Page 31 of An Ancient Power's Revenge

"Like a ghost," Evelyn muttered, her voice tight.

A ghost. Or something far worse. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. We were dealing with a creature of shadows, a predator that moved unseen amongst them.A Banshee?

Chapter 18- The Dead Teacher

Evelyn

The sterile white sheet was pulled back, revealing the lifeless face of Ms. Moore, our high school biology teacher. She looked peaceful, almost serene, if not for the telltale puncture wound on her neck, a stark crimson stain blooming around it.

It was the third victim in a month, each drained of blood with the same mysterious wound. Each death felt like a punch to the gut, a grim reminder of the monster lurking in our midst. The paramedics zipped the body bag shut, the sound echoing in the silent classroom.

Alexei, ever the diplomat, offered a few consoling words to the head custodian, who was looking ashen faced. I, on the other hand, couldn't waste time on pleasantries.

"Alright," I announced, my voice firm. "You ladies found Ms. Moore first?"

A gaggle of girls huddled together, their faces pale and streaked with tears. One, a tall redhead with glasses, stepped forward.

"Yes, ma'am," she stammered. "We were in the middle of our dissection lab when Julie peeked in the prep room and… and saw her." Her voice choked up, and several of the other girls started sobbing.

"It's okay," I said gently. "Just tell me what happened."

The redhead took a shaky breath. "We were dissecting frogs, you see. When Julie screamed, we all ran in. Ms. Moore… she was on the floor, like this." She gestured down at her body.

The other girls chimed in, their stories a chorus of fear and confusion. They hadn't seen anyone, hadn't heard any noise. Just Ms. Moore, crumpled on the floor, as lifeless as the frogs they'd been dissecting moments before.

Alexei interviewed the teachers who'd rushed in after hearing the screams. Their accounts mirrored the students'. A lone figure found dead, no witnesses, no clues. It was maddening.

Thankful for a chance to get the girls out of the oppressive atmosphere, I finally dismissed them with a promise to update their parents. As they shuffled out, wide-eyed and terrified, I exchanged a frustrated glance with Alexei.

"Another dead end," I muttered, the weight of the unsolved cases pressing down on me.

"Not necessarily," Alexei said, a thoughtful look on his face. "These girls saw Ms. Moore right before she died. Maybe, just maybe, they noticed something, anything, unusual. Call them back before they leave."

He was right. Leading them through the events again, I focused on details. The girls, still shaken, struggled to recall anything specific. But then, one of them spoke up hesitantly.

"There… there was a weird smell," she said, wrinkling her nose. "A kind of earthy scent, like… like after a rainstorm in the woods."

An earthy scent? It wasn't much, but it was something. Thankful for any lead, I pressed them further, but they couldn't provide anything else. With a final sigh, I released them back to the chaos of a school on lockdown.

"Back to the office?" Alexei asked, leading me out of the now-empty classroom.

"No," I said, a newfound determination hardening my voice. "We're widening the investigation."

Alexei stopped short, his brow furrowing. "Hopefully not to include the werewolves…"

"The werewolves be damned," I snapped. "Three people are dead, Alexei. Innocent people. We can't just pretend this isn't happening."

He sighed, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "I know, Evelyn," he said softly. "But the werewolves… they're already on edge. Pushing this could…"

"Could what?" I challenged. "Piss them off further? Make them leave Harmony Grove altogether?"

He winced. The unspoken fear was hanging over our heads, the potential fallout of this investigation.

"Look," I said, softening my tone slightly. "We don't have to go directly to them. We can… unofficially keep digging. You talk to the council, keep them appeased. I'll handle the investigation here, discreetly."

Alexei stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Alright, Sheriff," he said.

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