Burning Ruins

prologue

She was walking down the street at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night, after the weekly party at the frat house of the St. Martin College, somewhere in the state of California, tears streaming down her face, playing over and over again that one scene of Edward saying those three lethal words '' It's over, Jess''. Flashbacks of all the times they were together, times when they were singing in the car getting lost upstate, matching the lyrics of that one specific Taylor Swift song she adored, but also prayed to never have to relate to. Suddenly, she felt a piercing on her neck, right on the carotid artery. She stopped frightened and turned around. Her bloodshot eyes were open, the shivers on her spine tensed, fear crept into her mind. Until she heard a low enchanting humming. And then she felt nothing. She was numb. The next thing she knew, the red eyes she was staring into, were replaced with a black void.

Next morning 7.30 a.m.

Detectives Athena McGreeves and Carlos Hernandez were called out of the blue to investigate a mysterious death. A young girl named Jessica Jones was found lifeless by some lady who was doing her morning jog. Zoe, the forensic scientist, was already out in the field, examining the scene of the crime. The girl's throat was cut in a quite peculiar way. Instead of it being cut in a straight line, as usual, it was crooked in a zigzag kind of way. A silver dagger with a two-headed snake laid there covered in blood.

Hernandez stopped dead in his tracks on seeing the weapon. Memories of a past life echoed through his mind. The one case no one bothered to look further into. The one he was bonded with closest of all, that shaped his life. The thought of being the one solving that open and closed case, was his drive through his life. After years of what seemed as a purposeless investigation, the first clue appeared right before his eyes. Hope reignited like a flame inside him. Justice would be finally served for that forsaken crime 20 years ago, and by his hand, no less.

With Zoe's return to the lab, it was found out that the dagger was covered with Jessica's blood. A suicide, she thought. The two detectives looked further into her death. They contacted her fellow - now, ex-classmates and friends. Everyone seemed to know she was intoxicated the night before as a result of the boy she was so in love with, ending their relationship. Normal, thought Athena. Well, not normal but it adds up. Carlos however, promised himself to look further into the so-called suicide. Something also alarmed McGreeves. If the story was sensible, then why did her trusted gut not believe it? Something seemed, indeed, off.

Meanwhile

Not hungry anymore. But not satisfied either. She was not enjoying the hunt for food as much anymore. Far too easy. Far too boring. No one even bothered to run. She missed the excitement of luring her prey out, then pursuing it, and, finally, attacking. No predator should have it the easy way, she thought. She loved the way blood tasted. No. Not loved. Liked, adored. She made herself incapable of loving anything or anyone and being loved in return. Love is a weakness she thought. And she would not allow herself to feel weak. Not while danger was seeking for her. Not while it could all be instantly over for her. She fought too hard for her life, she could not bear to lose everything. He whose name will never be said, destroyed everything once four hundred years ago. She was not planning on letting this happen again.