Raven's Watch: Secrets Of The Blud Diary

Chapter One: A Two Sided Coin

The downpour was relentless, cold air forcing Nathan to burrow deeper into his raincoat. The plastic crinkled as he hurried down Humblefield Street, red and blue lights flashing from the row of police cars that lined the drenched asphalt. Their reflections flickered in the shallow puddles.

"Nathan, you're finally here," a voice called out, snapping his attention to the side.

Walking toward him was a heavily-built man in a black and blue raincoat. His glasses caught the flashing lights, concealing his eyes under furrowed brows. He extended a hand once he was within reach.

"Detective Ranch," Nathan greeted, shaking his hand and slightly wincing at the man's strong grip.

"How was your trip to Bridgeview?" Fog billowed as the detective spoke, his gaze briefly flicking toward the scooter Nathan had arrived on.

Nathan adjusted his spectacles, wiping away the raindrops splattered on the lenses. "Nothing to complain about. Is Inspector Mara here?"

"She's in the building. Crime scene’s through there," Ranch said, pointing to the front of a store where a gaping hole stood in place of a door. Shards of glass and chunks of rubble littered the ground, encircled by yellow "do not cross" tape.

Nathan’s gaze wandered over the scene. Scratch marks ran along the brick walls and pavement, some still glinting faintly red under the streetlights. "Doesn’t look like your everyday burglary."

"If it was, you wouldn't be here," Ranch said with a smirk, his shoulders finally relaxing.

"Where would you be without us?" Nathan smirked, sliding off his scooter and hanging his helmet on the handle.

"Any lead on what might have been the cause?" he asked as he and Detective Ranch made a short walk across the road. They moved under the police tape, standing just a few feet from the debris. The full extent of the destruction now in plain view.

"Our department would love to write this off as another one of the bear attacks, but..." Detective Ranch trailed off, dragging his finger along the jagged edges of the wall. "No one would believe a bear caused this much carnage."

Nathan knelt beside the rubble, his gaze sharpened, methodical. "I agree."

He picked up a piece of brick and tilted it under the flickering streetlights. As the light hit the surface, a gleam of bright red contrasted with the deeper hues of the brick. He squinted, furrowing his brow as he studied it more closely.

"Too viscous to be blood," he muttered, setting the brick down and turning his attention to the long claw marks scarring the walls.

Nathan ran his fingers along the grooves, feeling the rough texture beneath his fingertips. For a moment, he closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation—the depth, the uneven scrape. Something about it felt off.

His fingers brushed against something unusual, brittle, embedded in the scratch marks. Carefully, he pried loose a few black chippings and brought them closer to his nose. A pungent, acrid scent assaulted his senses.

Nathan winced, pulling the substance away. "Definitely not anything natural."

Detective Ranch, already uneasy, took a step back. "What is it?" His voice tightened, the tension in his shoulders betraying his discomfort.

Nathan chuckled, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Relax, it’s nothing dangerous—yet." He pulled a small plastic bag from his pocket, dropping the black fragments inside. "It’s not anything to worry about right now." The bag disappeared into his coat with a practiced motion.

Detective Ranch exhaled a heavy sigh, shaking his head as his breath fogged the air. "It’s always the weird cases. Always."

Nathan straightened, dusting off his hands. "Where would the fun be if it was easy?" he quipped, though his mind was already processing the evidence. This wasn’t just a break-in. The red marks, the pungent smell, the unnatural scratches—he’d seen signs like this before, but they never pointed to anything simple.