Blood of Shadows Chapter 2


Chapter 1: Dreams of Crimson Eyes

Elena Veyne wiped the sweat from her brow, her fingers trembling as she gripped her flashlight. The beam cut through the stifling darkness of the underground chamber, illuminating walls etched with symbols that seemed to pulse faintly, as though alive. The air was thick and cloying, carrying an almost metallic tang that made her uneasy. This was no ordinary archaeological site—every inch of her being screamed it.

For weeks, she’d been plagued by dreams—vivid and haunting. Dreams of a man with glowing crimson eyes, his gaze burning into her soul. His voice, deep and velvety, whispered her name like a prayer, and yet she didn’t know him. Now, as she stood before the massive stone door that marked the end of this excavation, her dream felt terrifyingly close to reality.

“Professor, you need to see this,” she called out, her voice echoing unnaturally in the chamber.

But her professor and the other researchers were still outside, cataloging artifacts near the surface. She was alone, surrounded only by the oppressive silence of this place.

Her flashlight beam settled on the door’s intricate carvings—a serpentine design coiling around a crescent moon. At its center, a shallow basin rested, stained with what appeared to be dried blood. Unease prickled her skin, yet curiosity urged her closer.

Elena’s fingers traced the ancient symbols absentmindedly. Her heart raced as she noticed how the carvings seemed to shimmer faintly under her touch. Then came the sharp sting—a jagged edge had nicked her palm, drawing blood.

She winced, pulling her hand back, but a single drop of crimson fell into the basin below.

The reaction was instantaneous.

The entire chamber trembled, and the stone door groaned as though waking from a long slumber. The carvings lit up with an eerie red glow, spreading outward like veins pulsing with life. A low, resonant hum filled the air, growing louder with every second.

Elena stumbled backward, her flashlight clattering to the ground, its beam dancing wildly across the walls.

“This can’t be real,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the escalating hum.

The door began to slide open, revealing a pitch-black crypt beyond. A rush of cold air poured out, carrying with it the scent of decay and something sweeter, darker—like roses left too long in the rain.

And then she saw him.

At first, he appeared lifeless, his form draped across an ornate stone sarcophagus. He was clad in dark, regal attire that seemed untouched by time, his chiseled features framed by raven-black hair. His eyes were closed, his pale skin almost luminous in the dim light.

Elena’s breath hitched. He was beautiful, impossibly so, but something about him radiated danger—a quiet, smoldering menace that sent a chill down her spine.

The hum subsided, replaced by a deafening silence. Then, his eyes snapped open.

Crimson.

They glowed like embers, locking onto hers with an intensity that rooted her to the spot. For a moment, neither of them moved. Elena’s heart thundered in her chest, her mind screaming at her to run, but her legs refused to obey.

The man sat up slowly, his movements fluid and predatory. His gaze never left hers as he stepped down from the sarcophagus, his boots echoing against the stone floor.

“You…” he said, his voice a rich baritone that sent shivers down her spine. It was the voice from her dreams.

Elena staggered back, her hand instinctively going to the pendant around her neck—a small talisman her grandmother had given her, though she’d never understood its significance.

Kain tilted his head, his crimson eyes narrowing as they flicked to the pendant. A flicker of recognition crossed his face, followed by something darker—hunger.

“You’ve woken me,” he murmured, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, filling the crypt with an aura of power and danger. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I—I didn’t mean to,” Elena stammered, her voice trembling.

Kain’s lips curved into a slow, almost cruel smile. “Meaning is irrelevant now. What matters is that you are here, and so am I.”

Before she could respond, the ground shook violently, cracks splintering across the walls as if the chamber itself was protesting his awakening.

“Leave,” Kain commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding. “This place will not hold much longer.”

Elena hesitated, her instincts torn between fleeing and staying to understand the man who had haunted her dreams. But the tremors grew stronger, chunks of stone falling from the ceiling.

“Go!” he roared, his crimson eyes flaring with an otherworldly light.

The spell holding her in place finally broke, and Elena turned, scrambling out of the crypt as the ancient structure began to collapse behind her.

As she emerged into the cool night air, her mind swirled with questions and fear. Who was he? What had she unleashed?

And why, despite her terror, did she feel as though she’d just found something she’d been searching for her entire life?