Married To The Mad Vampire Lord-Chapter 136: Dungeon

Belle followed behind Rav into what felt like a separate structure hidden beneath the castle, an underground basement where the air was cold and thick with dampness. Water dripped steadily from the low ceiling above the narrow staircase that led them downward, each drop echoing eerily off the stone walls. It felt like they were leaving the castle entirely, descending into another world beneath it.

Rav held a large lantern in one hand to light the way, casting flickering shadows on the wet stone. He had tried to talk her out of following him, warning her it wasn’t a place for her to see, but Belle would hear nothing of it.

She had never gotten curious enough to walk to the basement part of the castle, and she looked around her in dread, wondering if Rohan was really down here. What would he be doing in a dark and abandoned place like this that seemed like it led to an underground dungeon? Belle wondered to herself.

Rav moved swiftly to the far end of the basement and peeled away a grime-stained panel from the wall. Behind it was a narrow compartment, an abandoned cleaning tools cupboard, long forgotten. He raised the lantern in his hand, casting flickering light across the stone floor of the compartment.

"There," he said. "The dungeon."

"Where?" Belle frowned, scanning the ground. She saw nothing but the worn cupboard and dust.

Rav gave a small sigh. "Even I never knew there was a dungeon like this. When the late king and queen were alive, they ordered the guards to put his lor—" Rav caught himself short as he realized he was about to give away information he had no right to share with the lady.

The day of the massacre in Raventown, when Rohan had brought him back to the castle and announced to his parents that he had gotten himself a personal servant to serve him, and that he had turned him into a vampire, that night, the prince had spent it in this dungeon, because he’d broken a law and turned a human into a vampire without the permission of the rulers.

Not to mention, Rav was a lowlife and had come from a village that had nothing to do with Nightbrook. He had been on the verge of death after his transformation, and Rohan had carried him and dumped him on the royal dining table where his family were eating and made that announcement.

Rav had not been killed, of course, as Rohan had warned that if anyone laid a hand on him while he served his punishment, he would go around turning every human he found into a night creature.

Nobody knew how he had even learned how to make the transformation, but back then, Nightbrook were battling the case of many rogues. That had caused the king to leave Rav alone, as they feared killing him might cause him to turn rogue, since he was still in the transformation process, not to mention Rohan’s silent threat.

For the months Rav was recovering in the servants’ quarters, with men watching him in case he did not successfully turn into a vampire, Rohan had been locked in the dungeon without any blood nor food. It was almost like he was left there to rot and die.

It had been decided by the royal council and the king to punish him like that to set an example for the other vampires, that the rules and laws of Nightbrook were fair and applied even to the royals.

It was in the fourth month after Rav’s recovery that he was asked to go and check on the prince. He knew why they had sent him, because everyone feared that the prince’s lack of blood for months would have further turned his head, as there were already rumors calling him a mad devil. If he still lived, then no one would want to approach him.

Many things had happened that night when Rav finally discovered the dungeon. But then, he had no right to tell the lady what Rohan had not sat and told her himself.

Before she would curiously begin to question him, as he realized she liked to do, he quickly cleared his throat and said,

"There is a special dungeon down here. Many years ago, when this castle was still a royal one, people with the biggest offences were placed down in the dungeon and left to die and rot. It was made to hold vampires, as they are known to break through strong metal. They can’t break through here."

Belle frowned at the empty compartment. "You mean this small place is used as a dungeon?"

Rav shook his head. "No, not the compartment, my lady. Below it."

Saying this, he crouched down, fingers seeking what looked like a simple crack between the floor of the compartment, and tugged.

The entire floor lifted with a low groan, revealing a dark hole that swallowed the light.

Belle’s eyes widened at the sight. No one would know there was something else under such a place.

"Come," Rav said calmly. "It’s shallow. You’ll land on your feet."

He dropped into the pit, landing softly on the earth-packed floor below. It was barely high enough for Rav to stand upright. Rohan, with his tall build, would have to stoop if he was indeed inside, she thought to herself as she looked down into the place.

Rav reached up and helped Belle down, then reclaimed the lantern from her hand and held it aloft.

"Be careful with your steps, my lady, the grounds are uneven," he cautioned.

"Are you certain my husband is in here?" Belle asked as they began to walk. The place stretched endlessly ahead, a maze of broken walls and deep shadows. What would bring Rohan here?

"I am not certain," Rav replied, "but I’m sure that if he’s nowhere in the castle and is in the state where he’s barely dressed, it means he is here. Let’s look deep into the dungeon first."

Belle stayed close, her heart pounding in the silence, somehow hoping that Rohan wasn’t in here, and yet also hoping he was, so they wouldn’t have to go on a frantic search for him without having a clue where to find him.

The farther they walked into the endless dungeon, the more open it became. The ceiling rose gradually, and Rav was soon able to stand upright without walking hunched over.

Then—she heard something. Movement.

Rav froze in front of her.

The light swept toward a far corner and caught on something. Dark, glimmering eyes that stared straight at them from the corners of the walls.

The shadow moved with such lightning speed the flame in the lantern flickered and went out, it was like a breeze, and then it lunged at Rav, who was at the front.

The lantern went flying from his hand, crashing to the floor with a sharp crack. Belle heard Rav’s gasp and choking sounds, then a brutal slam as something heavy collided with stone.

She rushed forward, blinded by the pure pitch darkness and panic. Her hands met flesh, hard muscle, taut and trembling. Rohan. He was strangling Rav’s neck, pinning him mercilessly to the ground like he would kill him.

Rav’s breath rasped, broken and strained.

"Rohan!" Belle cried, grabbing his shoulders. She tried to pull him back, but he resisted, twisting from her hold while his grip on Rav remained firm and tight.

She leaned in, pressing her lips to his ear and begged, voice trembling, "Rohan. Stop."

No response.

Tears filled her eyes, her voice breaking as she had no idea what must have come over him enough to want to kill his own servant, who he seemed to trust. She wrapped her arms fully around him, her body trembling as she whispered, "Please..." and kissed the edge of his hairline.

Rohan froze.

All motion ceased within him. His body went still, hard and cold like marble. Beneath him, Rav coughed, finally released from the choking, deadly grip.

"Isa..." Rohan whispered, confused, uncertain.

"I’m here," she said gently.

He turned, swift and abrupt, his hands finding her arms, her shoulders, her face. "Sweetheart?"

"Yes. I’m here," she repeated, holding her voice steady. "You’re holding down Rav. Let him go."

"I’m all right," Rav coughed and cleared his throat. "He’s not holding me. I am fine, my lady."

To Rav, it wasn’t a new thing. He’d been through worse situations than this when it came to his master losing his mind to the ghosts of his past.

Rohan could get really violent when he felt threatened in that state. But this time felt different, less worse. However, this wouldn’t have even happened if he hadn’t exhausted himself, physically and mentally, until his mind was no longer strong enough to hold up the barriers he’d built to lock away the things that had once broken and reshaped him.

It was as if the bricks holding that wall together in his mind had weakened, letting the darkness slip through and take over. And now, it had led him back here, to the place where one of his worst memories were made.

"Are you all right, my Lord?"

Rohan didn’t seem to hear him. He was too focused on his wife, running his hands over her face and down her arms, grounding himself in her. She touched him back, their connection the only real thing in the pitch-black underground dungeon.

Belle cupped his face, her fingers finding his lips.

"What am I doing here?" he asked, his voice harsh.

For a moment, Belle stilled at his question. He did not even know how he had gotten to the dungeon, but then she quickly masked it. "It doesn’t matter," she said softly. "We’ve found you. Let’s get out of here." She pressed her lips to his cheek and wrapped her arms tightly around him again.

Rohan sagged into her, shuddering, his body cold as stone, and clung to her like he never wanted to let go.