Cain's heart was still racing as they slipped into the alley, the sounds of pursuit fading behind them. The air was thick with the damp scent of the city, the smell of concrete and rain, but beneath it, something else lingered — something colder.
Danger.
"We can't keep running," Riven muttered, his voice barely audible as he adjusted his jacket, his hand still stained with blood. "It's not going to end like this."
Elias didn't answer immediately. He was looking around, calculating, always the strategist. His eyes flickered to Cain for a brief moment, and then to Riven. He took a deep breath, his gaze narrowing with determination.
"I know," Elias finally said. "But we don't have a choice right now. We need to regroup."
Cain wasn't sure what to feel. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions — guilt for the vampire he had killed, anger at the situation they were in, and confusion about the Master. The vampire who had attacked them earlier had said something that still gnawed at him: family. It echoed in his ears like a threat. He hated the feeling that they were caught in some kind of twisted game, that they were just pawns.
But they couldn't outrun the truth anymore.
"They want us," Cain said, his voice hard. "And they'll keep coming for us until we give them what they want."
Elias looked over his shoulder again, but his eyes softened slightly when he looked back at Cain. "You can't think like that. They're going to keep trying to break us down, but we won't let them."
Riven's lip curled into a grim smile. "If it was that easy, they wouldn't have sent so many after us."
Cain didn't want to admit it, but Riven was right. They were outnumbered and outmatched. The vampires were stronger, faster, and their reach was long. But Cain wasn't ready to let them win.
Not yet.
"I need answers," Cain said, his voice low, more to himself than to the others. "We need to know what they want with us."
Elias nodded, his eyes flicking toward the street ahead. "We'll find out soon enough. But first, we need to get somewhere safe. We can't keep running blindly."
Riven stepped forward, his boots clicking on the damp ground. "Where? The city's crawling with them."
Elias's expression was unreadable, but there was a cold resolve there that made Cain trust him more than ever. "We go underground."
Cain didn't have to ask what Elias meant. The Underground was the only place left where they might be able to hide. It was a place for outcasts and the forgotten, a maze of tunnels and hidden rooms beneath the city where no one would look for them.
But it came at a cost.
The Underground wasn't just a place of refuge; it was a place of deals, of favors. To survive there, they would need to trade something — and nothing came without a price.
Cain's stomach twisted at the thought. They didn't have much to give, but they'd have to figure it out. They had no choice.
"Let's go," Cain said, his voice cutting through the tension.
The walk to the Underground felt like an eternity. Every step echoed in the silence of the night, each footfall dragging them deeper into the darkness. The streets grew quieter, the lights dimmer, until they reached a hidden door tucked away in the back of an alley. It was barely noticeable, a faded symbol etched into the wood — a symbol that no one dared approach unless they had business below.
Elias knocked three times, the sound sharp against the silence. The door creaked open almost immediately, revealing a figure in the shadows.
"You're late," the figure said, his voice low and raspy. The man was tall, his features obscured by the hood of his cloak. He had a rough, weathered look to him, like he had seen too much of the world's darkest corners. "But I suppose you had your reasons."
Elias didn't flinch. "We need to talk."
The man's eyes flickered over to Cain and Riven before returning to Elias. He didn't seem surprised by their presence, but there was something unsettling in his gaze. "Come in. But make it quick."
The door opened wider, and they stepped into the shadows.
The Underground was like another world. The air was thick with smoke, the dim lights flickering on the walls as they descended deeper into the maze of tunnels. The sounds of clinking metal, hushed conversations, and the faint hum of machinery filled the space, creating an atmosphere that felt alive, even if it was nothing more than a network of hidden places and forgotten souls.
They were led through a series of corridors to a small, dimly lit room. A large table stood in the center, cluttered with papers, maps, and a few old bottles of something Cain couldn't identify.
The man who had let them in took a seat at the far end of the table, folding his arms across his chest. "I assume you know the rules here," he said, his voice gravelly. "You don't come in for charity. So, what's it gonna be? What are you offering?"
Elias didn't hesitate. "Information. You tell us about the Master, and we'll tell you what you want to know."
The man's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "You think you can deal with the Master? You're not the first ones to try."
Cain felt the weight of the man's words settle in his chest. He had no idea what they were getting into, but something told him that the Master was more dangerous than anything they had faced before.
"I'm not here to deal with him," Elias said, his voice calm. "I'm here to stop him."
The man's smile faded. "Then you're already too late."
Cain's stomach twisted. The last thing they needed was to hear that they were too late.
But it seemed that time wasn't on their side.