Page 30 of An Ancient Power's Revenge

A collective murmur of surprise rippled through the room.

Evelyn continued, ignoring their reactions. "And from now on, any inquiries you may feel need to involve them are to be forwarded to the mayor's office."

The room erupted in protests, a cacophony of confusion and discontent. Evelyn raised a hand for silence, her expression hardening.

"This is a direct order from Mayor Alexei," she stated firmly. "Does anyone have any questions?"

There were none that mattered. The deputies, well aware of the power dynamics at play, simply exchanged uneasy glances. With a nod, Evelyn dismissed them, leaving us alone in the tense quiet of the office.

"That went well," I muttered, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

"It went as well as it could have, considering the circumstances," Evelyn retorted, her eyes flashing. "This whole thing stinks, Alexei. And I don't like it."

"I know," I said, pulling her into a hug. The warmth of her body was a small comfort in the face of the storm brewing around us.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, but it makes me feel the werewolves have something to hide," she murmured against my shoulder, her voice firm with resolve."

I held her tighter, the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. Together. It was all we had, and right now, it felt precariously thin against the growing darkness.

***

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the asphalt as I walked out of the building. Evelyn trailed behind me, her expression a stormy mix of frustration and concern. We were headed home after a long day.

"Alexei," she started, her voice tight, "are you sure about this?"

I stopped, turning to face her. "About keeping them out of the investigation?" I raised an eyebrow. "The council made their position clear. We can't afford to push the werewolves further."

"But what about the victims?" she countered, her fiery spirit evident. "What about justice? We can't just pretend they might not be involved."

"We're not pretending," I said gently. "We're taking a… different approach."

"A different approach sounds suspiciously like burying our heads in the sand," she retorted. "This killer isn't going to stop, Alexei. They'll keep going until we catch them."

I knew she was right. The cold, methodical efficiency of the killings chilled me to the bone. There was a darkness at work here, something ancient and predatory.

"The werewolves don't want our help and want to be left alone," I pointed out, a hint of frustration creeping into myvoice. "The sooner we stop involving them, the better it is for everyone involved."

The shrill blare of the police scanner cut through the air, shattering the uneasy silence. Evelyn whipped out her ringing phone, her face hardening as she listened.

"Another body," she said, her voice grim. "This time at the high school."

My stomach lurched. "Another one?"

"Another victim," she confirmed, slamming the car door shut. "Looks like I was right. This killer isn't slowing down."

We raced to the high school, sirens wailing in the quiet evening air. The scene was a chaotic mix of flashing lights and yellow police tape. Pale with shock, students huddled together on the lawn, murmuring amongst themselves.

Evelyn flashed her badge, and a nervous-looking young deputy ushered us through the cordon. A white sheet covered a still form in the back hallway near the science labs.

"What do we have?" Evelyn asked, her voice clipped with authority.

The deputy cleared his throat. "Female teacher. Looks like a similar situation to the others. No signs of a struggle, and her eyes are wide open like life was forced out of her."

Evelyn knelt beside the body, her brow furrowed in concentration. I stood beside her, the metallic tang of blood heavy in the air. This was the third victim in as many weeks. The fear that had been simmering beneath the town's surface was now boiling over.

"Any leads?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The deputy shook his head. "No security cameras in this hallway. No witnesses. It's like…" he trailed off, unable to finish the chilling thought.

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