Chapter 29

twenty-nine

I strode back into Red Hallow, my heart still pounding with adrenaline from the battle. I felt changed—transformed by the darkness that now coursed through my veins. Grayson kept close beside me, alert for any signs of a threat. We were both battered and bruised, our clothes torn and stained with the blood of our battle against Cain. But with each step forward, our skin knitted itself back together, and bruises faded to nothing.

The quiet streets reflected the fear that gripped the town. As we passed, lights flickered and died, plunging the already shadowy lanes into deeper darkness. Curtains twitched, and the few townspeople who dared to watch us quickly retreated inside, their faces etched with terror. Word of Cain's defeat had spread, and now, we were the conductors of this macabre dance.

I could feel my power rippling off me in waves, a living, breathing force that responded to my every emotion. Shadows flickered and twisted around us, dancing in time to the rhythms of my own heart. I felt like a sentinel of darkness, a bringer of fear, and although a part of me wanted to rein it in, another relished the impact it had on those who had wronged us.

The elders wouldn't be hard to find; their lair beckoned to us, a throbbing pulse in the heart of the town. The doors of the old meeting hall loomed before us, swinging open as if pulled by an invisible hand. The building itself seemed to breathe, alive with a malevolent presence, eager to witness what was about to unfold. A single dim light cast long, eerie shadows that danced across the decrepit walls, adding to the sense of lurking dread.

We stepped inside, our footsteps echoing on the creaking floorboards. The air was heavy with the scent of dust and something more sinister—the tang of fear. This was the heart of the conspiracy, the place where they had plotted and planned, thinking they were untouchable. I could feel their apprehension like a living entity as they sensed our approach.

Grayson growled a low, dangerous rumble in the near darkness. I glanced at him, his eyes gleaming with a feral light, reflecting the shadows that danced around us. There was primal energy about him, unleashed and untamed that perfectly mirrored my own.

The darkness in the room seemed to pulse, the shadows drawing closer as if curious about the confrontation that was about to unfold. I felt them, whispering against my skin, seeking a way to merge with me, to become extensions of my own rage and grief. The whispers of the town, the knowledge that these elders were the puppeteers of Red Hallow, fueled my anger and my determination to confront them.

Figures stepped out of the shadows, hesitant, their eyes darting between Grayson and me. For a moment, their faces were illuminated by the weak light, and I recognized them—the leaders of this cursed town, the elders who had trapped me in my booth in the diner, their eyes now betraying their fear.

"We thought you were as good as dead," one of them spat, his voice cracking with a mixture of disbelief and rage. "You were our creation. How dare you turn on us?"

My power sparked, lashing out at their audacity. The light flickered, then died, leaving us cloaked in darkness.

"You gave us nothing," I replied, my voice steady. "We took back what was ours. And now, we're here to end this. For good."

Their gazes flickered to the shadows that now writhed around us, alive with their own malevolent intent. I was in control, their darkened creation, and their worst nightmare came to life.

This was it—the moment where the hunted became the hunters.

I raise my hand, and the shadows dance at my bidding, twisting and spiraling with a life of their own. They're an extension of my rage, my pain, and my power.

"You created monsters," I say, my voice steady, commanding the room. "You tried to control them, to bend them to your will, but you forgot one crucial thing—monsters don't obey."

One of them shifts nervously, his eyes darting to the side as if seeking an escape. It's all the invitation Grayson needs. He's on the elder in a blur of motion, faster than any human should be able to move.

The elder's eyes bulge as Grayson slams him against the wall, one hand wrapped tightly around his throat. The man claws at the hand, his face turning purple as he struggles for breath. Then, with a sickening crunch, Grayson tightens his grip, and the elder goes limp.

He releases his hold, and the body crumples to the ground. The sound of its lifeless form hitting the floor is like a warning to the others. They back away, their eyes filled with horror as they realize the full extent of their failure. They created something they couldn't control—something that would be their undoing.

"You're all going to pay," I whisper, my voice laced with a quiet fury. "For everything you've done."

The remaining elders exchange nervous glances, their eyes darting around the room as if searching for a way out. But there's nowhere to hide, not from us. We are the creatures of their own making, the monsters unleashed upon this town.

One of the female elders falls to her knees, hands outstretched in supplication. "Please," she begs. "We didn't know. We were just following orders."

I laugh, a bitter sound devoid of humor. "You didn't know?" I echo her words, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You fed children to your experiments. You created Cain. You tortured Grayson and me. And then you tried to make me kill myself." My words hang in the air like a condemnation, thick with the weight of their crimes.

My power flares in response to my anger, the shadows in the room coiling like snakes around the elder's outstretched hands. With a sharp cry, she tries to pull away, but the darkness tightens like shackles, binding her wrists. I step forward, my gaze locked on hers, and she cringes, her eyes wide with fear.

"No more excuses," I hiss. "You wanted monsters? Now you've got them. And you're going to suffer, just like we did."