POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA
OUTSIDE THE STERKFONTEIN CAVES

Without warning, Alec Bale sails through the air, landing at Vincent Moore's feet. Through the darkness, Vince can see a large figure atop Alec, which seems to be why he fell from the ground level into the deep cavern Vince has been trapped in.

"What the hell?! Alec, you can't help me if you're down here!"

"Who...who pushed me..." Alec groans.

"It's...oh my god," Vince says, gasping at the sight of the second person. "It's Kelli!"

"Kelli?" Alec scrambles to his feet, reaching for the nearest flashlight.

He aims the light at Kelli Anderson, lying on the ground, chest heaving and out of breath. There are visible bruises and tears on her skin, she looks as if she's been in the fight of her life...and lost.

"Kelli, where the hell have you been?" Vince demands.

"Prisoner...I've been...held..." she says, struggling to get the words out.

"By whom? The people in the caves?" Vince says.

"Are they cannibals?" Alec asks, shining the light directly in Kelli's face.

"Don't be an idiot." Vince swats the flashlight away. "But...are they?"

"No," Kelli says, still gasping. "They're vampires."

MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

"Joel's awake?" Felicia Bale says, turning her head toward Joel Kincaid's hospital room.

"Yes, he's been asking for you," Simon Holden says, holding a clipboard with Joel's file close to his chest.

Felicia thanks Simon before eagerly approaching the door. He knows that Felicia has a friendship with Joel, but he can't help but feel slightly jealous. And even then, he feels stupid for his jealousy. He's married. He shouldn't be concerned with how Felicia lives her life.

He walks away, leaving Felicia alone with Joel.

"Joel, how are you doing?" Felicia says.

Joel laughs. "Surviving."

"That's a good thing. Once you're better, you can find whoever attacked you and killed Detective Grady."

"I know who attacked me."

Felicia's eyes widen. "You do? I mean...of course you do. You just hadn't been able to talk, and with the department trying to find someone to replace Jamie..."

"It was Quentin Blood."

"The drug dealer? I thought he died two years ago? There was a fire at his mansion? It was on the news."

"The reports of his death...yada yada."

"Well, stranger things have happened," Felicia says.

"Even stranger, I think he's a...okay, you're not going to believe me when I say this," Joel begins.

"Try me."

"He's a...he's a vampire."

Felicia stares at Joel, dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

"At least, I think he is," Joel says.

"That's...not what I expected to hear."

"But long story short, we need to get Leslie here."

"Leslie? Why?"

"Because when Quentin bit me, I could...I could feel his thoughts. His urges. And I know that Akilah is in danger."



POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA
STERKFONTEIN CAVES

"They're here," Quentin Blood says, from his seat atop a throne made of human skeletons.

Julia Mitchell sits quietly at his left side, watching as Akilah Moore and Chris Server enter the candlelit cavern, arm in arm. Quentin smiles, raising a chalice of blood and taking a deep sip from it. He waves his hand toward Akilah.

"Akilah...my beautiful daughter," Quentin says. "Come to me."

Completely under Quentin's thrall now, Akilah walks toward the throne, a complete dead look in her eyes. He descends the throne and outstretches his hand, taking hers.

"Do you know why I brought you here?"

"Because you're my father?"

"Because you are royalty," Quentin intones. "You should be on your throne, ruling these mortals you associate yourself with."

"No, I don't want..."

"Don't speak, my darling," Quentin says. "When I took you in Marquette Cove, I drank from you. You drank from me. But I never took you to the final point of transformation. I did not make you a vampire...a creature of the dark. No, for your transformation to allow you to ascend, it must be here. In our birthplace. With your Prince."

"Ascend..."

"But first, a taste...of her," Quentin says, turning to Julia.

"No!" Julia cries. "You said no! You said —"

"What in the hell is going on here?"

Everyone turns to find Vince walking toward them, Alec in tow holding up a limping Kelli.

"Akilah what are you...oh my God," Vince gasps. "Quentin Blood?"

"Yes, I am very much alive," Quentin says, approaching the three new arrivals. "Hello...and welcome to my home."