His Dark Obsession

28. In the Crypt

ZEDKIEL.

“Maybe if I can get in and try to see if something is stuck…” Zlahra says, falling to her knees and peering into the tiny opening.

“None of us are going to fit down there.” I say, unease filling me.

“And you may be the smallest of us all, but I think you forget that your ass is far from tiny.” Kash says bending down beside her.

“Piss off.” She hisses, shoving him right where he’s injured.

He curses as he clutches his shoulder and looks forward again.

“Force won’t work. The building is in ruins.” Ziahra says, looking up.

“Let’s try to pry it open.” I suggest, letting go of Evelyn’s hand as she steps back silently.

It takes the four of us to pry the sandstone entrance open, pulling and pushing the rocks that should have repositioned themselves.

I hear something crack and break and the stones begin moving again and we all move back.

“Thank the gods,” Ziahra says.

“More like us for getting it working. You were giving up hope, remember?” Kash reminds her arrogantly.

“I doubt you did any of the hard work. You’re pretty useless with that injury.” She taunts him back as she edges forward.

That darkness I can feel, the chilling, sinister vibe of this place growing stronger.

“Should we draw straws to see who goes first?” Kash mocks and exhales done with his antics.

Can he not feel the evil? He smirks as he pushes past me.

“I’ll lead.” He offers, brushing past Ziahra who was about to take her first step. He smirks mockingly at her.

“I do hope you fall and break that face of yours.” She sneers.

“You sure you want to ruin this face?”

What the fuck is with these two?

He confidently takes the first few steps. Ziahra steps onto the first step slowly, the stone crumbling from beneath her feet.

hold your hand?” Kash

perfectly fine. Don’t tell

to be in your presence.” Kash shoots

and I will push you.” She

for balance, and I

the entrance, the weight of the situation once

quiet, following Kash down, her vampire

step in next, and Evelyn

be

She nods.

let go of

single word, and torches held in sconces come alive, bathing the entire

clear that we are not just in any room,

as we stare at the twelve tombs that fill the room. Each one sits on a 1-foot

open, the lid leaning against

and for the first time, I think I see fear in her eyes as

she heads to the altar that overlooks the

Ziahra began lighting

in a crypt? This screams dark arts.”

call the ancient arts something as cheap as magic.”

can’t really stop me…” Kash

back, her eyes darting to the tombs. “That one there looks cosy and it has your name all over it.” She taunts him,

him off. His gaze flickers to Evelyn and t think I see the flash of sympathy in his eyes, but

notices the large black stone coffin that’s

the ivy got on the tomb… Was there a time when this place breathed any bit of life in

deep, deep beneath the surface, the air is

you picturing yourself in there?” Ziahra

are coated in sugar,

in spiders and who knows what else,

you two stop fucking bickering!” I growl,

stress I’m feeling aren’t helping with these

and turns

“Gray…”

finally have a name

to give him

forward, raising his head to acknowledge that he