Page 41 of An Ancient Power's Revenge

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?

Chapter 23 – Home from Mystic Vale

Alexei

Relief washed over me as I crossed the border back into Harmony Grove. The familiar streets, the comforting bustle of the town square… it felt like a world away from the desolate darkness of Mystic Vale.

Parking the car near the mayor's office, I hurried inside, a sense of urgency propelling me forward. I needed to find Evelyn, to share the information I had gathered.

Reaching my office, I found Ana pacing back and forth, her face etched with worry. As soon as she saw me, she rushed over, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Alexei, you're back!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her voice. "Thank goodness. Where have you been? Evelyn's been frantic."

"Mystic Vale," I replied, sinking into a chair and taking a deep breath. "It's… not what I expected."

Ana's gaze sharpened. "What did you find?" she asked, her voice tense.

I recounted everything, from meeting Elena to the chilling details of the creature and the poison coursing through her veins. When I finished, silence descended upon the room, thick and heavy.

"So, the banshee theory is out the window," Ana finally said, her voice grim. "These bite marks… draining… the poison… it doesn't match anything in my knowledge."

"No, it doesn't," I agreed, frustration gnawing at me. "And what's even more disturbing is the witches are starting to suspect us."

Ana's eyebrows shot up. "Suspect us? How?"

"The bite marks," I explained. " They're similar to the bite of a vampire. And the coven believes we might be the ones orchestrating the attacks."

Ana let out a frustrated groan. "Of course they would jump to that conclusion," she muttered. "They never could imagine something outside their little supernatural bubble."

"Exactly," I said, running a hand through my hair. "This creature… it's targeting supernaturals, yes, but it's not limited to them. Elena is proof of that."

Ana sighed. "We're dealing with something completely unknown here.”

“And the worst part is… we hit a dead end in Mystic Vale." I pinched the bridge of my nose, a gnarly headache beginning to brew.

"Dead end?" Ana echoed. "What do you mean?"

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