Page 147 of Eternal Surrender

“I can see them worshipping the stone,” Sebastian offered.

My fingers caressed the megalith again, sweeping down and along her base. “There’s a room below.” I turned and examined the area behind the stone, fingering the eight wooden panels on the back wall.

“How did you know to look for that?” Alex asked.

“I’ll show you.” I tapped the panels until one of them gave.

A doorway opened up before us. The thin corridor led us down further. Ingrid threw me a look of excitement, seemingly thrilled to be sharing this adventure. At the end of the stairwell were simple wooden doors so ancient I feared they’d crumble if touched. Gently I turned the handles and eased the doorway open.

The walls of the small chamber threw off a dark blue hue.

There, at the end of the room was the base of the enormous megalith we’d seen above, the other half of it disappearing into the ceiling. Positioned in front of the stone was a long marble sarcophagus.

Reverently, we entered.

Alex approached the marble sarcophagus and ran his fingers over the limestone lid upon which was inscribed with the name Guardian, and just above it was engraved a circle of golden leaves in the shape of a Celtic crown.

“Do you think Dominion’s in there?” Anaïs whispered, her eyes wide in wonder.

“Let’s find out, shall we?” Marcus asked me.

Alex, Marcus and I approached the tomb and all three of us took a side, sliding the slab across the base, the sound echoing around us. An open onyx coffin lay within.

We held our breath, as though waiting for an epiphany. Then we sighed when the truth revealed itself.

“William?” Ingrid’s whisper brought me back into the room.

I shook my head, gesturing the coffin was empty.

Ingrid knelt before the front of the sarcophagus. “William, what does it say?”

I joined her. “Dominatio’s Tomb.” I explored the rest of the inscription.

Alex came closer, he too reading the Latin. “According to this, Sovereign were once monks sanctioned by the Stone Masters to guard over Dominatio.”

“Dominatio is Latin for Dominion.” I rose and strolled over toward the base of the megalith, resting my hand on her. “This is the guardian stone.”

“Do you think Father knew who Dominion was?” Alex asked.

“Perhaps,” I said.

“What if he fled?” said Alex. “Went abroad?”

“Look at this.” Ingrid pointed to the other end of the tomb.

I strolled around to join her and together we studied the engraving of what appeared to be a ritual at Stonehenge, where seven monks surrounded the central stone.

“A vampire on the altar,” I said, trying to make out why he wasn’t restrained. More striking still, two of the monks were kneeling at either side of Dominion, each drinking from his wrists. “Dominion is willingly feeding them,” I said, amazed. “He’s crowned with the same Celtic wreath engraved on the lid.” And then I realized. “They’re worshipping him.”

“Worshipping Dominion,” Ingrid agreed.

“Why?” Marcus asked.

“I thought Sovereign hunted vampires?” Anaïs said.

“Maybe he was special in some way,” Ingrid offered.

“But why would Sovereign now want him dead?” I pondered on their change of heart.