An Ancient Power’s Revenge (Moonlight Mysteries #2)

23. Chapter 23 – Home from Mystic Vale

Chapter 23 – Home from Mystic Vale

Alexei

R elief washed over me as I crossed the border back into Harmony Grove. The familiar streets, the comforting bustle of the town square… it felt like a world away from the desolate darkness of Mystic Vale.

Parking the car near the mayor's office, I hurried inside, a sense of urgency propelling me forward. I needed to find Evelyn, to share the information I had gathered.

Reaching my office, I found Ana pacing back and forth, her face etched with worry. As soon as she saw me, she rushed over, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Alexei, you're back!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her voice. "Thank goodness. Where have you been? Evelyn's been frantic."

"Mystic Vale," I replied, sinking into a chair and taking a deep breath. "It's… not what I expected."

Ana's gaze sharpened. "What did you find?" she asked, her voice tense.

I recounted everything, from meeting Elena to the chilling details of the creature and the poison coursing through her veins. When I finished, silence descended upon the room, thick and heavy.

"So, the banshee theory is out the window," Ana finally said, her voice grim. "These bite marks… draining… the poison… it doesn't match anything in my knowledge."

"No, it doesn't," I agreed, frustration gnawing at me. "And what's even more disturbing is the witches are starting to suspect us."

Ana's eyebrows shot up. "Suspect us? How?"

"The bite marks," I explained. " They're similar to the bite of a vampire. And the coven believes we might be the ones orchestrating the attacks."

Ana let out a frustrated groan. "Of course they would jump to that conclusion," she muttered. "They never could imagine something outside their little supernatural bubble."

"Exactly," I said, running a hand through my hair. "This creature… it's targeting supernaturals, yes, but it's not limited to them. Elena is proof of that."

Ana sighed. "We're dealing with something completely unknown here.”

“And the worst part is… we hit a dead end in Mystic Vale." I pinched the bridge of my nose, a gnarly headache beginning to brew.

"Dead end?" Ana echoed. "What do you mean?"

"The town," I explained, a sense of hopelessness washing over me. "It's deserted. Elena said everyone left after the creature's attack. It's like a ghost town."

A heavy silence descended upon us again, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. We were back to square one, with more questions than answers.

Suddenly, a flicker of realization crossed Ana's face. "Wait a minute," she said, her voice gaining a hint of excitement. "There's something you didn't tell me."

"What's that?" I asked, catching her sudden shift in mood.

"The banshee," she said, her eyes gleaming with an idea. "You said she disappeared months ago, right?"

"Yes," I replied, unsure where she was going with this.

"What if she isn't truly gone?" Ana continued, her voice filled with a newfound urgency. "What if she was in hiding, honing her skills, learning to control her power?"

A spark of possibility ignited within me. "But why would she attack humans and supernaturals?" I argued. "Banshees are supposed to be harbingers of death, not active killers."

"Perhaps she's become something more," Ana countered, a steely glint in her eyes. "A creature fueled by vengeance, fueled by grief. The coven wouldn't know about such a transformation, would they?"

I considered her words, a seed of doubt taking root in my mind. Could it be possible? Could the creature we were chasing be a twisted version of the banshee, a creature driven by an unknown darkness?

"We can't rule it out," I conceded, a knot of unease twisting in my gut.

Ana nodded, a grim smile playing on her lips. "Then there's only one thing left to do. We need to talk to Evelyn. Now."

Recognizing the urgency in her voice, I agreed. Together, we rushed out of the office, determined to share our new theory with Evelyn.

The frantic energy from Ana propelled us through the Sheriff’s Department, finally coming to a halt in front of Evelyn's office door. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of urgency and apprehension swirling within me.

Bursting through the door without knocking, we found Evelyn hunched over a desk, a stack of papers scattered before her. She looked up, surprise flickering across her face as she saw us.

"Alexei! Ana! Thank goodness you’re alright?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with concern as she rose from her chair and walked over to pull me into a tight hug.

"We need to talk to you," I said, my voice breathless. "It's about the attacks, about the creature."

Evelyn's brow furrowed. "What did you find in Mystic Vale?” she asked, her gaze flitting between us.

I launched into my explanation, recounting the details of my meeting with Elena, the deserted town, and the chilling theory Ana had proposed. As I spoke, Evelyn listened intently, her expression growing grimmer with each passing word.

When I finished, a heavy silence descended upon the room. Finally, Evelyn sighed, a deep, weary sigh that spoke volumes.

“So, the plain banshee theory is out,” she said, her voice low.

“It seems that way,” I replied, a knot of unease twisting in my stomach.

“And this creature,” Evelyn continued, her eyes narrowed, “it drains life, poisons its victims… sounds an awful lot like a vampire, wouldn’t you say?”

My breath hitched. “You think… a rogue vampire?” I stammered, a cold dread washing over me.

Evelyn nodded grimly. “It’s a possibility we can’t ignore. The treaty with the council is fragile as it is, and some vampires… well, some never accepted the terms.”

“But why attack humans and supernaturals alike?” I questioned, the logic eluding me.

“Maybe they’re trying to send a message,” Ana suggested, her voice sharp. “A message of defiance, a reminder of their power.”

Evelyn’s eyes darted to the window, a flicker of something akin to fear crossing her face. Then, her phone rang, shattering the tense silence. She answered it immediately, her expression turning grave as she listened.

“Rayne?” she repeated, the name a whisper on her lips. “She’s… passed away?”

Shock ripped through me. Another witch is gone? Just like that?

As Evelyn hung up the phone, tears welled up in her eyes. “It was the poison,” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. “She didn’t make it.”

Grief and anger warred within me. This creature… it didn’t just attack, it stole lives. Innocent lives.

“We need to get to the coven,” Evelyn declared, her voice hardening with resolve. “They need to know what’s happening.”

We rushed out of the building, a renewed sense of urgency propelling us forward.

The coven grounds materialized in the distance, the imposing stone building shrouded in the fading light of dusk. As Evelyn approached the iron gates, they swung open silently. She strode forward, but Karla, the coven leader, materialized in front of me, blocking my path.

"Sheriff Evelyn," Karla said, her voice cold and unyielding. "You are welcome. Mayor Alexei, you are not."

Frustration bubbled within me. "Karla, this is serious," I argued. "We have information, information that could be crucial in stopping this creature."

Karla's gaze remained impassive. "The coven will deal with this," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You, Mayor Alexei, have already done enough by bringing this situation to our attention."

Anger burned in my throat, but I knew arguing wouldn't help. With a defeated sigh, I watched as Evelyn disappeared into the darkness of the coven building, the heavy wooden doors closing behind her.

Left alone in the gathering darkness, a chilling realization dawned on me. We were no closer to stopping this creature. In fact, the coven's hostility only served to complicate matters further. We were outsiders, and they weren't about to share their secrets, not readily.