Run through one of the tunnels

Venus darted through one of the sparser tunnels, smashing through the skeletons in her way. The tunnel split up several times, and soon she was lost in the maze. "I'll worry about finding my way out again later," Venus muttered as she stopped to catch her breath. "First I need to worry about surviving."

The sounds of pursuit had died down and, without the adrenaline pumping through her veins, Venus realized how cold she was. She was deep underground, her clothing was in rags, and the perspiration clinging to her skin made it even colder. Venus hugged herself and rubbed her arms, then took a deep breath and tried to remember her training. A Hunter had to rise above all pain, all discomfort, all emotion. Only the hunt mattered. Soon she felt better and continued onward while trying to formulate a plan.

There were far too many undead here, and Venus suspected that the vampire's magic would reanimate the majority of the skeletons she destroyed. She had barely put a dent in their numbers, and if they attacked, Altima didn't stand a chance. Perhaps Katherine would have some magic or other means to permanently stop the undead once she gets here... otherwise they would have to find a way to get to the source.

The tunnel suddenly opened up into a cavern and in the middle was a large coffin. Venus couldn't believe her luck! The vampire himself was here! Well that would explain the nearly endless horde of undead.

Was the vampire still here? Venus wondered. Was he asleep? It was impossible to tell how long she had been down here and if it was night yet. Well, only one way to find out. Venus approached the coffin warily, her heart pounding. It was old, made of wood and polished with some sort of oil. The coffin was large - nearly eight feet long and four feet wide - but Venus had never heard of a vampire that big. Maybe he just liked a lot of space, or maybe he slept in there with someone else, like one of the village girls he turned.

Venus shook her head to clear it, wondering where that last thought came from. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the lid and lifted it, revealing the slumbering body of the vampire. He looked beautiful with blond hair, flawless skin. He looked serene and peaceful, with his eyes closed and arms folded across his chest. Venus caught herself staring and couldn't believe that this was a monster. Then she berated herself, remembering that this magical allure was part of a vampire's power.

A part of her wished she could finish this in a fair fight, but the hunt was all that mattered. Besides, this was a monster of unspeakable evil, with no honor. He had already killed one Shadow Hunter, Venus couldn't underestimate him.