The club was crowded again tonight with many people still waiting to get in. Sarain waited in line with everyone else and even struck up a conversation with a woman standing nearby hoping that she would blend in. The woman was a college student who was there with friends, and had obviously had a few drinks before coming there. She was rather cheerful and embracing to the attention of a stranger, and complimented Sarain on her great wardrobe. The large guard was at the door again, and Sarain couldn’t let herself be recognized. When she approached the door she addressed her new acquaintance again, who threw an arm around her making it look like they were there together. The large guard ushered them in unaware of Sarain’s true identity.
Shortly after entering, she parted ways with her new friend, who was making her way to the bar, and Sarain made her own way to the restrooms. The office door was closed, but Sarain turned into the ladies room, and after a minute inside she peeked out, and made sure the coast was clear. No one appeared to be looking, so Sarain slipped out and backed up towards the office door. She tried the knob, and sure enough, the door was unlocked. She expected as much since it was night, and the vil sangs would be coming and going. She quickly stepped inside and noticed that the previous desk had been replaced with a bigger, heavier looking one. She didn’t know if this was to keep people out of the lair below or if it was because her blood had stained the last one, but she knew that this new desk would not keep her out.
The new desk was indeed heavier, being made out of some kind of stone. It probably would take two or three human men to move it, but wouldn’t be a challenge for a vil sang. Sarain wasn’t sure if she could lift it, she had never bench pressed weights, and wasn’t sure what her limit would be. She went to the right side of the desk to get a grip on the desk’s end when the office door suddenly came flying open.
A man dressed like one of the bartenders stood in the doorway looking at Sarain for a moment before he finally asked, “What are you doing in here? This is for employees only.”
Sarain leaned over the desk flirtatiously and said, “I was looking for your cute boss.”
The man stepped in and closed the door behind him, he approached Sarain saying, “The boss is busy, but I’m free for a little fun, baby.”
Sarain smiled at him, feeling awkward; she wasn’t used to come-ons, but she was especially not used to acting loose. The man walked over to her and gave her a closer once over. Sarain smiled at him again and asked, “Do you like what you see?”
The man smiled back, and started to put his arm around her while responding, “Oh yes.”
“Good,” Sarain said softly to him, then she grabbed his arm and pulled it down while sweep kicking his feet out from under him. He knocked his head against the desk and was out cold. Sarain looked him over; he was human, probably just a regular club employee. She dragged him over and laid him against the wall next to the bookcase. Upon a quick inspection he wouldn’t be noticed, unless someone really stepped in and looked around the office.
Sarain went back to the desk. She grabbed the end of it and crouched down, bending at the knees. She groaned as she lifted the heavy desk, but was surprised that she managed to lift it up. She couldn’t leave it lying on its side this time, not with so many people nearby and able to peek in the office. And locking the door would alert anyone who knew that it should be open. Instead she had to hold the desk up as she stepped into the tunnel, and slowly lowered it shut with each step down. This would make a quick escape difficult if Sarain had need for it again, but it was a chance she had to take.
Candles still lit the hallway, but Sarain proceeded with caution. She removed her sunglasses so it would be easier for her to see; in this instance hiding her eyes would be pointless. She didn’t know if the vil sangs had left any new traps for her, nor did she know if she could be expecting any of them to walk in or out suddenly. She figured coming at night would be something they wouldn’t anticipate her doing, being such a bold move. But really, her chances were good that there were now less vil sangs in the tunnels below, since they could be out looking for prey at this hour. Given the ones that were below would be awake, but Sarain could handle vil sangs in smaller numbers quite easily.
Sarain made it to the first door without incident. She opened it slowly, remembering that it groaned the last time, and stopped it short before opening it all the way. She squeezed through and then advanced to the spiraling staircase. The last time she was on these steps she had been mobbed and badly injured. She looked over the side and the steps still looked a long way down, she would have to proceed more quietly this time since ears would be alert and awake. Sarain took off her shoes and carried them down with her. Her bare feet on the stone steps made no sound whatsoever, but the stairs were cold so deep beneath the ground. She trotted down the steps quickly, not having to worry about making noise, but she made sure to listen for any possible sound of movement beneath her. All was silent.
It didn’t feel like it took Sarain as long to reach the bottom of the stairs as it had the first time. As she took the final steps down she saw a blood stain on one of the stairs; her blood stain, where she had cracked open her head when being dragged down. Sarain then glanced at the wall and saw a spray mark from when she pulled out the knife that had been stuck in her side. That had only been a couple nights before, and now Sarain walked fine as if she had never been injured, but these stains told how she almost died.
She put on her shoes, preparing to walk on, and then heard a rustling sound coming from the hallway behind the door that so many vil sangs came piling out before. Sarain unlaced the strap holding on her machete to her thigh, and grasped it tightly in her hand. She pressed her back against the stairwell wall and waited for whatever made the noise to appear. The sound of the door swinging open echoed in the hall. Sarain held her breath so not to make a sound. Footsteps headed towards the stairway, and soon a pale man turned the corner.
He noticed Sarain’s red dress first, and then he noticed her eyes. A startled expression came over his a face just before his head rolled off his body. Sarain had sliced off his head without hesitation. The vil sang’s body slumped to the ground, and blood spurted out from the gaping hole in its neck. It was a good thing Sarain was wearing red.
She looked down at the remains, and observed that the beast had only had one hand. He was the same vil sang the she had injured previously; he wouldn’t be attacking her anymore.
Sarain stepped over the body, and headed for the hallway furthest from the stairs. She would have to move quicker now, before another vil sang came along and saw the body, and alerted the others.
Down the hall was a door, Sarain remembered this, and behind the door was another long hall and another door, as well as a turn that left its destination unseen. She headed straight, possibly to the “Master’s chambers”. When she neared the turn in the hallway, she slowed down and peered around the corner. It was another lengthy hallway that led to another door, it was a sight that Sarain had already seen much of down there, but for some reason the look of it made her stomach quiver. Something laid behind that door that brought fear to her bones. Perhaps it was just her nerves, but Sarain did not want to find out what waited in that direction. She continued straight to the nearest door. As she approached it she stepped softly listening for possible sounds on the other side.
Sarain pressed her ear against the door, but could hear nothing. She gently pushed it open, and slipped inside.
The new room was sizeable, and looked to be a small arena. There were stone columns giving up support, and pews carved into the rock ground, to fit many onlookers. The room could hold several beasts. The rows of seats were like bleachers in a stadium, descending lower with each row until finally ending at a leveled ground where a podium stood.
Down on the leveled ground was where Sarain saw two figures standing. One was a small demon with long claws and scaly skin; it had big red eyes that even Sarain could see from this distance. The other appeared to be an extremely tall demon, not just tall compared to the dwarf sized creature next to it, but much taller than what a mortal man could be. This beast’s back was turned to Sarain leaving her unable to get a better look. But she could see that he had pointed ears, gray skin, and claw-like hands. He stood upright unlike most demons, and his body shape, while big, was more like a man. And he wore a robe, when demons usually preferred to walk nude.
Sarain strained to hear what was being said from behind one of the stone pillars. The little demon was explaining something to the taller beast, the creature sounded scared like he was worried about disappointing his superior.
He spoke in a high raspy voice and said, “Master, we are bringing in as many people as we can, but there are fewer out on the streets these days. The criminals and delinquents were much easier, because the police weren’t looking for them, but a lot of these new people are bringing up questions.”
Sarain had recalled hearing that a lot of people had been going missing lately, but since the crime level was so low, she hadn’t put much thought in it. But if they were taking the criminals, then it was a no wonder why these people weren’t being missed. She thought of Nate, who wasn’t a bad kid, but aside from Kit, he didn’t have any real personal ties to grieve for him. They were taking the city’s outcasts, most likely through the club, and doing god knows what with them. They had turned Nate, so perhaps they were turning the others, but where were they if they were still missing?
They were here, under the club, somewhere in this labyrinth of tunnels. But why so many?
Sarain’s thought’s were broken when she heard the deep booming voice of the bigger beast begin to talk, “I don’t care if there are questions, I need more, my army is not yet complete!”
Army! The images of Sarain’s massacred clan flashed into her mind. Another army was being made, that meant more people were going to die. Would it be another raid on another clan somewhere, or just a full out chaotic attack?
No, Sarain couldn’t let that happen again. She edged her way down the steps, staying hidden, but moving closer to this master demon; if she was ever going to have a chance to take him out, then now was it. With only him and one other small beast, this would be her best chance at a fair fight.
Sarain took a few more steps closer then halted when she heard the master demon ask, “And how is the progress going with the intruder?”
“She will no longer be a problem; it is being taken care of at this moment,” the small demon said in its high voice.
Sarain stopped breathing and felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. She was the intruder, but she was there in the catacombs, safely hidden. That meant they thought she was home…with Kit.
Sarain took a deep breath realizing that if she had any chance of saving him she would have to move quickly and leave now. The master demon would have to wait.