A loud buzzer sounded and a few minutes later there was a beep as the intercom engaged, the small screen beside the door lighting up and showing the face of the vampire guard on the other side.

“What?” He asked rudely, his lavender eyes looking bored.

“I killed him.” Eryk said, bending down so that his whole face was picked up on the intercom camera.

The vampire guard stood at attention, confusion painting his broad face as he leaned forward and noticed the blood on Eryk's face and neck. There was another vampire guard beside him and the two of them shared a look before the lavender eyed vampire stepped forward. The other vampire disappeared from view, and Eryk assumed he had taken a seat on the chair at the desk outside the dungeon. 

Both vampires wore the same simple pressed white shirt, trousers and loafers that all vampires in the swarm were required to wear. It was one of the main methods of control employed by the Elder, all so that he was the only one who stood out with his perfectly tailored three piece suits and shiny dress shoes. 

Honestly it was a pointless rule, as even without everyone else wearing the same uniform, Heinrich would still perfectly stand apart from the crowd as his Elder power and aura were palpable no matter what. However the narcissistic tendencies of the Elder could not be reasoned with, and so the swarm followed his will. Eryk had always wondered if the other eleven Elders shared this same narcissism or if he was just unlucky to be born to the only one who did. 

“Holy crap, you actually did it.” The vampire guard said, having never once expected that Elder Heinrich's son would actually be capable of killing the werewolf.

The guard, along with every other vampire who had sworn fealty to the Elder, had always looked down on Eryk. A combination of jealousy of his status as Heinrich's son, as well as distrust of the vampire who went against all norms, meant that Eryk was on the receiving end of the scorn of every vampire in their swarm.

The fact that he is twenty five and it took a captive and weakened werewolf for him to finally be able to awaken his powers is ridiculous, the vampire guard thought, How can someone like that be our great Elder's only son?

Eryk waited as the vampire guard took out his key card and swiped it through the lock, the door letting out a loud beep as it opened. He stood to the side and let the tall, hulking guard walk past him and onto the stair landing. Eryk's hands were hidden behind his back, but the vampire paid him no mind as he focused on the motionless werewolf collapsed against the wall.

The vampire let out a low whistle, taking in the blood all over the werewolf's limp body. He probably wouldn't be able to hear it from here but the vampire still tried to listen for a heartbeat, and picked up on nothing. It looked as if Eryk had not held back in his attack on the werewolf, given the amount of blood splattered everywhere. As the lavender eyed vampire took a step down the stairs, he sensed a sudden movement behind him. He turned around, arms up in defense, but he wasn't fast enough as Eryk struck, hitting him square in the face with the broken shackle he had hidden behind his back. 

The vampire was sent sprawling into the wall as the thick metal slammed into his face, losing his footing and crashing down the flight of stairs. Kyle was a blur of motion as he moved up the stairs, past the shocked vampire who had finally picked up his heartbeat.

Eryk was on the vampire in a moment, sparing no time to think and just following his instincts as he climbed on top of him and wound the length of chain around his neck, twisting tight. The guard bucked beneath him, trying to knock Eryk off him but it was useless as Eryk clung onto him, squeezing his legs tight against the vampire's body, trapping him in place. His newfound strength burned through him, exploding with an unexpected potency as Eryk pushed to his limits for the first time ever. It felt like every muscle in his body was brimming with an energy so volatile that it might just burst right out of him.

Eryk tightened his hold on the chains, twisting with all his strength until he finally heard the light popping sound of the vampire's spine cracking. The guard went limp, and Eryk pushed down the disgust rising in his throat as he reminded himself that the vampire wasn't dead.

You don't have the time or luxury to feel guilty, Eryk thought to himself as he quickly stood up.

Kyle was already at the top of the stairs, his hands wrapped around the other vampire's neck as he grunted and twisted, snapping the vampire's spine with his bare hands. His sudden appearance had taken the vampire by surprise and he'd barely had time to react before the massive werewolf was on him. The vampire slumped to Kyle's feet with a dull thump that sounded way too loud in the bright light outside the dungeon. 

As Eryk had told him when they had hatched their plan, there was a narrow hallway on the outside of the dungeon, bright with fluorescent lights that led to a door at the other end. Kyle reached down and searched the unconscious vampire's pockets for his key card, before pocketing it and dragging the body down into the dungeon. 

He and Eryk made quick work of hiding the bodies at the back behind some old cinder blocks. They quickly undressed the vampires before putting on the clean clothes themselves. The shirt was too small for Kyle and the buttons strained as he fastened them. As the trousers were too small too, he kept on the old sweatpants he wore. He decided to stay barefoot as neither vampire wore shoes that would fit him. 

The two of them then quietly made their way out of the dungeon and locked the door. It would take a while for the two vampires to heal from their injuries, and keeping them trapped behind a door might give Kyle and Eryk more time to quietly escape before anyone discovered their unconscious bodies. Kyle had briefly considered just killing the vampires, but with them being part of the Elder's swarm meant that Heinrich would be able to immediately sense their deaths. Much like the bloodbond that connected his packmates, the Elders held onto a tether that tied all the vampires in their bloodline to them. The bond was not as potent as the werewolves' bloodbond, but it still did it's part in giving the Elders control.

As they crossed the hallway Eryk kept a tight hold onto the broken shackles, not wanting to let go of the makeshift weapon. He knew if it came down to it the weapon might help keep him safe, and he would rather be armed than just walk around defenseless with his lack of fighting skills.

The previous night Kyle had shown him how to defend himself using the chains; it had been difficult to demonstrate the manoeuvres while they were still attached to him, but the werewolf made do. The last thing he wanted was to try escaping with the vampire completely defenseless. He taught Eryk how to make the most of the weapon so he could protect himself even against bigger or stronger vampires who had actual combat training. 

Eryk had practiced the whole night while Kyle slept, miming through the few motions making sure they were ingrained in him. He didn't want to be stopped during their escape just because he had never been taught how to fight.

Kyle took the key card from his pocket and unlocked the door at the other end of the hallway. The lab on the other side of the door was empty, the medical machines in the corner beeping steadily. There weren't any vampire captives in the lab currently, and Eryk felt relief wash over him. He hadn't mentioned it to Kyle, but he had sworn to himself to free anyone else who might have been held captive by his father in the lab.

The lab had another two doorways, the one on the west led up into the manor, and the south doorway that led to the side entrance, mainly used to directly transfer captives in and out of the lab. The side entrance led to a small parking lot behind the manor and the two of them made their way there, slowly crossing the silent lab. 

Eryk reached out to a tub of disinfectant wipes and used a few to clean the blood off his mouth and neck, before disposing of it in one of the lab bins.

At Eryk's behest, Kyle sat down at one of the lab tables while the vampire reached into the supply cabinet and got some medical supplies. He worked quickly, cleaning Kyle's wound with disinfectant and using suture strips to close the wound. Eryk had gotten some suture thread and needles as well, but luckily the wound didn't need stitches.

Once again he made sure to quickly add a layer of his saliva onto the wound before closing it up with fresh clean bandages. He then grabbed a plastic bag and filled it with an assortment of medical supplies that he would need for Kyle's wound, making sure to add the suture thread and needles too, just in case the wound opened again from the strain of movement.

When Eryk was done, they moved to the lab door and held still as Kyle focused his senses, trying to pick up on any movement from outside. He faintly heard two separate sets of footsteps, and as he listened they disappeared around the house towards the main entrance. He figured they were the guards Eryk had mentioned would be doing rounds.

Kyle nodded his head towards the door, indicating that they should leave now, but Eryk grabbed hold of his arm and stopped him.

“Wait,” Eryk said, feeling the presence of another vampire and sure enough there was another set of footsteps that came around the side of the manor. “You can't hear that?”

Kyle shook his head in confusion.

“There's another vampire outside, it sounds like she's coming to this entrance.” Eryk said, pulling the werewolf back away from the door.

“What?” Kyle frowned in confusion, “Why can't I sense her?”

“You really can't?” Eryk asked, feeling fear slowly creep it's way in.

“No.” Kyle swore under his breath, “The only other time this happened was when.... Ah damnit.” 

Kyle straightened and clenched his jaw as he finally figured out what was happening.

“It's that damn witch.” He said. “She was also a vampire?”

“Oh.” Eryk said, eyes wide.

“There's a vampire witch?” Kyle said outloud, incredulous. 

“Those exist?” Eryk questioned, his light voice barely above a whisper.

The two stood staring at the door as Eryk felt her presence slowly drawing closer.

She's going to block our exit, he realised.

We might not be able to escape.