“I think you want me to exert my energy to see if I lose any.”
“That’s another reason too.”
She nodded absently as she pointed to the rock. “The tracks end at the boulder, but they couldn’t have gone through.”
“Let’s take a closer look at the large stone,” Clayton said before he zipped toward it.
When he came to the boulder, he pressed his hands against it. “It feels solid.” He punched it, and nothing happened.
“Let me try,” Desiree said as she placed her hands delicately across the stone until she felt something peculiar. “There is a soft spot,” she said as she pushed the spot in using her hands.
The rock slid open, and a small entryway appeared.
“How did you do that, Desiree?” Clayton asked with shock.
“I’m not quite sure, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say it’s because of my blood type being an O negative. Maybe it sensed me? I wonder what other treasures await us?”
“I think since you are the golden child on this property with your blood type, you should lead.”
“What happened to the old saying age before beauty? Shouldn’t you lead?”
“Funny. Who’s the grunt now?”
Clayton was able to see down the narrow passage despite the little illumination the moonlight provided. He started walking and then turned to Desiree. “There seems to be a dead-end, but something seems off to me.”
“Like what?”
“I feel a breeze. I think it’s coming from below.”
“Just use your hyper-sight.”
“I think I am losing that ability as well,” Clayton said as he moved a few more steps tentatively with Desiree close behind.
“Stop!” Clayton said as he put his hand up.
“What’s going on, Clayton? You’re making me nervous!”
“You should be. We’re losing our vampire powers, and I almost fell through the large opening a couple of steps ahead of me.”
“I’ll turn on my headlight; I suggest you do the same,” Desiree said as she turned hers on.
Clayton did the same and was astonished to see skeleton bones of varying types of species were laying on both sides of the gaping hole.
“I recognize animal bones, perhaps feral dogs and coyotes,” Clayton said as he looked around. “And there! I see human remains.”
Desiree walked to the opposite side and pointed around her. “These are definitely vampire remains. Their fangs are protruding.” She looked around the dimly lit area. “What is going on here, Clayton?”
“I am unsure. Did you want to go down and find out?”
“How do you know the answer is down there and not up here?”
Clayton spread his hands as the headlight shown on her feet. “I don’t. The sun will be coming up in a few hours. We need to descend to the core.”
“I’m afraid what we’ll find at the abyss.”
“Nevertheless, we must proceed even though we don’t have anything to tie the rope to.”
Desiree looked at him. “Are you saying we jump? You can’t be serious! With our continued power loss, would we live? We don’t even know how far down it is!” Desiree looked down with her headlight. “I can’t even see the bottom.”
“I have to continue, Desiree. I would understand if you left now.”
“I may have to, Clayton. I’m too young to lose power and die.”
Clayton smiled warmly. “If I get out of here alive, I’ll look you up.”
“You must live, Clayton!” She went to him and gave him a prolonged hug.
She turned and walked toward the opening. She noticed the rock was sliding back, and the moonlight’s light that shone on the dirt floor became more narrow. She rushed to the passage opening as the rock slid closed.
“Damn!”
Now the only light was from her headlight. She braced herself against the wall and went to the end of the tunnel. The fact that she couldn’t feel the wall’s temperature told her that her invulnerable skin was still resistant to cold and heat. She reached the end. She could sense the hole a few feet away from her.
“Clayton! I’ve come back to help you!” she yelled. Then softly to herself, she said, “I had no choice with the door closed, but I’m here…” She waited a few seconds. “Clayton!” No answer, which could only mean he jumped down. “Damn!”
Chapter Twenty-One
Into the Abyss!
Present Day
Clayton had no choice but to jump. He counted out loud, “One, two, three!” He leaped downward. As he plunged down, he could see a thin sliver of light below. As Clayton dropped further down, the walls became more constricted, which helped him slow his descent. He pushed out his arms and legs as the walls came closer to him. He slowed down considerably and only had to fall fifteen feet from the end of the hole to the floor where he landed on his feet. Clayton was thankful he retained his invulnerable skin, or he would have burns on his hands and legs from the friction of stopping his fall.
Desiree’s departure saddened him. He felt an odd connection with her even though she had deceived him for three centuries. She had grown on him over the years. He also thought she was smitten with him. Yes, he thought, Desiree, was falling for him.
As that last thought rummaged through his mind, Desiree did not fall for him but fell on top of him as she dropped down from the hole.
Desiree was on top of him, face to face. “Desiree? I thought you had left.”
She looked at him for a second and realized the position she was in and got up. Clayton followed. “I changed my mind. It seems we are destined to figure this out together,” Desiree said as she retightened the rope on her shorts.
Desiree looked around the vast room. It was a humongous glass aquarium that seemed to stretch for miles on both sides of the walls. She peered closer as Clayton stood beside her.
“Are those what I think they are?” Desiree asked with dread.
“Yes,” Clayton said with abject fear. “Come on! We need to see where
