Page 35 of An Ancient Power's Revenge

Alexei

Aknot of tension twisted in my gut as I surveyed the empty conference room. Tonight's meeting with the vampires of Harmony Grove was long overdue, and the weight of responsibility weighed heavily on me. As Mayor and a pureblood vampire, the burden of maintaining the delicate balance between our supernatural community and the humans fell squarely on my shoulders.

The bite marks on Sarah, the young witch, were too similar to be ignored. I knew what it looked like, what it felt like. But the idea of vampires running amok in our town was simply unthinkable. We had strict rules, a code that guided us as vampires and I would hate it if it turned out to be one of us that has broken the code.

"This won't go over well, Alexei," Ana said as she plopped down into the nearest chair, her voice a low murmur. "We haven't had a compulsory meeting in years."

"We have to, Ana," I countered, my voice firm. "These attacks... they're reckless, they threaten our entire way of life."

"They could be a rogue werewolf, even a rogue hunter," she suggested, her voice laced with a hint of desperation. "There's no proof it's one of ours."

There was a flicker of hope in her words, but even Ana couldn't deny the chilling similarity of the bite marks to Evelyn's photos. I pulled them out, the stark images showcasing the tiny punctures surrounded by bruised flesh.

Ana's face paled as she looked at them. "Alright," she conceded, her voice tight. "Those do look… familiar."

"Familiar?" I scoffed. "They're practically identical."

A heavy silence descended upon us. We both knew the implications. If a vampire was responsible, it was a blatant disregard for the code, a potential spark that could ignite a full-blown supernatural war in our peaceful town.

I needed to handle this delicately and walk a tightrope between addressing the issue and maintaining control. "Let's grab some coffee," I finally said, needing to get my wits about me.

We stepped out of the town hall and into the cool evening breeze. My stomach was in knots, it was no secret how hard this is for me.

"How do you want to approach this?" Ana asked, her voice laced with concern. "We need a plan, Alexei. Accusations without proof could backfire."

"I know," I sighed, rubbing a hand over my tired face. "Maybe… maybe we start by reminding everyone of the code, the importance of discretion."

Ana nodded thoughtfully. "Good start. We could also mention rumors of suspicious activity, keep it vague until we have concrete evidence."

Our walk took us to the local coffee shop, its aroma a beacon in the quiet night. Inside, we sat in a secluded corner booth, the familiar scent of roasted beans offering a small measure of comfort. As we sipped our drinks, we continued strategizing, formulating a plan for the crucial meeting later tonight.

"We need to keep the peace," I emphasized, my voice serious. "The last thing we need is chaos, a lot could go wrong with that."

Ana nodded curtly. "Absolutely. "

The coffee shop bell tinkled as a group of students entered, their chatter carrying through the air. Seeing their youthful, innocent faces brought a fresh wave of urgency to my mission. I wouldn't let some rogue vampire jeopardize the peace of Harmony Grove or the lives of those who lived within its borders.

With a newfound resolve, I finished my coffee and rose to my feet. Tonight's meeting wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary. For the sake of our community and our safety, I had to ensure it went well.

The fate of Harmony Grove, both human and supernatural, hung in the balance.

***

Tension crackled in the air as I surveyed the dimly lit conference room at the town hall. The vampires of Harmony Grove trickled in one by one, their faces etched with a mixture of curiosity and unease. Tonight's meeting was long overdue.

Ana slid into a chair beside me. "Ready for this?" she asked, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

I forced a smile. "Ready as I'll ever be."

As the last vampire arrived, I stood before the gathering. The room fell silent, a hundred pairs of eyes focused on me. Taking a deep breath, I began.

"We've all heard the rumors," I started, my voice steady. "The whispers of strange occurrences, the recent… unfortunate events."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. I knew they were chattering about the string of murders plaguing Harmony Grove and the victims drained of life with strange bite marks on their wrists.

"These killings are a blatant disregard for the code we've all sworn to uphold," I continued, my voice firm. "And worse, they threaten the fragile peace we've established with the werewolves."

A low growl erupted from the back of the room. One of the older vampires, Viktor, his face creased with anger, stood up.

---