21. Chapter 21 - The Search

Chapter 21 - The Search

Evelyn

F rustration prickled at my skin as I pulled up outside Sarah's house. It was a quaint little two-story nestled right in the heart of Harmony Grove, starkly contrasting to the secluded coven building.

Sarah lived a normal life, blending seamlessly with the human population. Perhaps too seamlessly. Her students seem to have loved her and I wonder how long it will take for the poor children to let go of the trauma of seeing her dead on the floor.

I stepped out of the car, the silence pressing down on me. Taking a deep breath, I approached the front door and rang the bell. No answer. I tried again, waiting with a growing sense of impatience. Maybe she had a roommate or something, I wouldn't want to intrude.

The school didn't have much information to offer us, except that she lived a private life and she wasn't always present in the coven so they really can't say much about her outside life either.

Finally, I gave up and tried the knob. It turned easily, swinging open with a groan. A wave of stale air washed over me, carrying a faint scent of herbs and something… else. A metallic tang that sent shivers down my spine.

Stepping cautiously inside, I called out, "Hello? Is anyone here?" The answer was a resounding silence. The house was eerily quiet, dust motes dancing in the shafts of sunlight filtering through the windows.

My gaze fell on a small desk tucked away in a corner. Sarah's journal lay open on its surface, a half-written entry scrawled across the page. My pulse quickened with anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, this journal held some answers.

I scanned the entry, my heart sinking as I read. It was a cryptic message about a dark presence, a feeling of being watched, followed… targeted. Sarah mentioned the Coven, some kind of ritual planned for the following night. Then, the writing stopped abruptly, a jagged line marking the end of the entry.

A cold dread washed over me. The feeling of being watched, the paranoia Sarah described. It mirrored my own experience perfectly.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I had to talk to Karla, had to get some answers from the coven. This wasn't just about Sarah, it was about all of us. If she was targeted because she was a Luminara witch, others were in danger too.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Alexei's number. It rang twice before he picked up.

"Evelyn," he answered, his voice warm. "Everything alright?"

"Not exactly," I admitted, my voice tight. "I need to talk to Karla. Now."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "What happened?" Alexei asked, his tone serious.

I took a deep breath, quickly summarizing what I found in Sarah's journal. When I finished, there was a heavy silence.

"Alright," Alexei said finally. "Stay put. I'll come get you."

I hesitated. The thought of waiting alone in Sarah's house made my skin crawl. "Actually," I said, "I think I'd rather head to the coven."

Another pause. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alexei asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"I don't have much choice, do I?" I countered. "I need to warn them."

A sigh traveled through the phone. "Fine," Alexei conceded. "But be careful. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, I love you" I said, hanging up.

Climbing back into my car, I plugged the coven's address into the GPS for the best way to get there from Sarah's house, hoping for a shortcut. The engine roared to life, and I pulled out of the driveway, a sense of urgency propelling me forward.

This wasn't just about finding Sarah's killer anymore. This was about protecting the rest of the supernaturals.

***

The coven loomed before me, a stark silhouette against the darkening sky. An unsettling feeling gnawed at me, a sense of urgency that propelled me forward. As I pulled into the gravel driveway, a flurry of activity caught my eye.

Several witches, their faces etched with worry, rushed towards a weathered building at the back of the property. In their arms, they carried a young woman, her blonde hair matted with blood, a ragged cry escaping her lips. My stomach lurched.

"What happened?" I shouted, jumping out of the car and rushing towards them.

One of the witches, her face pale and drawn, glanced at me with wide, terrified eyes. "Some girls were attacked," she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. "On the path by the creek. Monster… fangs… dark eyes."

My blood ran cold. Fangs? Dark eyes? The description fit with the bite marks on Sarah's body when she was found.

Reaching the young woman, I knelt beside her, concern twisting into my gut. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood staining her pale skin. A single, deep bite mark marred her forearm, the puncture wounds unmistakable.

"What happened?" I asked gently, ignoring the concerned stares from the other witches. "Can you tell me?"

The young woman took a shaky breath, her voice weak. "We… we were going to get a recipe for a potion," she stammered. "For Clara, she's… sick."

"And then?" I pressed, my heart pounding in my chest.

"A monster," she whispered, her eyes widening with terror. "He… he looked like a vampire, but… his eyes… they were empty, like a ghost."

My breath hitched. A vampire with empty eyes? What creature could that possibly be? My mind raced, a chaotic jumble of possibilities. Could there be rogue vampires out there, defying the code, preying on humans and supernaturals alike? Or was this something else entirely, some unknown entity lurking in the shadows?

"But I… I fought back," the young woman continued, a flicker of defiance in her voice. "I used a… a binding spell. It weakened him, and I managed to drag Clara away."

Relief washed over me, mingled with a surge of admiration for the young witch's bravery. "You did well," I said, squeezing her hand gently. "You saved yourself and your friend."

The coven leader, Karla, materialized beside me, her usually stoic expression replaced with a mask of grim determination.

"We need to get her to the treatment facility," she said, her voice tight. "She's lost a lot of blood, and she looks like she has been poisoned too."

The other witches nodded, carefully carrying the injured woman inside the building. I watched them go, a knot of unease twisting in my gut. This whole situation was spiraling out of control.

"Evelyn," Karla said, her voice low when the others were out of earshot. "This is serious. We can't keep lying around and waiting for you to find the killer."

"I know Karla, but trust me, please. I am doing my best here. Also, Sarah included it in her journal that she was being followed because she is a Luminara witch. She wrote that just before her death." I filled her in, and she nodded slowly.

We exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between us.

"I will warn the others. We need to be careful henceforth. Please be safe Evelyn, please," she added, and I nodded. I will be safe, and I won't stop until I bring that killer to justice.

There was a monster on the loose, and it seemed I wasn't just investigating a witch's death, but a supernatural threat unlike anything I'd ever even heard of.

Leaving the coven, I climbed back into my car, a steely resolve settling over me. I would find this creature, unravel the mystery behind its soulless eyes. But a nagging feeling, a cold truth, settled in the pit of my stomach. This wasn't a normal investigation. This was a fight for survival, not just for the supernaturals of Harmony Grove, but for the town itself.

Back at the department, I immediately called for a search party, detailing the creature's description from the young witch's account. As I spoke, a sinking feeling settled over me. A creature that could overpower a witch, a creature with fangs and dark eyes. it seemed impossible to track down.

My premonition proved correct. The search yielded nothing.