Deeper and deeper

Against the far wall of the cave, the figures were cowering in the darkness. The only light source coming from the high-beam torch held by the approaching soldier, dressed in black and bearing a high-powered rifle.

These small, bedraggled looking creatures were not what Corporal Michael Morrison had been told to expect. In briefings back in London he had been warned of large, fierce beasts that would drain a man of blood in mere seconds, and that he would have to shoot on sight if he were to survive this mission.

Morrison, a former marine, had been pleased to find work with a private security company firm based in Russia, and a large part of his new employment would be to protect high profile businessman from attacks from local Vampires. Although it had appeared to him that he had spent most of his time arranging or carrying out assassinations.

He had accepted this new assignment in the caves of the Carpathian mountains just to get away from Moscow, but it was not going well. He had already caused himself a world of trouble simply by failing to stay with his troop, these caves were notorious from when it had been a popular spot for spelunking (or cave diving) – people would simply go missing down here and never seen again. Although he had been led to believe that this was not just people getting lost, but proof that the dark ones were operating in this part of the mountain.

He approached, with caution, leaving go of his rifle and reaching for a specially adapted handgun that was capable of carrying small wooden bullets that would as effective as a stake. Morrison paused – he knew that if he did nothing he might be set upon and killed – but the figures looked so pathetic he could not bring himself to shoot.

He slowly backed away from the group lowering his gun – that was when he felt something touch him gently on the shoulder. He swung around, raising his gun in front of him as he did so, until he was face to face with a tall, gaunt, grey looking Vampire dressed like the others in simple rags.

In a rasping voice the Vampire simply said: “He is returned. Please help us.”