Chapter 4: The Coal Mine

We had been walking for hours. The walls around us were made up of stone reinforced by wooden archways that I had no confidence would not break at any moment. I didn't know when some had been in these mines the last time, but the thin air only held the scent of damp earth and nothing else. We walked along earth that had taken back much of what was man-made—leaving fallen rock and uneven footpaths.

The way out was vague; even the old railing was mainly covered by dirt, with only the occasional glimpse of the metal railing buried underneath. But it was unfinished and seemed to stop randomly at dead ends. Had Rilian not been with me to guide me through the maze, I was almost certain that I would have never found the way out.

"Turn left here where the railing stops," Rilian instructed lazily.

We had been walking for a few hours at that point, with me occasionally glancing at my wrist to keep track.

"Here?" I asked, dunking under the low-hanging arch that separated the joint mine shafts.

I never considered myself extremely tall, and it baffled me how I had to crouch to get through the mine shafts nearly. I wondered how old the place truly was or how Rilian found it to begin with. The walls creaked, sending me jumping and knocking my head against a beam.

"Ow ow..." I groaned.

"Jumpy? It's just the subway overhead." Rilian chuckled. "I doubt anything will bring this place down."

"Ugh... Don't say that out loud," I sighed, feeling extremely claustrophobic. "all I can think about is the sound of rocks falling. I don't want to be down here for even a couple of hours, much fewer days. How did you find your way through this thing anyway?"

We rounded a corner to a large clearing, and I groaned in relief as I could finally stand to my full height.

Rilian shrugged. "I wondered around enough I figured it out. Let's stop here. Your scrawny little legs are starting to shake."

"T-They are not..." I stammered but stopped anyway

I figured that was his way of telling me he needed a break. I sat Rilian down and crouched in front of him, making sure he was comfortable before I began rifling through my backpack for rations.

"Hungry?" I asked, breaking a food bar in half and offering one end of it to Rilian.

"Vampire," he reminded me.

"Oh right," I mumbled, sitting down with a plop against the opposing wall. "How is your leg?"

"Getting there." Sighed Rilian, sitting back.

He watched me closely as I pulled things from my bag, water, and new clothes. I offered a new shirt to him, but he shook his head. His brows furrowed.

"What is it?" I asked, seeing the confusion on his face.

"Why do you share your stuff with me, man?" asked Rilian. "I get that you're only doing this as a test. But, it doesn't help you any to waste your shit on some guy who will probably get offed by Brad anyway."

"I don't know that," I grimaced. "And it wouldn't be the first time; almost everyone I know back at the feedlot is destined to live a short life..."

"You don't get a lot to start with. Why waste it on someone who isn't going to be around long enough to benefit from it?" asked Rilian, tilting his head like he was trying to analyze me.

"I just know if I were on my way out, I'd rather have someone be a little nice to me and not just treat me like I'm some lost cause," I sighed. "I guess vampires aren't really sensitive to death and all that."

"Wolves aren't usually either." Said Rilian, leaning forward onto his knee.

He was looking intently at me. I wondered if Rilian understood just how creepy it was the way he would stare without blinking. Just shamelessly laser-eyed and focused on me. His eyes softened, and heat rushed into my cheeks; I had to look away to escape the scrutiny.

"But I guess you are right," Rilian continued, smiling softly. "you coulda been a real dick to me since I've been injured. I do appreciate you being decent."

"Uh... No problem." I said, glancing away.

"You're kind of strange for a wolf, aren't you?" Chuckled Rilian. "Cause' let me tell you when I say we don't usually get along; I mean, last time I ran into a shifter, he would have eaten my head off long before he carried me through any mines. Vamps and Wolves have a bad history. They don't get friendly."

"I suppose," I said, scratching my head, "I just don't know why."

"Probably because you all smell like wet mutts." Smirked Rilian

"Yeah, well, you smell kinda dead. So there." I huffed

"Testy." Snickered Rilian.

I sighed heavily and leaned back, glancing at the roof to recall. A draft rushed through the old mineshafts, and I crossed my arms to preserve the heat.

"I don't know about all the politics, I was told I was born a runt and sold to the feedlot by my pack, so I've spent my whole life there. I never really learned what it meant to 'be a wolf.'" I explained, running my hand up and down my arm.

"All I know is that the Vampire King, Lucas, outlawed shifters from having any proper titles and that the only exception is working as a guard. So, here I am, trying to earn my place."

I watched Rilian grimace, and he looked away from me. His brows furrowed again; he looked stressed though I didn't know why. He heaved a big sigh and beckoned me over with his fingers.

"Hey, come over here and sit next to me," said Rilian

"You're not gonna take a bite out of me, are you?" I asked warily, though I still shifted a bit closer.

I was not used to saying no to anyone.

"No, dude... Come here." Rilian said, rolling his eyes. He leaned forward to pull his leather jacket off and held it out to wrap around my shoulders. "The cold doesn't bother me. I need you to wake up tomorrow to drag my ass out of here, and it'd be a pain if you dropped because of hypothermia or something."

"It's not that cold in here, Rilian." I chuckled

But still, I was grateful. I sat back next to Rilian and tugged the jacket over myself, looking out into the darkness of the mine.

"What made you come down here?" I asked finally. "I can't imagine being somewhere like this alone."

"Just trying to get away from my Dad," Said Rilian. "he's not the type to look somewhere like this... It would dirty his shoes down here. So, I spent a few days getting to know the place."

"Must be a hell of a guy to chase you somewhere like here," I mumbled.

"Still better than Brad Montgomery." Chuckled Rilian.

I really couldn't argue there. As far back as I can remember, Brad was never kind. He was someone you avoided as much as possible, and if he did speak to you, it usually meant you were in big trouble or about to have to do a challenging task. I still had scars from beatings for what most people would consider minor infractions.

"Are you scared to see him?" I asked, looking over to Rilian.

Rilian seemed calm, his blonde hair tucked behind his ear. There was something unearthly about him. He was too perfect. The way his Emerald eyes shined, they almost glowed in the dark. His eyes softened as he turned back to me, a gentle understanding in his tone.

"Not as much are you are, I'd imagine," Rilian said. "So, I'll manage."

I swallowed, staring back at him for a moment, unable to draw my eyes away. Was he just going to let this happen? Why did a stranger I had only known for a single day have more compassion for me than the people I had lived around my entire life?

I remembered the first time he had messed up. It was like my world had been completely turned upside down.

"Hey, where are the birds getting in from?" A stranger had asked me. It had seemed like such an innocent question at the time until they disappeared.

Until then, I had lived relatively unaware of everything around me; I knew I had strict rules to follow. Feed the cattle, muck the stalls, and donate my bag of blood once a day. It seemed normal. I knew he would test to be a guard someday. But I had never truly understood why the humans came and went as they did.

But it changed that day. Brad took me along to drop off a human to another vampire. He told me to stand outside and wait, but my hearing was good, and my sense of smell was even better. I heard the cries of pain and the smell of blood in the air.

That sound of cruel laughter and slurping noises. I was disgusted and terrified.

Then when Brad came back out, we took the trip home alone. Brad never said a word to me, and he didn't have to. Because when we got back, Mordecai took me out for the worst beating I'd ever had in my life. I got the message crystal clear. 'Do that again, and it will be you.'

I glanced timidly back at the vampire sitting next to me, clearing my throat as I shook off the unpleasant memories. I never cared much for vampires, and I'm not sure I had ever had a pleasant conversation with one, even those who lived in the feedlot.

But even so, I still wanted to talk more, to get to know him better. I wanted to learn about the way he grew up and the world he lived in. How could a father be so bad it could drive him into hiding in a mineshaft? We were such different people, but I wondered if maybe, deep down, we had more in common than we thought.