by anyone. There were no pheromones and footprints, just as new as the day it formed years and years ago. How odd that no one had discovered the area, even when the caves were frequented by tourists around the world. Oh, well. Who cared about the circumstances? At least it was bone dry, meaning zero floods.
But...
The aura breezing out...
I don't like it. I don't like it at all.
"Hey," Blaise whispered in Lucas's ear.
He didn't wake up. His skin was paler than ever. Hold on, how long had it been for the glow stick to change colors? What was the color order again? Half a day passed this fast? Even Blaise had lost track of time. His mind must have went into autopilot to remain lucid.
"Hello? Lucas," he said louder, shaking him. "Hey!"
Lucas's fingers twitched. A grunt left him. "Hmm?"
Thank heavens. "Look at me."
"Don't...wanna."
Without warning, Blaise kissed him. He didn't care about their chapped lips or unbrushed teeth. It just felt right, like he should do this. His energy felt a little more replenished by the skin-ship. Definitely psychological.
Does he feel it, too?
Lucas moaned and fluttered his eyes open, surprised by the hasty action. "What...was that?"
"What is what?"
"Zapping...when you kissed me."
Zapping? I didn't feel that.
The confusion on Blaise's face answered the question. Lucas didn't push it, knowing the 'zap' was only sensed by him.
Definitely, definitely, psychological.
"I think you should stay awake from now on."
"Because...I'll die if I don't?"
"You won't die."
"How do you know?"
Blaise turned to face their alternative path to show him. "Our way out is through here."
Lucas fully opened his eyes and examined the person-sized hole. "I don't like it."
Tremors vibrated the cave. "That's exactly what I thought, too."
They went in.
The tunnel was straightforward and not complicated - flat ground, tall ceiling, some slight turns, and no pointy mineral snagging their clothes. Best of all, they were inclining for a long time. He could finally find water and food for Lucas. Humans couldn't live without water for three or four days. Time was ticking.
Yes, the trek was easy.
The air said otherwise.
It was unsettling in the beginning, almost like someone watching you. Blaise regularly looked behind him, though nothing emerged from the darkness.
In between Lucas saying he was thirsty, he'd also whisper, "Bad."
He was right. The uneasiness turned into a full-on 'get out of here' goosebump feeling. The energy was negative. Blaise had visited enough haunted places throughout the centuries to know something terrible hap-
"Shit!" Blaise yelled, jumping back several feet.
The glow stick could only give them so much light. He didn't see what was on the ground until his feet almost stepped on it!
Lucas was startled awake by the abrupt jolt. His eyes darted around to see what in the world could frighten a vampire.
Their sights rested on a decayed body slumped against the wall. He slowly approached to see better, feeling silly this was what spooked him.
It was well preserved from the dry and cold temperature. The cave environment was too harsh for bugs, so flies had barely made a dent in the man. Withered, grey skin stuck to his bones. His face was skeletal with dried-out eyeballs. The clothes were rotted from the eruption of built-up gases and fluids. Golden round glasses rusted to the stub that was once his nose.
It was peculiar how the shifting earth didn't change his original position, but life was weird like that.
While Lucas stared at it, Blaise studied the scene.
The murder scene, to be exact.
This beta met a violent end. Stabbed over and over. The skull had blunt-force trauma. Faded brown stains, splatters, footprints, and handprints smeared the area. Old blood trailed on the ground. Blaise predicted he was dragged here when he was heavily injured, but then gave a bloody good fight until the very end. Given the body's condition and literally zero pheromones, it could have been a few years-
Scratch that.
The body's strangled neck had a single brown sparkle. After all this time, the glittering particle still held on. An alpha's pheromone. It was the only clue to the killer's identity.
No wonder the aura was off. It's plagued by his unfinished business and restless soul. The incident is still felt within the rocks. Nature has a mysterious way of absorbing vibes - happy or tragic. How terrible. Anyway, let's keep going. The air quality smells fresher. There should be an exit not far away.
Before he could take a step, Lucas raised a shaky arm and pointed at the corpse. His mouth gaped open as if he would scream. The gash in his throat wouldn't allow him to do that, only making tiny, "Ah, ah, ah," squeaks instead.
Blaise shushed him, believing it was because he was frightened to see a dead person. "Don't fret, love, I'll be beside you when you wake up from the nightmares."
Lucas shook his head to deny it. "Ah, he is-, ah, ah, he's-!" he stuttered, tongue undecided what it wanted to say.
"Yes?" Blaise asked gently. Mortals are so sensitive about death.
He finally uttered, "R-R-Rei!"
"Who?"
Lucas couldn't stop pointing at the deceased beta named Rei. Blaise was taken aback when a tear fell. Crying? Why was he crying?!
"Rei! Those are...his glasses!"
"Love, is the name supposed to mean something to me if you merely repeat it? Who is Rei?"
"Dad! T-Teru's dad!"
That was totally unexpected, even making him speechless. "Teru's...dad? The one who raised him, correct? Because that ain't Ryoma."
"Y-yes! Rei...went m-missing," Lucas sputtered, more tears wetting his cheeks, "five y-years ago...during scavenging! Didn't...come back. Vampires took him. He was...like a father...to me. What...happened? Why? How? Who?!"
Who?
Who would murder Teru's dad?
Vampires wouldn't waste blood like this. If the murder was done by his species, they would not go through the trouble of covering it up to this extent. No, it was committed by a mortal's hands.
Why abandon his body in such a disrespectful resting place without letting the family mourn?
To not get caught. This situation just became more touchy than he'd prefer.
Blaise held his human tighter and covered Lucas's eyes. He stepped over the body, er, Rei, and continued. Whether it be tomorrow or a decade, Rei would still be in that same spot. They could come back later and Teru could have a proper burial ceremony.
As Lucas whimpered and questioned everything he ever knew, Blaise smelled it.
Smoky. Charred. Rain. Moisture. The passing of a storm.
Outside.