22. Chapter 22 - Elena Vargas -Mystic Vale

Chapter 22 - Elena Vargas -Mystic Vale

Alexei

D read gnawed at me as I explained my conversation with Ana to Evelyn. She'd filled me in on the coven attack and the chilling description of the creature with empty eyes… it all pointed towards something… unnatural.

"A banshee?," Evelyn whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. "Are you sure it's not a rogue vampire?"

"I wish," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "But you know our kind wouldn't break the code like that, not with the treaty hanging by a thread."

Ana had suggested the banshee theory the night before, and while it felt like a long shot, I was grasping at straws. Harmony Grove had a fragile peace, and this creature threatened to shatter it all.

"I have to go to Mystic Vale," I declared, the decision forming in my mind. "It's a long shot, but they might have answers there."

Evelyn frowned. "Mystic Vale? That's… dangerous."

I knew she was right. Mystic Vale was a place shrouded in mystery, rumored to be a haven for rogue supernaturals. But at this point, I was desperate.

"I can't stay here and wait," I said, my voice firm. "Someone needs to find out what's going on."

Evelyn hesitated, her eyes filled with concern. But she understood the gravity of the situation. With a sigh, she nodded slowly.

"Alright," she conceded. "But be careful, Alexei. And call me if you find anything."

I leaned in and kissed her forehead, a surge of warmth flooding through me despite the bleak circumstances. "I will," I promised. "And you… stay safe here."

The drive to Mystic Vale was long and arduous. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the deserted highway. As dusk settled, a sense of foreboding crept over me.

Pulling into a gas station just outside of town, I refueled the car and grabbed a coffee. The attendant, a grizzled man with weary eyes, eyed me curiously.

"Headed somewhere interesting?" he asked, his voice raspy.

"Mystic Vale," I replied, needing to quench the gnawing curiosity that burned within me.

The man's smile vanished, replaced by a grimace. "Mystic Vale, huh? You sure you know what you're getting yourself into?"

His words sent shivers down my spine. "What do you mean?" I asked, a knot of unease twisting in my stomach.

"Let's just say they're a different breed in those parts," he muttered, his voice low. "Not exactly friendly to outsiders."

His words increased my apprehension, but there was no turning back now. I thanked him for the coffee, climbed back into the car, and continued on my way.

Mystic Vale materialized from the darkness like a phantom town. Dimly lit streets, buildings shrouded in shadows… it exuded an unnerving atmosphere. Parking the car, I stepped out, the crisp night air biting at my skin.

Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the distant howl of a dog. A strange feeling, a prickling sensation on the back of my neck, told me I was being watched. I glanced around, searching for the source of the feeling, but saw nothing.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the alleyway across the street caught my eye. A small figure, a boy no older than ten, darted out, his face obscured by the shadows. He looked terrified, his eyes wide with fear.

Before I could react, he vanished back into the darkness. What was a child doing out alone in this place at night? And why was he so scared?

I hesitated, torn between curiosity and caution. But the boy's fear gnawed at me. Maybe, just maybe, he could be the key to finding what I was looking for. Taking a deep breath, I crossed the street and headed towards the alleyway, determined to unravel the secrets buried within the heart of Mystic Vale.

The alleyway was a dark, narrow passage, the stench of garbage and decay assaulting my senses. I crept forward cautiously, my eyes scanning the shadows. The boy was nowhere to be seen. Had I imagined him?

Suddenly, a muffled sob reached my ears. Following the sound, I found myself before a rickety wooden door at the back of the alley. Light emanated from a crack beneath it, casting faint streaks across the uneven cobblestones.

Hesitantly, I reached out and knocked. Silence. I knocked again, harder this time. The sobs ceased, replaced by a tense silence. Finally, the door creaked open a sliver, revealing a pair of frightened eyes peering out.

"Who's there?" a woman's voice, laced with fear, whispered.

"It's alright," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "I'm not here to hurt you."

There was a long pause before the door opened further. A woman, her face etched with worry, stood before me. Her eyes, red-rimmed and swollen, scanned me from head to toe, suspicion lingering in their depths.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I… I saw a boy," I stammered, unsure how to explain myself. "He ran in here. Is he… is he alright?"

The woman's gaze flickered towards the back of the room, a flicker of despair crossing her features. "He's safe," she murmured, her voice heavy with fatigue. "But barely."

Seeing her distress, I decided to take a chance. "Look," I said, my voice gentle. "I understand this seems strange, but I need answers. Answers about the attacks, about the creature everyone's talking about."

The woman's eyes widened. "Attacks?" she echoed, her voice trembling. "What do you know about the attacks?"

"Enough to know it's connected to what happened to your son," I said, hoping it wouldn't backfire.

The woman hesitated, then stepped aside, ushering me inside. The room was sparsely furnished, a single flickering candle casting an erratic light. In a corner, huddled beneath a threadbare blanket, lay the young boy I had seen earlier. He was fast asleep, his face pale and drawn.

"My name is Alexei," I said, sitting down on a rickety chair. "And you are?"

"Elena," the woman replied, her voice hoarse. "Elena Vargas."

"Elena," I began, "tell me what happened to your son, to you."

Elena sank into a chair opposite me, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Tears streamed down her face as she recounted a harrowing tale. A night of terror, a chilling creature with empty eyes, and a scream that tore through the night. The boy, traumatized, the bite marks on her wrist a chilling reminder of the attack.

As she spoke, a coldness spread through me. The bite marks were similar to the ones on Sarah Moore and the others. But the creature she described… it didn't match what I knew of banshees. This was something else entirely.

"The last thing I remember," Elena continued, her voice trembling, "was seeing its eyes… red… then darkness. And when I woke up, I felt weak, drained. Like something was missing from me."

I leaned closer, a strange scent catching my attention. It emanated from the bite marks on her wrist, a faint, sickly sweet aroma. Reaching out gently, I took her hand, my enhanced senses picking up the traces of an unknown poison coursing through her veins.

"You've been poisoned," I said, a chill running down my spine.

Elena recoiled, her eyes wide with alarm. "What? But how?"

"By the creature that attacked you," I explained, my voice grim. "This bite… it's not just meant to drain you, it's meant to weaken you further."

Elena stared at her wrist, a look of dawning horror creeping across her face. "What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered.

"That's what I'm here to find out," I said, a new sense of urgency building within me. The theory about a banshee was dead wrong. We were dealing with something far more sinister, a creature that could drain life and poison its victims.

"I can take you back to Harmony Grove," I offered, knowing the coven witches could heal her. "They can help you, and maybe they'll have some answers."

Elena looked at me, a flicker of hope battling with fear in her eyes. Then, she shook her head, a defiantly set to her jaw.

"No," she said, her voice gaining strength. "I won't leave Miguel. And besides," she continued, her gaze hardening, "the less they know about us… about what's happening here in Mystic Vale… the better."

Disappointment gnawed at me. Elena's knowledge could have been invaluable in unraveling this mystery. But I understood her reluctance. Mystic Vale was a place that thrived on secrecy, and trusting outsiders wasn't part of their culture.

"Then let me help you here," I insisted, rising from the chair. "I can't stay long, but I can offer some protection, at least until you get some answers of your own."

Elena seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded slowly. A spark of apprehension flickered in her eyes. "Alright," she said, her voice laced with a newfound determination. "But tell me, who are you, and why are you so interested in this creature?"

I took a deep breath, knowing I couldn't reveal my true nature. Thinking quickly, I came up with a cover story. "I'm a… a researcher," I lied, "studying rare anomalies. And this creature… the way you described it… it falls within my area of expertise."

Elena's skepticism was evident, but she didn't press the issue.

"What happened to the banshee that used to stay here?" I asked and she sighed.

"That poor creature. We stopped hearing her screams. Banshee's are known by their screams. Some people say she has been killed, some say she has been taken captive by evil people. We haven't heard from her in months. She was the last of their kind. She wouldn't hurt a fly no matter how tempted she was." she replied, and it made me wonder if they shared some form of connection.

"You speak of her fondly like you know her personally. Did you?' I asked and she paused, I am guessing weighing her options of whether to tell me or not.

"Yes, I watched her grow from a young girl till she disappeared. She changed my mind about banshees," she replied after a while.

We spent the next few hours talking, piecing together what little information we had. One thing was certain, the banshee wasn't responsible for the attacks in Harmony Grove. Whatever we were dealing with just played us. At least, now we have gotten that out of the way.

As dawn approached, casting a faint light through the dusty window, I knew I had to leave. There was too much at stake in Harmony Grove, and Evelyn would be worried sick.

"I'll be back," I promised Elena, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll find a way to stop this creature together."

"Be careful," Elena said, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and gratitude. "And thank you… for whatever it is you do."

With a final nod, I slipped out of the house and back into the alleyway. The rising sun cast long shadows across the town, a stark contrast to the darkness that still clung to the heart of Mystic Vale.

The drive back to Harmony Grove was a blur. My mind raced with the information I had gathered. This wasn't a creature of myth or legend. This was something real, something dangerous, and it was targeting supernaturals with a terrifying efficiency.

The banshee theory was off the table. We were dealing with a creature that drained life, poisoned its victims, and possessed red eyes that turned dark. What was it? And where did it come from?