IN THE TRAP

"What's next?" Alisa waited at the end of the bridge for Luciano, who came running, panting heavily. She didn't even try to hide her impatience. How could Ivy still remain so calm, as if nothing was at stake!?

"What's at stake? Our honor in Franz Leopold's eyes?" Ivy smiled as she noticed Alisa's almost outraged look. "It's really not hard to guess what you're thinking. You're practically trembling with agitation. Why is it so important to you to show him your superiority?"

Finally, Luciano reached the shore and immediately turned into a narrow alley. Alisa and Ivy followed him, with Seymour running ahead, then turning back to return to them.

"I don't need to prove anything," Alisa retorted indignantly. "This is not just about Franz Leopold, but about his whole family, which thinks itself superior and scorns us with their contempt."

"And it's important to you to set the record straight according to your own standards," Ivy persisted. Alisa barely paid attention to her surroundings anymore. The alleys all looked the same: narrow and winding, the ground littered with debris. Rats scurried away when their footsteps approached. The walls of the houses rose gray and covered in peeling plaster against the fading night sky.

"Yes, I think the Dracas need to finally understand that they're not above us. As long as they feel superior, they'll continue to segregate themselves, maybe even fight against the other families and strive for dominance over all of us. Just look at how they treat their 'Unrein'! They're their slaves, whom they would sacrifice without hesitation if it served their convenience!"

Ivy nodded thoughtfully. "At the core, your thoughts are unfortunately correct, even if you tend to exaggerate in your judgment."

Alisa didn't address that. "Only when they realize that they have strengths, but above all weaknesses, that they can only overcome with the help of the other families, will they open up to the idea of this shared academy. And only then can we all benefit. Only then can we survive and establish a common, strong bloodline!"

Ivy nodded. "And that's exactly why I'm not sure if such a competition is the right way. Isn't this about who's standing above whom again? About pushing the other into the dirt and mocking them in their defeat?"

They had already overtaken Luciano and left him behind. Now Ivy slowed her pace and waited for him to catch up at the next turn.

"Oh yes, I will!" he gasped. "I will revel in their defeat and make those show-offs taste our scorn like rancid blood. Just the thought drives me and makes me endure this effort!"

They exchanged glances. "Yes, it's still a long way to go," Alisa admitted. "Should I now swear that I'll renounce all hostility and always be friendly to those ... Dracas?"

Ivy laughed brightly. "I wouldn't believe your oath. You're already choking on your words!"

They crossed the Campo de Fiori, where soon the market stalls would be set up for fish and spices, fruits, vegetables, but also for the flowers that gave it its name. In the past, when the square was still a meadow, executions had regularly taken place here. The older vampires still remembered the spectacles and the blazing pyres. Today, the smell of blood was long gone.

Luciano led them past the numerous inns closed at this hour and left the square to the east. Suddenly, Seymour stopped, his ears perked up, his gaze fixed on the alley to their left.

"What's wrong?" Ivy asked, adding a few Gaelic words. There was concern in her voice.

"He must have sensed the others," Luciano said. "So they didn't manage to shake us off! Let's move on and reach the Capitoline Hill."

Ivy shook her head. Her hand hovered over the wolf's bristling neck fur. "No, it's not the others. I haven't seen him so tense in a long time. There's something there. He doesn't know exactly what..."

"Danger for us?" Alisa asked softly, stepping closer to Ivy.

"Perhaps."

"His sense of smell is better than ours. Can he lead us?" Alisa asked.

Ivy was about to reply when Seymour howled and then dashed off. "No," she called out. "I won't let you go alone!"

The vampires ran after the wolf as fast as they could. He headed towards a church and then abruptly stopped on the small square in front of it, frozen in place. Only his tail tip twitched.

"What's wrong with him?" Alisa urged.

Ivy shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. He's never behaved like this before."

Alisa looked at the small, dilapidated church and the shabby houses around the square. She couldn't imagine what could be troubling the wolf so much. Suddenly, he started running again, past the church and through dense bushes towards an old stone staircase leading downwards. Two cats that had been resting on an ancient column stump jumped up and darted away.

"Uncle Carmelo, did you hear that?" An unusual sound had interrupted Latona's reverie of blue eyes and a beautiful, pale face. She didn't wait for an answer and stepped to the window overlooking the church and the small square, pulling aside the curtain. The mournful howling echoed again.

"If it weren't impossible, I would say that's a wolf. A white wolf!" she gasped.

Carmelo stepped beside her. "In this city, nothing is impossible!" Then they fell silent for a moment, watching the white animal and the three shadowy figures following it. They moved so swiftly that the two humans could only perceive blurred outlines until they stopped on the square in front of the church, illuminated by the light from the lamp at the portal.

Carmelo cleared his throat. "I can't say for certain if that's truly a white wolf or just a large dog, but if I'm not mistaken, those three down there are vampires!"

"Look how gracefully they move," Latona whispered. "And they're so young."

Carmelo draped his dark cloak over his shoulders. "I must take a closer look at this!" His broad-shouldered figure disappeared around the corner.

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Latona called out, but her uncle was already hurrying down the stairs. She cursed softly, slipped into a loose house dress and her coat, and ran after him. She collided with him in the entrance of the building.

"Hush! They're over there. We must try to get closer to them without being noticed. It won't be easy. They have sharp senses, and the wolf especially!"

Despite his large and slightly stocky frame, Carmelo silently darted to the nearest house and then pressed himself into the shadows of the entrance. Latona followed suit. "I don't think they've spotted us yet," she whispered.

"Yes, strange," grumbled the vampire hunter.

"What's your plan?"

"I'm more curious about what they're planning. Oh my God! Look where the wolf is leading them!"

Latona covered her mouth with her hand. It felt like she should warn the three unsuspecting young vampires with a loud scream, but Carmelo would never forgive her for that.

"Don't you dare!" he hissed in her ear. Apparently, he sensed exactly what was going through her mind. "Stay here, I'll try to get close to the chain as soon as they're down there."

Latona nodded silently.

Seymour disappeared into the darkness beneath the square. His whimpering sounded muffled as it reached them.

"Should we follow him?" Alisa looked at Ivy and, to her surprise, found uncertainty in her gaze.

"I'm not sure. He wants us to wait here, but I've never seen him so shaken. I should stay with him!"

"He's a wolf!" Luciano said. "You're reading too much into this. Nonetheless, I'm curious where the staircase leads. It doesn't seem to belong to the church. I think it's much older - and so is whatever is down there!"

He descended the stairs. The girls followed him. "Just look at these finely crafted marble blocks and engravings. Seymour must have found a temple complex - probably even hundreds of years older than the Domus Aurea - on which the church was later built."

"Yes, but we're not the first ones here!" Ivy said, touching a stone block. "I sense your family clan and humans! A man and a woman who must have walked here several times."

"Weird," said Luciano, "very weird!"

They saw branching paths and niches with ancient altars, statues of long-forgotten deities, and richly decorated vessels.

"Should we turn back?" Alisa's question didn't demand agreement.

The three young vampires passed through an arched corridor that bent or branched off repeatedly, but Ivy followed Seymour's still fresh trail without hesitation.

"There he is!" She ran to him and knelt beside him, collapsing on the ground next to him. "What's wrong with you?" The others noticed that he looked like a picture of misery. Ivy wrapped her arms around his neck, but he wriggled out of her grasp, howling and barking and tugging at her cloak.

"Yes, we'll leave here soon. But first, I want to see what's scaring you so much here." She leaned over the object where Seymour's snout had just been resting.

Now the wolf let go of Ivy and tugged at Alisa's clothes. Alisa was just noting in surprise that the fur around the snout was smeared black when Ivy let out a scream. It sounded so alarming that Luciano and Alisa rushed to her and sank to the ground next to her.

Seymour howled and ran back into the corridor.

"What have...?" Alisa's question was cut short by a rattling sound. Although the three immediately jumped up and rushed towards the arch that led back into the corridor, they were too late - and collided with the grate that had fallen from the ceiling. They threw themselves against it and rattled the iron bars, but it wouldn't budge.

"Damn! Somehow, we must have triggered the trapdoor, and I don't see any way how we can get out of here!" Luciano cursed and kicked against the bars again.

Alisa turned to Ivy. "What's that on the wall over there?"

"That's what upset Seymour so much." Deep sadness echoed in Ivy's voice. She knelt back down on the stone slab.

Alisa joined her. Her gaze traced the contours. What had initially seemed like the remnants of two charred tree trunks now took on familiar shapes. She could also smell it now. The stench of burnt had initially overlaid it, but underneath lay the familiar scent of decay and blood in the air. "By all the demons of the underworld, there are two of you, Luciano!"

"Two Nosferas?" Luciano squeezed between them. With each passing moment, the outlines of a male, somewhat stocky figure and a smaller, slender one became clearer. There was no doubt, these were the remains of two burnt vampires.

"But how could this happen?" Alisa whispered.

Luciano pointed upwards. "Don't you notice? It's getting brighter steadily. There's a grate up there, and soon the sun will shine in here."

"What?" The two girls jumped up. Luciano was right. "How did they fall into this trap?" Ivy asked.

"We can ponder about that later in detail, for now, we should urgently look for an exit!" Luciano shook the grate again. "We won't break this open, and we can surely only access the mechanism from the outside!"

Ivy nodded. "Yes, indeed. Otherwise, your poor relatives wouldn't have ended up tragically burnt like this."

Alisa remained silent. She felt fear creeping up within her, clutching her chest. There had to be a way to escape! The elders had just not found it. But they were young, strong, and three of them! Wait! The elders? Surely, the more robust figure could be one of the missing Elders, but the smaller one? She approached a little closer, trying to piece together the ash into a face. Then she let out a scream. "It's Raphaela!"

Ivy and Luciano leaned over the bodies. "Yes, it's Raphaela and the venerable Marcello!"

Luciano's lips trembled, and he pressed both palms against his chest. "Why them? I can't and won't believe it."

If he had been human, he might have wept tears for them. Luciano turned away, but Alisa knelt beside the two bodies. What was it that the burnt hand of Raphaela still clasped onto? Alisa carefully pulled it out and examined it. She didn't need to think long. The red and velvety fabric were familiar to her. It was a piece of a red mask. A mask, just like Malcolm had shown her. Should she have broken her oath and told the Conte about it? Would Raphaela and the Venerable have been spared from destruction then? The guilt burned like poison in her body. Now it was too late for her repentance! Alisa tucked the scrap of fabric into her pocket and stood up again.

"We won't end up like them!" Alisa positioned herself in the middle and looked up the shaft. The walls were smooth, the joints between the slabs carefully filled with mortar. No gap, no plant whose roots widened even the smallest cracks. She approached the wall and tried anyway but didn't even get a step off the ground.

"What do you think? How high is it? If the three of us stack up on each other? Do you think we can reach the grate?" Ivy stepped up beside her.

"It doesn't look like it, but we should definitely try. Luciano?"

Their friend hastily approached the wall, and Alisa climbed onto his shoulders. Once the two of them were secure, Ivy climbed onto Alisa's shoulders. It happened so quickly that Alisa had to blink. Although Luciano groaned under her, she felt like she didn't even notice Ivy's weight.

"Can you reach the grate?"

"No, but the wall up here isn't as smooth anymore. I'll try to climb higher."

And just like that, Ivy's feet disappeared from Alisa's shoulders. Alisa tilted her head back a little. She couldn't believe what she was seeing! Ivy's hands and bare feet curled and seemed to cling to every little unevenness. She slowly and steadily pushed herself higher.

"Don't!" Luciano called out. "Stop! How am I supposed to hold you like this?"

Too late. Alisa felt herself losing her balance. She jumped off Luciano's shoulders and landed safely on the ground.

"Ouch! What do you think you're doing, leaning back like that?" he grumbled, rubbing his collarbones.

"Sorry. I must have been distracted. Isn't she incredible?" With mouths agape, the two stared up at Ivy, who had almost reached the grate.

"That's more than just incredible," Luciano whispered. They fell silent and anxiously watched Ivy as she continued to push herself upwards.

"Alisa!"

"What is it? Keep quiet. We mustn't distract her!"

Luciano lowered his voice, but the tone sounded alarmed. "Do you smell that too?"

"What?" Alisa hadn't closed her mouth yet when another smell, besides the stench of burning, reached her nose. "Humans!" she gasped. "And they're very close."

Luciano nodded. They stealthily glanced around. "Man or woman?" he asked softly.

Alisa closed her eyes. "I'm not sure. I think both. And I hear their voices from afar."

"So, they're two then?" They looked at each other, troubled.

At that moment, Ivy's fingers reached for the iron grate. She shook it gently to avoid losing her grip. "It's stuck," she called down. "But don't worry, I'll figure out how to open it."

When she looked back up, an arm shot through the bars as if out of nowhere. Strong fingers clutched her wrist. Ivy let out a scream.

Seymour ran through the corridor to the stone steps leading back to the church square. He paused for a moment, then continued, disappearing into the alleys and crossing quiet courtyards until he found what he was looking for. He perked up his ears when he heard the familiar voice.

"Stop your bickering!"

"Why should I? You led us astray. We stumbled through these alleys like blind people, instead of simply taking the way back that we used on the way here. Now we've lost who knows how much time and given those fools the opportunity to overtake us." Anna Christina threw her arms in the air. "I can hardly believe you're really so stupid. Or did you do it on purpose?"

"Has anyone ever told you that your eternal nagging makes you unbearable?" Franz Leopold pressed his hands to his ears. Up there on the Angel's Castle, he had almost hoped she could become a helpful ally. But now he swore to himself never to punish himself with her company again. "We'll go this way. If we follow this street, we don't have to go over the hill, but can go directly across the ruins field to the Domus Aurea."

He stopped and turned to the others. Anna Christina still wore a sour expression, while Karl Philipp trudged along indifferently. Franz Leopold was about to continue his way when a movement to the right caught his attention. The others also stared down the street at the white animal rushing towards them with its tongue hanging out.

"Isn't that Ivy's dreadful wolf?" Anna Christina asked.

"That's Seymour, yes, but what is he doing here?" 

"They're probably behind us, and he's supposed to stop us," Karl Philipp shouted, seeming to awaken from a trance. He threw back his cloak and drew the slender rapier he carried at his side. The sharp blade glinted in the starlight as he held it out towards the animal. The wolf howled, slowed down, and then backed away.

"You see, their plan isn't working! I'll skewer him if he dares to come any closer to us. Come on, grab the clubs and give him a whack on the head!" The wolf whimpered pitifully and circled Karl Philipp in a wide arc. It leaped towards Franz Leopold and snapped at his cloak.

"Accursed beast!" Anna Christina screeched and drew her dagger, its handle adorned with precious gemstones.

"Stop that!" Franz Leopold defended. "He doesn't want to attack us. He wants to tell us something!"

"You're so naive! Or do you claim you can read the minds of beasts now?" his cousin mocked.

Franz Leopold was about to disdainfully deny this when a distinct urgency brushed his mind. Seymour still had the hem of his coat in his grasp and was trying to pull the vampire into the street from which he emerged. His gaze darted back and forth between the two blades of the others and Franz Leopold.

Again, this urgency. There were no words, but it was a clear call for help. The wolf wanted him to come with him, there was no doubt about it. And Franz Leopold didn't suspect for a moment that it could be a trick to prevent their victory.

Anna Christina leaped forward, dagger raised, but Franz Leopold pushed her back so hard that she staggered and dropped the blade. "Stop that! He has come to fetch us. The others are in danger!"

"In danger? You're insane!" Anna Christina exclaimed, bending down to retrieve her dagger.

"What danger could possibly threaten them here?" Karl Philipp interjected.

"You probably missed the fact that various members of House Nosferas have disappeared and are likely to have been destroyed by a vampire hunter."

Karl Philipp shrugged. "What do we care if there are a few less of those decadent, gluttonous Nosferas? Do you want to shed tears for Luciano? I certainly don't. And it's not that much of a loss for Vamalia and Lycana either. Besides, I don't believe a word of your danger talk. They want to deceive us, and they have obviously found the right victim in you."

Anna Christina stood beside her cousin and pointed to the east, where the sky was already losing its color. "The only danger threatening all of us at the moment is from the sun, which will soon appear there, so we should hurry to get into our coffins! So are you coming now?"

"No!" Franz Leopold stubbornly replied. "Precisely because time is running out, I will see what has happened to them. I'm not afraid! If you two are scared, well, then return to your coffins." He turned away. Seymour let go of his coat and ran ahead. The young vampire followed at his heels. For a moment, he hoped the others would follow him, but the wind only carried Karl Philipp's farewell words to him.

"You damned fool!"