![V.ELOIM 2.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmU6Rz1AaraxBtbjfrfNGnPWWnVyFwBZY4WM8LEUUZa38j/V.ELOIM%202.JPG)

Eloim walked down through the building, it was an old stone tower and he had been in a room on the top floor. Reaching the ground floor, he looked around and saw a huge, empty circular room with just two doors and a large shuttered window. Through one door, faint sunlight was visible coming through its small window. The other door was set at the end of half a dozen steps that went down below the floor level.
Walking down the steps he opened the door to reveal a spiral stairway leading down into the dark. Eloim shrugged his shoulders and started down the steps. As he descended the steps, the smell of blood rose to greet him, and as he reached the bottom, he saw a large pentagram in the centre of floor. It was painted in the fresh blood that he could smell. Beyond that was an ancient stone altar, stained with dried blood.
 “What’s up vampire, is the sight of blood upsetting you?” a voice said. Eloim looked over to a dark corner and saw a man crouching in a metal cage which was barely big enough for him. The figure was being careful not to touch the bars of the cage and burn marks upon his bare back showed the reason.
“So you would be the captured dog then?” Eloim said. “Nice kennel they’re keeping you in.”
 The man growled. It was a sound more animal than a man should be capable of. “So what have you come as? They must have pulled you from your day job as the Michelin man’s starving child,” the prisoner said with contempt.
 Eloim walked into the room, careful to avoid the circle as he made his way around to the imprisoned man. “The name’s Eloim. So how did a nice prince like you end up in this little dog house?” he asked.
 “So you’re Eloim. Forgive me for not being impressed,” he chuckled. “My uncle betrayed me, it seems he wants to take over the pack and become the Alpha but needs help as he’s weak. If you’re the deal clincher then I don’t think much of the demon he’s hiring, she will be easily defeated.”
 “Well that won’t matter to you, I may be the dessert but you’re the main course.” Eloim noticed a bunch of keys hanging from a hook on the wall near to the cage. “Are those the keys for your cage?” 
The man nodded. “It’s a silver cage, with matching lock and key. Only the priest and his succubus bitch can touch them. Any chance you could unlock it before your hand burns off? Better that you lose a hand than to be given over to that Alexia they were talking to, she sounded real upset with you, asked for you personally.”
Eloim stopped dead and looked over to the man in the cage. “I think I agree with you on losing the hand, how mad did she really sound?”
 “Well put it this way, I’m going to have my heart ripped out of my still living body that is to be kept alive by dark magic while an hour long incantation is recited. Once the portal is opened so the demon Alexia can pass over, my trapped soul will be fed to the creatures of the fifth circle who will feed upon it for decades. I got the impression that it’s going to be really painful, yet I wouldn’t swap places with you for anything.” 
“This incantation, it has to be royal blood to make it work I take it?” Eloim asked. “You sure you’re royal? Your mama didn’t meet a gypsy Labrador or anything?”
 “Another quip like that and I’ll rip out your throat and hand you over to Alexia myself,” he replied dangerously.
“OK, I just had to ask, simple solutions first and all that,” Eloim said and shook his head. “Damn, you do realise this is an expensive outfit that I love very deeply?” 
He picked up an ornate dagger from next to the sacrificial stone and cut a section of the rubber skirt from it and reached up for the keys. “Without the royal blood she can’t come through right?” he asked. 
“I’ve just changed my mind about that outfit. It’s wonderful and very practical,” the prince said as Eloim inserted the key into the lock.
 “You owe me for a new outfit, this one is ruined now.” Eloim said sadly as he unlocked the cage and carefully opened the door.
 The prince stepped out and stood, stretching his body. The relief was evident after the confinement of the cage. “Done,” he said and held out his hand. “Thank you Eloim, for a fangy bloodsucker you seem OK. The name’s Oliver but now we need to get out of here before the priest and the others get back.” 
Before Eloim could reply, the wolf prince set off up the stairs. Eloim followed, shaking his head.
 “We still have a couple of small problems. First, it’s daylight,” Eloim said starting up the stairs. As he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a half scream and the room filled with blue light. “And second, the brothers said something about a spell but I think you found that out.” 
As the blue light faded, Eloim looked over to the open door and the daylight streaming in. On the floor just outside the doorway, lay the blackened and charred body of Prince Oliver. “You doing that is so not my fault,” Eloim said to himself before turning and going back down the stairs.

to be continued.